Travel Disruptions Likely Due to Heavy Rain and Snow on Thursday and Friday
A powerful storm system is set to impact the Desert Southwest, bringing a significant period of precipitation to the High Plains from Thursday through Friday. This strong upper-level low will detach from the jet stream and remain over Arizona and New Mexico on Thursday, before tracking northeast through the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles on Friday. This will create a 48-hour window where both rain and snow are expected.
Hazardous travel conditions are anticipated, particularly for the morning and evening commutes on Thursday, due to low visibility and slick roads. The northeast corner of New Mexico is expected to experience moderate to major travel disruptions. Snow may continue into Thursday night and Friday, depending on the storm’s development, though conditions will improve over the weekend.
In the panhandles, temperatures are expected to be just warm enough for rain rather than snow, especially further east. However, 1 to 3 inches of rain are likely, adding to the already saturated ground from last weekend’s storm. Flooding could occur on a localized scale, especially in areas that have already seen significant rainfall. Amarillo, for example, has received 2 to 3 inches of rain this November alone and could add another 1 to 3 inches by the end of the week. For comparison, the city typically sees less than 1 inch of rain in November.
