Stormy Week Ahead: Big Country faces hail, heavy rain & gusty winds

BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Brace for an active stretch of weather across the Big Country, as multiple rounds of storms are expected this week. This setup could impact outdoor plans and travel, so staying weather-aware will be key.

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The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has highlighted our region as having the potential for severe weather from Wednesday through Friday. On Wednesday, most of our central counties are under a Marginal Risk (1/5), while our northwestern counties are under a Slight Risk (2/5). Thursday and Friday, a few of our counties remain under a Marginal Risk (1/5).

While damaging winds and localized flooding are concerns, hail is the primary threat with this multi-round setup. In fact, there is a chance that some of these storms could produce hail up to two inches.

The setup for hail includes a combination of cold air aloft and strong updrafts within thunderstorms. Hail forms when raindrops are carried high into the storm, where temperatures are below freezing. This causes them to freeze. The stronger the updraft, the larger the hailstone grows. When we see the weight of the hailstone exceed the force of the updraft, that is when the hail begins to fall.

The timing of these storms appears to be late night into the early morning hours for all three days.

With several rounds of storms expected, rainfall totals could exceed two inches in some areas, especially where storms “train” over the same locations. Reminder: Training is when we see storms progress over the same track repeatedly.

As always, your Big Country Storm Team is here to keep you ahead of the storm. In order to receive the most accurate information regarding storms and severe weather, download the BCH-To-Go app from the Apple Store or Google Play. Stay weather-aware and stay safe!