[Update] Tornado Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Warning in Effect for May 8

[Updated 2:55 p.m.] A Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect until 3:00 pm CDT for Eastern Lubbock County. At 2:36 p.m. CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Ransom Canyon, or 8 miles east of Lubbock, moving northeast at 25 mph. Half-dollar size hail and 60 mph wind gusts have been reported.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected, as well as wind damage to roofs, siding and trees, said the NWS.

[Updated 2:26 p.m.] The National Weather Service in Lubbock has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for: Eastern Lubbock County in northwestern Texas until 3 p.m. CDT.

At 2:18 p.m. CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Woodrow, or 10 miles south of Lubbock, moving northeast at 25 mph. This storm continues to show rotation. Hazard, 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. Source, radar indicated. Impact: hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding and trees.

Locations impacted include: Lubbock, Slaton, Ransom Canyon, downtown Lubbock, Woodrow. Lubbock International Airport, Texas Tech University and Lubbock science spectrum.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 5:00 p.m. CDT for Northwestern Texas.

[Original Story] A rare morning tornado watch was issued for a large portion of West Texas on Friday morning (May 8).

The Tornado Watch is in effect until 5 p.m. Central/4 p.m. Mountain for all of the South Plains: Lubbock; most of the Big Country (including Abilene); and most of the Texas Panhandle (including Amarillo). Also, Curry and Roosevelt counties in Eastern New Mexico are included in the watch area.

According to the National Weather Service, a few tornadoes are possible, as well as widespread large hail and isolated very large hail storms. Wind gusts up to 75 mph are also possible.

Here is the full list of counties in the Tornado Watch:

Andrews, Armstrong, Bailey, Borden, Briscoe, Callahan, Carson, Castro, Cochran, Cottle, Crosby, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Hall, Hale,  Haskell, Hockley, Howard, Jones, Kent, King, Lubbock, Lynn, Lamb, Martin, Mitchell, Martin, Motley, Nolan, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Scurry, Shackelford, Stonewall, Swisher, Taylor, Terry, Throckmorton & Yoakum. Plus Curry and Roosevelt counties in Eastern New Mexico.