Thunderstorms possible

Ector County residents could see some scattered thunderstorms and hail today into the afternoon and evening hours, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Midland said.

These storms could be a potential second round of rain for the Odessa-Midland area, Meteorologist Ray Fagen said, noting some other areas like Hobbs, N.M., Pecos and Alpine could also see some showers.

He estimated an almost 20 percent chance of thunderstorms for Odessa-Midland area for today.

Severe thunderstorms breezed through Pecos about 4:25 p.m. Sunday and the storm was west of Monahans along Interstate 20 by about 5 p.m, Fagen said.

The Pecos Municipal Airport recorded 55 mph winds and nickel-size hail Sunday, and the storm has the potential of doing the same in the Odessa-Midland area.

Melissa Granado, police communications operator for the Pecos Department of Public Safety, said about 5:05 p.m. Sunday that Pecos was still experiencing strong winds, rain and some pea-sized hail.

Southwestern Ector County was under a severe thunderstorm warning until 5:30 p.m. Sunday while Ector, Midland, Andrews, Crane and Upton counties were under a thunderstorm watch until midnight, Fagen said.

He advised for Memorial Day travelers to take precaution while traveling or participating in outside events.

"If you see a severe thunderstorm the best protection is inside away from any hail or any lightning," Fagen said.

Several fires were reported across Ward County on Sunday afternoon due to lightning. A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect in Ward County late Sunday.

When contacted Sunday, a Ward County Sheriff's Office dispatcher said they had "fires all over the county" and the firefighters were still responding to fires as they saw them in the area late Sunday.

The dispatcher said as of 6:30 p.m., no residents had to evacuate their homes in Ward County due to the blazes.

About 5:50 p.m. Sunday, several Crane volunteer firefighters responded to assist Ward County fire crews with the reported blazes in that area, a dispatcher at the Crane County Sheriff's Office said.

When contacted, a Hobbs Police Department dispatcher said the city experienced some rain, and the National Weather Service issued a thunderstorm watch for that area until 11 p.m.