Weather Update: Thunderstorm Watch in Place Until 7PM – Stay Alert
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 7 PM MDT for eastern New Mexico and parts of Colorado.
Storms have already started forming east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and are moving into an increasingly unstable environment. With wind shear and atmospheric instability in place, semi-discrete storm clusters and occasional supercells are expected to persist throughout the afternoon and evening.
The primary threats from today’s storms include damaging winds of up to 70 mph. Additionally, hail the size of ping-pong balls and a few weak tornadoes are possible, especially in areas where supercell formation occurs.
Flash flooding is a minor concern, particularly in areas experiencing heavy rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.
As the evening progresses, storms are expected to weaken as they move through the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. Severe weather risks should diminish by around 10 PM CDT.
A marginal risk for severe weather is also expected on Wednesday, particularly east of the dryline in the southeastern Texas panhandle. These storms will primarily pose a wind risk, with a slight chance of large hail and the possibility of a landspout.
