National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Weather and Flash Flooding Threat Continues in the Central and Southern Plains; Heavy Mountain Snow in the Intermountain West

Heavy rain and severe weather will continue across the central and southern Plains through the weekend. Tornadoes, large hail, damaging winds and flash flooding will be the primary threats. Heavy mountain snow will push into the Intermountain West and portions of the central Rockies. Snow will linger into Monday across the central and southern Rockies. Read More >

Overview

A new forecast zone is coming to the Texas Panhandle.

The creation of a Palo Duro Canyon zone (left side image below) will provide specialized heat advisories/warnings for recreational interests in the Canyon during the hot summer months. These specialized forecasts are intended to improve public awareness of extreme temperatures in the Canyon between “rim” where the public enters and the “floor” of the canyon where much of the recreational activities take place. In addition, the Canyon will often reach extreme temperatures that warrant a heat advisory for all of Randall County even though the rest of the county will not reach heat advisory or excessive heat warning. This proposed zone is intended to bring special attention to the Canyon in protection of tourist lives doing activities within it and the property of those that may be impacted by extreme heat.  Furthermore, the new proposed zone will help avoid unwarranted advisories/warnings for the remainder of Randall County (right side image below). It should be noted that although a portion of Palo Duro Canyon extends outside of Randall County into Armstrong County, NWS Amarillo is not proposing a change to that portion of the zone at this time due to the fact it is not open to the public.

New Forecast Zone for Palo Duro Canyon New Zone Compared to Randall County (outlined in black) 

 

 

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