Area Forecast Discussion
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Issued by NWS
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185 FXUS64 KLUB 132301 AFDLUB Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 601 PM CDT Sun Sep 13 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 600 PM CDT Sun Sep 13 2026 - Above normal temperatures continue through the work week, with a very gradual cooling trend anticipated. - Daily storm chances exist through the upcoming week, favoring areas on the Caprock. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Monday) Issued at 1253 PM CDT Sun Sep 13 2026 Remnant showers Sunday morning were more persistent than most high-res models initially suggested, although the remaining activity was weakening (with IR depicting warming cloud tops) as of 17z/noon. In addition to the showers, ample cloud cover has held temps cooler than anticipated this morning, with some locations still in the upper 70s/low 80s as of 17z/noon. Dewpoints were also 5-10 degrees higher than this time yesterday, currently in the 60s areawide. As a result, the forecast highs were lowered a few degrees across the central and northern portions of the FA, but highs should still reach the mid/upper 90s on the Caprock (and warmer off the Caprock). Isolated storms remain possible across the northwestern fringes of the FA, but the main precip axis will be shifted a bit west compared to yesterday. Upper ridging remains in place across TX, with 500mb heights around 594 dam. Tonight, an upper low over the Pacific NW will shift east towards the northern Plains. As it does so, pressure falls in the lee of the Rockies will tighten the sfc pressure gradient resulting in breezy SW winds locally on Monday, sustained at 15-20 mph with gusts as high as 30 mph. This may lead to locally elevated fire risk, although minimum RH values should stay above 20%. Isolated precip chances are possible once again during the evening near the TX/NM border and the far SW TX Panhandle, but are higher west of our FA. Any storms that do form today or Monday could produce sporadic strong wind gusts. && .LONG TERM... (Monday night through next Saturday) Issued at 1253 PM CDT Sun Sep 13 2026 The mid-week synoptic pattern remains on track from previous forecasts, with anomalous ridging over the SE CONUS, and upper lows near the Hudson Bay as well as the Pacific NW. This pattern will keep the monsoonal moisture plume focused across northwest portions of the FA, and precipitable water (PWAT) values nearing 1.5" will be well above climatology (above the 95th percentile). A southward moving cold front associated with the Hudson Bay sfc low and a mid- level disturbance emanating from New Mexico will support likely PoPs (60-80%) across NW portions of the FA Tues PM, with chance PoPs (40- 50%) across much of the Caprock. Forecast soundings depict less downdraft CAPE than previous days, which could lower the strong wind gusts potential, although water-loaded downdrafts may still be capable of sporadic strong winds. Between Wed-Fri, the upper ridge gradually shifts back west, reaching eastern OK/TX by Fri. That will result in subtle height rises and shunt the monsoonal moisture axis a tad west, so while daily storm chances remain, they are largely confined to areas near the TX/NM border and the far SW TX Panhandle. Temps remain above normal through the work week, although a gradual cooling trend is anticipated with highs in the upper 80s/low 90s on the Caprock by Fri, and the mid 90s off the Caprock. For late week and the weekend, deterministic guidance has trended several degrees warmer compared to previous runs. This trend is not unique to the deterministic models either, with the model blend exhibiting this same trend. This is due to a slower evolution of yet another closed low over the Pacific NW. Previous model runs had this wave emerging onto the central Plains by Fri, pushing a cold front southward across W TX. This system is no longer progged to reach the Plains by Fri, and its exact timing over the weekend appears less certain. The cooling trend is still forecast to continue into the weekend, with seasonable values favored by Sun (mid 80s), but the potential for a more dramatic cool down with below normal temps now looks less likely. While the primary upper low is slower, occasional weak disturbances emanating from NM within the SW flow regime will keep conditions unsettled, with occasional precip chances Fri through the weekend. The blend has near uniform PoPs area-wide, but based on the synoptic setup I suspect we`ll eventually see a gradient in the PoPs, with higher chances on the Caprock. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 600 PM CDT Sun Sep 13 2026 VFR conditions will prevail. Breezy southerly winds will continue through the overnight period before briefly decreasing early Monday morning. Winds will slightly shift to the southwest and increase Monday afternoon with gusts up to 25 to 30 mph possible. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && $$ SHORT TERM...24 LONG TERM....24 AVIATION...10