Triple Digit Heat Continues, Thunderstorms Possible Tuesday Evening

The heat is not breaking anytime soon. Temperatures across the area will range through the lower to middle 100s, with westerly winds early in the day shifting direction as the afternoon wears on. That wind shift is the piece to watch, since it typically signals the kind of atmospheric setup that can fire off storms on the South Plains by late evening.

A high of 104 with a low of 73 means there is no real relief between sundown and sunrise. The overnight low matters as much as the afternoon peak, because a warm night prevents the body from recovering from daytime heat stress. Anyone spending time outdoors for work or sports needs to plan around the hottest afternoon hours and not count on a cool-down that is not coming until well after dark, if at all.

The storm chance Tuesday evening adds a complicated layer. West Texas thunderstorms in August can bring dangerous lightning, brief heavy rain, and hail while the pavement is still radiating heat from a triple-digit afternoon.

Lubbock averages about 17 days a year above 100 degrees, which makes a stretch like this brutal but not unusual for late August on the South Plains.