Current conditions: No active weather emergencies for Lubbock at this time. During severe weather, we'll post updates here.
Last updated: October 2026
Tornadoes in spring, wildfires when it's dry and windy, flash floods in summer storms, dust that turns day into night and ice on the Loop in winter: West Texas weather keeps us on our toes. Bookmark this page. It's the Lubbock Chronicle's one-stop guide to staying safe, and we'll keep it updated whenever severe weather hits.
In an emergency, call 911.
Step 1: Sign up for alerts
LBKAlert: The City of Lubbock's emergency alert system, used for urgent alerts like shelter-in-place and evacuation orders. Sign up at LBKAlert.com, or text LBKAlert or your ZIP code to 888-777. For alerts in Spanish, text LBKAlertES to 888-777.
LBKInfo: Non-emergency city updates like road closures, on Facebook.
Phone alerts: Make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts are turned on in your phone's settings, usually under Notifications or Safety & Emergency.
National Weather Service Lubbock: Forecasts, watches, warnings and radar at weather.gov/lub.
NOAA Weather Radio: A battery-backed weather radio wakes you up for overnight warnings, even when power and cell service are out.
Lubbock's outdoor warning sirens
The sirens are designed to warn people who are outdoors. Don't count on hearing them inside your home, so have another way to get alerts.
Standard pattern (3 minutes on, 5 off, 3 on): tornado warnings or severe storms with winds over 90 mph.
Catastrophic pattern (5 minutes on, 1 off, 5 on): tornado warnings the Weather Service labels "considerable" or "catastrophic."
Monthly test: the second Friday of each month, between 9 and 10 a.m.
Tornadoes and severe storms
Watch vs. warning: A watch means conditions are right for severe weather, so be ready. A warning means it's happening or about to happen, so take shelter now.
Where to go: Go to a storm shelter or basement if you have one. If not, go to an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows, like a closet, bathroom or hallway. Cover your head.
Have a storm shelter? Register it with the city so first responders know where to check after a storm: Storm Shelter Registration form.
Hail: If you can do so safely before the storm arrives, get your car under cover and stay away from windows.
After the storm: Stay away from downed power lines and report them to 911. See our power outage guide for outage maps.
Flooding
Lubbock streets are designed to carry rainwater to the city's playa lakes, so intersections fill up during heavy rain. In a normal storm, standing water usually drains within about 30 minutes after the rain stops. In a downpour, though, streets and underpasses can become dangerous fast.
Turn Around, Don't Drown. You can't tell how deep the water is or whether the road underneath has washed out. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet, and about a foot of water can float many cars.
Never drive around barricades or into flooded underpasses.
Wait it out. If you can, stay put until the water drains.
TxDOT flood monitoring stations in the Lubbock District: its.txdot.gov/its/District/LBB/flood-stations
Highway closures from flooding show up on DriveTexas.org. See our road conditions guide.
Wildfires and burn bans
Red Flag Warning: The Weather Service issues these when low humidity and strong winds mean any spark can spread fire fast. Avoid anything that could start a fire.
Burn bans: Counties set them, and they change often. Check the Texas A&M Forest Service burn ban map before you burn anything outdoors.
Active wildfires: The Texas A&M Forest Service tracks them on its current wildfire map and wildfire status page.
Prevent sparks: Don't park or idle on dry grass, secure trailer safety chains so they don't drag and throw sparks, and never toss cigarettes.
If you're told to evacuate, go right away. Know two ways out of your neighborhood. Smoke can close highways, so check DriveTexas.org.
See smoke or flames? Call 911.
Dust storms
Blowing dust can drop visibility to near zero in seconds.
Pull Aside, Stay Alive. If you can't see, pull as far off the road as you can, turn off all your lights, set the parking brake and keep your foot off the brake pedal so other drivers don't follow your taillights.
Indoors: Close windows and doors. People with asthma or breathing problems should stay inside.
Extreme heat
Never leave children or pets in a parked car, not even for a minute.
Drink water before you're thirsty, and save outdoor work for early morning or evening.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion (heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea) and heat stroke (confusion, hot skin, fainting). Heat stroke is a 911 emergency.
Check on older neighbors and anyone without air conditioning. Call 2-1-1 to ask about cooling centers and help with utility bills.
Winter storms and freezes
Protect your pipes: Drip faucets, open cabinet doors under sinks and cover outdoor faucets.
Bring pets inside, and make sure livestock have unfrozen water.
Heat safely: Never use a grill, camp stove or generator indoors or in a garage. Keep space heaters 3 feet from anything that can burn.
Before you drive, check our road conditions guide. Bridges and overpasses freeze first.
Power out? Use our outage guide to check and report it.
If you or a loved one needs extra help
People with disabilities, medical needs or no transportation can sign up for the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR). It lets local emergency planners know who may need help during a disaster. Register at stear.texas.gov, or call 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905. Registering doesn't guarantee help will come, so keep your own plan too.
Build a basic emergency kit
Water (a gallon per person per day for several days) and non-perishable food
Flashlight, extra batteries and a weather radio
Phone chargers and a power bank
Medications, a first aid kit and copies of important documents
Sturdy shoes, plus helmets for kids (in your tornado shelter spot)
Pet food and supplies
Key numbers
Who | Number |
|---|---|
Emergency | 911 |
Lubbock Police non-emergency | |
Lubbock County Sheriff non-emergency | |
City services (fallen trees, streetlights, street flooding) | 311 |
Help finding shelters, cooling or warming centers and assistance | 2-1-1 |
LP&L power outages | |
SPEC power outages | |
Lyntegar Electric power outages | |
Xcel Energy power outages | |
Atmos Energy gas emergency | |
Texas road conditions (TxDOT) | |
Poison Control |
More Lubbock Chronicle guides
Links and phone numbers checked October 2026. See something that's changed? Email us at [email protected].
