FORT STOCKTON, Texas – Parts of the Southern Plains were slammed with severe storms on Tuesday evening, the first of a two-night severe weather threat for parts of the region.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings dotted western Texas into Oklahoma, with even a few Tornado Warnings.
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One of the strongest cells hit Midland, Texas with what the National Weather Service said brought a severe wind gust that may have even topped more than 100 mph, thanks to a potential “virga bomb”. When a thunderstorm’s heavy rains falls into super-dry air, the rain can evaporate, cooling the air and making it rush to the ground at extreme speeds.
The official wind gauge at Midland Airport briefly recorded a peak gust of 97 knots –- 112 mph! The NWS will have to verify such an extreme wind speed report, but said there were certainly strong wind gusts observed near the storm.
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Another strong thunderstorm slowly rolled through Fort Stockton, Texas, where wind gusts were clocked at 68 mph as a severe-warned storm moved through the area. The city recorded 0.78″ of rain in just one hour on Tuesday evening.
Another gust reached 63 mph in Lakeview, according to National Weather Service spotter reports.
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Another round of severe weather looms Wednesday
On Wednesday, the threat of severe weather extends across the Central U.S., with the greatest chances in eastern New Mexico and the Texas Plains.
This graphic explains a dryline.
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A reoccurring dryline will sharpen through the day and act as a trigger for isolated thunderstorms, but conditions in this area will be more favorable for severe weather, the FOX Forecast Center said.
NOAA’s SPC issued a level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk for these regions. That once again includes Midland and Odessa, Texas.
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Hail and damaging winds will again be the main threats from any severe thunderstorms that develop, but there is also a low chance of some tornadoes.
A repeat of the severe storms will be in place on Thursday too as the dryline make forward progress once again in the afternoon.
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Flooding also a concern as region braces for rounds of rain
Severe weather is possible across portions of the Plains starting on Tuesday, but residents in the region also need to prepare for the possibility of flooding due to relentless rounds of rain in the forecast. FOX Weather Meteorologists Britta Merwin and Kendall Smith break down the forecast on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
It’s not only the severe weather threat that has people on alert. Flooding, too, is a concern as the region braces for rounds of torrential rain this week.
“Multiple locations are going to be under the threat for flash flooding as we head into the next several days,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Kendall Smith warned. “The soil moisture in some areas, and I say some, because some areas are very wet and others it’s the opposite – very dry.”
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Many areas could see 2-3 inches of rain with isolated spots reaching 5 inches. Those amounts won’t completely eradicate the dry conditions but will be beneficial.
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“I think a lot of farmers and ranchers in this part of the country are rejoicing,” Smith said. “They’re happy about that because it’s very much a double-edged sword type of situation. So, silver lining is the rain that’s beneficial, especially for the crops and harvest that’s upcoming for a lot of different plants and that sort of thing.”
