No, That Wasn’t a Mirage — Lubbock Did Get Some Rain!
No, you weren't hearing things on Tuesday. That was rumblings of thunder, and we did in fact see some rain across the South Plains. In fact, the Hub City even got a few drops and some portions of the region got quite lucky, seeing substantial rainfall.
Here's a look at some of the impressive totals that those small storms brought us Tuesday afternoon as reported by the National Wind Institute's West Texas Mesonet Sites.
Hobbs, NM: 0.65"
Plains, TX: 0.56"
Denver City, TX: 0.32"
Northfield, TX: 0.25"
Lamesa, TX: 0.16"
Lubbock, TX: 0.03" (Officially 0.02" at Lubbock International Airport)
It's important to note that the majority of the places that got this much-needed precipitation are sitting in the worst drought areas at this time. You can see this in the most recent Texas Drought Monitor shown below.
Unfortunately, Lubbock is still below average for the month and it will stay that way. However, forecast models are indicating that we could see more rain in the forecast as early as Saturday, July 2nd. While this isn't ideal for your 4th of July holiday weekend plans, it does bring us a little hope for our lawns.
We also want to remind folks that due to our current drought conditions and the continuing heat in the forecast, people need to be extra cautious when setting off fireworks this Fourth of July. The last thing we need is fires starting on the South Plains. Please take precautions when partaking in this holiday activity. Below are some fantastic tips for staying safe.
Top Six Things To Remember This Fireworks Season
Top 7 Ways to Save Your Lawn During This Drought
Top 8 Ways to Save at the Gas Pump This Summer