Amarillo, Texas – Severe thunderstorms sweeping across the Texas Panhandle could bring wind gusts up to 85 mph and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter through 9 p.m. Monday, prompting urgent warnings across dozens of counties.
According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 353 is in effect for the Texas Panhandle and South Plains region, including cities like Lubbock, Amarillo, Plainview, and Childress. Scattered to numerous storms are expected to form into fast-moving clusters, pushing northeastward into the evening hours.
The primary hazards include damaging wind gusts strong enough to topple trees, down power lines, and cause localized outages. Large hail is also possible, especially near stronger storm cores. Counties under watch include Randall, Potter, Lubbock, Deaf Smith, and Hemphill, among others. Residents are advised to secure outdoor objects and avoid travel during peak storm activity.
Motorists on I-27 and US-287 should expect sudden visibility drops and wind-driven debris. Power companies across the region are on alert for potential disruptions, and emergency officials urge residents to charge devices and monitor NOAA Weather Radio or local alerts.
Storm threats may persist into the night with additional warnings possible. Stay indoors and remain weather-aware as conditions evolve.
