LUBBOCK, TX (KLBK) – KLBK Chief Meteorologist Jacob Riley has your Tuesday afternoon severe weather update for April 22, 2025.
A Weather Aware Day has been issued for Tuesday, April 22, 2025 for the South Plains region of western Texas and eastern New Mexico. Damaging winds, large hail, and even a few tornadoes are expected to accompany the strongest storms across the region during the afternoon through the early overnight hours.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the following counties through 11 PM CDT Tuesday, April 22, 2025: Swisher, Briscoe, Hall. Childress, Lamb, Hale, Floyd, Motley, Cottle, Cochran, Hockley, Lubbock, Crosby, Dickens, King, Yoakum, Terry, Lynn, Garza, Kent, Gaines, Dawson, Borden, and Scurry. Damaging wind gusts as high as 80 MPH, hail as large as tennis ball sized ( 2.50″ in diameter ), and isolated tornadoes will all be possible within the watch area.
A level 2 out of 5 slight risk for severe storms has been issued for most of the KLBK forecast area. This includes the cities of Childress, Paducah, Guthrie, Turkey, Matador, Spur, Dickens, Jayton, Lake Alan Henry, Snyder, Gail, Post, Ralls, Crosbyton, Floydada, Lockney, Silverton, Tulia, Kress, Plainview, Olton, Hale Center, Abernathy, New Deal, Lubbock, Wolfforth, Slaton, New Home, Tahoka, O’Donnell, Lamesa, Seminole, Hobbs, Denver City, Seagraves, Plains, Brownfield, Levelland, Morton, Littlefield, and Dimmitt. A level 1 out of 5 marginal risk has been issued for western portions of the KLBK forecast area, including the cities of Friona, Muleshoe, Clovis, Farwell, Dora, Portales, Elida, Causey, Tatum, and Lovington. Severe storms are most likely to occur in the level 2/5 slight risk.
The primary concern with any storm that develops will be damaging hail up to tennis ball size ( 2.50″ in diameter ) and wind gusts as high as 80 MPH. The strongest storms will also be capable of producing isolated tornadoes. Although no widespread flash flooding is likely, the strongest storms will also produce locally heavy rainfall which could result in some localized flooding. Again, not everyone will see severe weather. However, the strongest storms that do develop later today will be capable of producing the aforementioned threats.
Timing for this event will be during the afternoon through early overnight hours. Storms will begin to develop over the northwestern portions of the KLBK viewing area between 4-6 PM, indicated by the black shaded region below. Areas along and near the Highway 62/82 corridor, including the Lubbock metro area, will see storms begin between 6-8 PM. Areas south of the U.S. Highway 62/82 corridor to the edge of the Caprock between 8-10 PM, with Scurry County seeing storms arrive around the 10 PM – Midnight timeframe. These are the expected ***start*** time of storms for Tuesday, April 22, 2025. If you are going to see storms at your location, this is the time in which they are expected to begin. Storms could linger beyond this timeframe. Again, not everyone will see severe weather. Those that do will see them arrive within their respective areas at the previously mentioned times.
Here’s a forecast model run of the thunderstorms beginning Tuesday afternoon through the early overnight hours across the South Plains and the Rolling Plains. Keep in mind, this is forecast model and the radar may not look exactly as the model depicts it. Our overall forecast remains conditions due to the potential for a ‘cap’ holding storms at bay in our atmosphere. If the cap holds, we will see fewer storms. If the cap breaks, we could see more widespread storms! Again, not everyone will see rainfall, let alone severe weather.
As always, you can stay up to date with the latest information on Facebook , X , or on our website at everythinglubbock.com/klbk-weather/ . If you don’t have it yet, make sure to download our new and improved EverythingLubbock Weather app. It is free in both the Google Play and Apple App stores. The EverythingLubbock Weather app is a great tool to have during severe weather…