Southern High Plains at Risk for Damaging Thunderstorms

By , Meteorologist
Jun 13, 2010; 4:14 AM ET
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Strong thunderstorms will once again menace parts of the southern Plains this afternoon and evening. The storms will erupt along a zone from western Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle through Kansas.

These hit-or-miss, but potentially dangerous thunderstorms will unleash flooding downpours, vivid lightning, damaging wind gusts and large hail. Tornadoes will also be a threat from some of today's storms.

Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas, and Wichita and Dodge City, Kan., are among cities and towns that could be struck by one of these powerful thunderstorms into tonight.

Anyone planning on participating in outdoor activities should be prepared to seek shelter if of these storms meanders into the vicinity. It is also important for weekend revelers to keep in mind that if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Similarly fierce thunderstorms erupted over the same region Saturday afternoon. Intense downpours triggered flash flooding that sent water over six inches deep flowing over some roads.

These storms also pounded parts of the area with hail as large as baseballs, wind gusts past 60 mph and even a few tornadoes. A tornado in Decatur County, Kansas uprooted trees, shattered windows and overturned feed bunks.

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Daily U.S. Extremes

past 24 hours

  Extreme Location
High 100° Wink, TX
Low 29° Mullan Pass, ID
Precip 1.17" Chapel Hill, NC

WeatherWhys®

People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.

This Day In Weather History

New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.

Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).

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