We finally saw some steady rain across west Texas on Tuesday. It was nothing too significant, but we will definitely take all we can get. Dry air has really won out since back at Thanksgiving. Lubbock received the highest rain total in the area at .14". It doesn't sound like much, but we were able to get our total for the month and year closer to average. We're in a deficit and each day we don't receive rain, that deficit increases. So the more rain we get the merrier we will be. Dry weather is in the forecast through early next week, but hopefully things will change by mid week. That is a wait and see scenario at this point.
Here's how things are looking in Lubbock for 2020 and for January. Yesterday's rain helped us get to .37" so far this year. It's close to the average, but we could really use more to get above the average mark. The weather will be benign through Monday, with no weather makers getting this far south. The long-range forecast does have a disturbance coming in through New Mexico and moving right over head. That would be key in helping to add lift; an ingredient needed to produce precipitation. We obviously need to have moisture in place, too. This far out, it looks like there will not be enough moisture just yet, but obviously that could change. You can't trust a forest six, or seven days out as the atmosphere will change. But that is something I am watching because we do need more moisture in west Texas; when don't we?
The Climate Prediction Center outlook for precipitation next week looks promising. It is giving most of area (the darker color) a 90% chance of seeing above average precipitation for the week, with the southwest counties at 70% for above average precipitation. This does not mean that we will get above average rain every single day. It does, however, hint at a pattern change which would help to aide in much needed rainfall for west Texas. It will fall in the form of rain, because the temperature outlook has a high probability of above average high temperatures during that time. Even though it is winter, we have only had that one day with measurable snow fall in our region of the state. With that said, we just need moisture and it is looking like we will get that next week.