textproduct: Midland/Odessa

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 622 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

- An approaching system brings increasing rain and storm chances through early this evening. A few storms may become severe over eastern portions of the Permian Basin and Lower Trans-Pecos this afternoon and early evening. Large hail and damaging winds will be the primary severe hazards.

- Strong westerly winds will impact the Guadalupe Mountains, the Van Horn Corridor, the Upper Trans Pecos, Davis Mountains, Marfa Plateau, and Big Bend region this afternoon and evening.

- Above normal temperatures continue through the next several days, though a cold front will bring slightly cooler temperatures Wednesday and Thursday.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Wednesday night) Issued at 120 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

WV imagery this afternoon shows the upper trough straddling the Sonora/Chihuahua border, about to open a can of something over West Texas and Southeast New Mexico. Area radars already show the initial line of convection has developed along the leading edge of the trough invof El Paso. Closer to home, a dryline is sharpening up from the Western Low Rolling Plains to the lower Trans Pecos, where the HRRR develops a secondary line of convection by 19Z. CAMs depict vertical shear of 50-70 kts rounding the base of the trough, but quite unidirectional on forecast soundings. With mid-level lapse rates in excess of 7 C/km, and dry subcloud layers, the main threats this afternoon/evening look to be large hail and damaging winds. This activity should taper off in the lower Trans Pecos by mid-evening. Latest CAMs also suggest high winds out west will diminish early by 03Z or so, but we'll let the next shift make that call, since they'll likely be mopping up by then anyway. West winds will remain elevated overnight, and mixing will combine with residual cloud cover to keep overnight minimums an average of around 10 F above climatology.

Wednesday, a strong cold front arrives behind the exiting trough, scouring boundary layer moisture out of the area and bringing and end to warmer temperatures. CAA will keep highs Wednesday afternoon in the 70s most locations...a few degrees above normal.

Wednesday night, winds go light/variable as gradients relax under mostly clear skies, and efficient radiational cooling will allow overnight lows to cool to right around normal.

LONG TERM

(Thursday through Monday) Issued at 120 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

Near-normal temperatures stick around Thursday behind Wednesday's front. Highs end up similar to Wednesday's, with most locations topping out in the 70s (80s along the Rio Grande). Nevertheless, return flow starts to redevelop Thursday, and by Friday winds become southwesterly to westerly. These downsloping winds help us warm back up into the mid-to-upper 80s and low 90s Friday and Saturday as our area stays under dry westerly to northwesterly flow aloft. By Sunday, a shortwave moving across the Plains sends another front down into the region. Uncertainty still remains as to Sunday's high temperatures, and will depend mainly on what time of day the front moves across the area. In any case, near-to-below normal temperatures can be expected early next week. Drier air and a lack of appreciable sources of lift keeps rain chances out of west Texas and southeast New Mexico through the extended.

Sprang

AVIATION

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 622 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

VFR conditions outside of any showers/storms and haze from BLDU. Westerly winds remain gusty but shift to northwest/northerly by 15Z-20Z Wednesday at terminals.

FIRE WEATHER

Issued at 120 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

A dryline is developing this afternoon and has gradually mixed eastward throughout the day. Across the area, min RHs are expected to remain above 15%. However, gusty winds lead to elevated fire weather concerns today, particularly for western portions of the area. A Rangeland Fire Danger Statement is in effect for Southeast New Mexico, western portions of the Permian Basin and Trans- Pecos, and the Big Bend this afternoon and evening. An additional concern today for these locations is the potential for dry lightning strikes associated with any isolated to widely scattered thunderstorm that develops this afternoon. Winds become lighter tonight, but a cold front tomorrow once again yields breezy conditions. Though min RHs are once again expected to remain above critical thresholds and temperatures stay near normal, these gusty winds once again lead to enhanced fire weather concerns, and another RFD may be necessary Wednesday. Winds once again become lighter by Thursday morning, which will help decrease fire weather concerns.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

Big Spring 49 71 37 72 / 0 0 0 0 Carlsbad 51 74 40 77 / 0 0 0 0 Dryden 53 83 45 75 / 10 0 0 0 Fort Stockton 52 76 42 77 / 0 0 0 0 Guadalupe Pass 45 67 41 69 / 0 0 0 0 Hobbs 46 70 35 73 / 0 0 0 0 Marfa 38 73 32 72 / 0 0 0 0 Midland Intl Airport 50 72 39 73 / 0 0 0 0 Odessa 50 71 39 73 / 0 0 0 0 Wink 49 74 40 74 / 0 0 0 0

MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...High Wind Warning until 1 AM CDT /midnight MDT/ Wednesday for Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains.

Wind Advisory until 1 AM CDT Wednesday for Central Brewster- Chinati Mountains-Chisos Basin-Davis Mountains-Davis Mountains Foothills-Eastern Culberson-Lower Brewster County- Marfa Plateau-Reeves County Plains-Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor.

NM...High Wind Warning until midnight MDT tonight for Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County.

Wind Advisory until midnight MDT tonight for Eddy County Plains.