Jeff, Kelli and Mudflap

Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter!After two days of temperatures in the mid 30, almost 20 degrees below average we saw a little bit of a warm up yesterday with a high of 44 degrees in Lubbock.  Despite that warm up, we were still almost 10 degrees below average.We have more changes to start the day off already this morning.  A cold front has begun to work it's way through the South Plains, dropping temperatures rather quickly as it passes.  The northerly wind behind this front will continue to bring cold air into the area throughout the day.This means we will only see a high temperature in the mid to upper 30s this afternoon.  Clouds will clear somewhat quickly behind the front though and we should see mostly clear skies for the afternoon with a light wind from the north near 10 mph.An upper level ridge will allow the sunshine to stick around through the weekend as well as bring slightly warmer temperatures back to the South Plains.  We'll still be a little below average for the weekend, but much warmer than we've been, likely reaching the upper 40s.The next major change arrives late Sunday as moisture increases. Late Sunday is when we are expecting our next chance for rain and that chance continues through your New Years Eve.  Because we will continue to see temperatures in the upper 40s on Monday, that precipitation will likely remain rain, with a possible wintery mix early when temperatures are hovering near freezing for the morning hours.   A cold front arrives shortly after that on Monday night.  As temperatures dip on New Years morning we could see some of the remaining precipitation form into some snow, but as of right now it's looking like the precipitation will be tapering off early Tuesday morning meaning we aren't likely to see much accumulation of snow as of right now.We will watch the exact timing of this system as it gets closer, towards the end of the weekend and how it will affect any of your holiday celebrations.I am filling in for Matt this morning on Good Day Lubbock, he returns Sunday night for the News at Nine.  Rudy will have your updated forecast tonight!Happy Friday!-Caitlin

Jessica Simpson just tweeted a photo of her daughter Maxwell playing in the sand in Hawaii next to the words "BIG SIS" .... which can only mean one thing -- JESSICA'S PREGNANT!!!!Right???The rumors have been swirling for weeks -- but Jessica has been mum… Permalink

Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter!The last two days have been cold.  Christmas day we had a high in Lubbock of 35, yesterday our high was 36 and the average for those days is 53 degrees.  We will finally warm back up a bit for this afternoon.  Temperatures are expected to reach up into the upper 40s and low 50s with mostly sunny skies.  Some clouds could build up towards the evening hours.We are expecting a cold front early tomorrow morning that will drop our temperatures once again into the 30s.  As of right now this cold front is not going to provide us with much moisture, besides some clouds for Friday afternoon.  Some of our northern counties could see a very light sprinkle late tonight, but for the most part we're expecting to be dry.After the front passes we'll see a high on Friday only in the mid 30s and partly cloudy skies.  It will also provide a cold start to your Saturday morning in the mid teens but with the return of some sunshine and southwesterly winds, we'll bump back up into the mid to upper 40s in the afternoon.The slightly warmer temperatures will remain for Sunday as well as mostly sunny skies, still barely below average though.   NEW YEARS EVE AND DAY:Monday some cloud cover will build into the area as yet another cold front develops to the northwest of here.  It will arrive in the South Plains sometime late Monday.  This will bring even more changes to the South Plains, dropping temperatures that night and for your New Years day.This second cold front within the next seven days is looking to have some moisture.  Your New Years Eve could be on the wet side with many of the models forecasting some rain, which could turn over into snow overnight.  This system is still pretty far out, so we will continue to monitor it's progression and how it will affect the holiday in the coming week.I am filling in for Matt through tomorrow morning and Rudy will have your updated forecast for tonight on the News at Nine!-Caitlin

Matt Lauer is "freaked out" that people -- and lots of them -- have been screaming at him on the streets of Manhattan, calling him names and blaming him for the demise of Ann Curry.Network sources tell TMZ ... Matt is "miserable" over what he…

Simon Cowell -- who normally says exactly what's on his mind -- was holding back BIG TIME on the subject of LeAnn Rimes last night ... 'cause while he insisted the singer was sober, he DEFINITELY couldn't say it with a straight face. Simon was outside… Permalink

Simon Cowell -- who normally says exactly what's on his mind -- was holding back BIG TIME on the subject of LeAnn Rimes last night ... 'cause while he insisted the singer was sober, he DEFINITELY couldn't say it with a straight face. Simon was outside… Permalink

Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter!Yesterday brought a high temperature of 69 degrees in Lubbock.  Say goodbye to those extremely warm temperatures.  Today will still be on the mild side, but not nearly as warm as Sunday and it will only be the start of a major cool down headed our way for Christmas.We'll see a high temperature in the mid to upper 50s.  We'll have partly cloudy skies most of the day but our cloud cover will increase towards the evening hours.  By Christmas expect cloudy skies and some major changes.CHRISTMAS DAY:Those changes will be brought on by a strong cold front that has already started to develop to our northwest.  This cold front will arrive late morning on Christmas day.  Because of this cold front, our high temperature for the day will likely occur in the early morning hours and the temperature will continue to drop during the day.The cold front is looking like it will provide a chance for some snow, especially for our northeastern counties.  From the Tulia to Paducah line and northwest of that will be our best chances for the highest snow accumulation.  They could see up to an inch of snow on Tuesday.  South of there to about the Muleshoe to Post line, including Lubbock, the most we are expecting is some flurries or a light dusting.  We do have decently dry conditions which will work against our snow chances, especially for the southern counties.   After that, cooler conditions will stick around through Wednesday with a bump in temperatures come Thursday, more towards average.  Friday we can expect another cool down due to a cold front.  We're still keeping an eye on how strong that front will be and how much it will drop our temperatures for the weekend.I will be filling in for Matt this morning on Good Day Lubbock, and Rudy will have your updated Christmas forecast tonight.Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!-Caitlin

Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.It was a windy and nasty day across the South Plains with dirt and dust blown all around the region. Almost everybody saw wind speeds over 30mph with many locations reporting wind speeds upwards of 40mph. Click here for a look at the wind speeds recorded on the West Texas Mesonet sites. You can see how our temperatures faired in the graphics below.      The wind will calm to a light breeze overnight with temperatures cooling to around average for this time of the year. We will see temperatures that are some 10-15 degrees above average tomorrow afternoon as we warm into the upper 60s and lower 70s. The wind won’t be nearly as bad tomorrow although it still will be somewhat breezy, about 10-20mph from the southwest.On Wednesday the wind will really pick up and that will be the big story this week. The National Weather Service has already issued a High Wind Watch for the entire South Plains in anticipation for the very strong wind on Wednesday. Right now it looks like we will be dealing with sustained wind speeds from 30-40mph with gusts up to 60mph. This is similar to what we saw on Friday although it doesn’t look like we will see any storms this time. Wind this strong will at the least blow around some dust and dirt but could also cause some minor damage. With this being the holiday season a lot of people have various outdoor decorations setup. We recommend that you make sure these are tied down tightly or better yet if you can just bring them inside for the day.A cold front will move through late Wednesday into early Thursday ushering in cooler air and eventually calming the wind by Thursday afternoon. This cool down will be short lived as we warm back into the 60s by the weekend. The next storm system will swing by at the beginning of next week but right now it looks like it will mainly affect the eastern side of the state. This could change as it is still a week away so we will keep close tabs on it and keep you updated.   I will have more on the wind today and over the next couple of days tonight on the News at Nine. Matt will have the next forecast update for you first thing tomorrow morning.-Rudy

Head Football Coach Kliff Kingsbury will be available for an autograph and photo session on Wednesday night prior to the men's basketball game against the University of Alabama at the United Spirit Arena.

Here it is ... undeniable proof that Jennifer Aniston is finally PREGNANT ... or not pregnant ... depending on if you can see a baby bump in this photo!!!The former "Friends" actress was all smiles on her way into a spa in Beverly Hills this weekend ...… Permalink

Artists, label executives and talent managers love to have bragging rights to a No. 1 single. Songwriters and music publishing companies love it, too, but not as much as having the most-played song of the year.

If you like to give the gift of music or maybe feel like discovering something new as the year winds down, here are some cool tracks released over the last few months that are worth a listen.

My son, Billy, and I prepared pork ribs, pinto beans, coleslaw, sweet potatoes and peach cobbler. Jamey Johnson was the guest in my kitchen, and Alison Krauss was back by popular demand.

Ring the bells and sound the trumpets for Florida Georgia Line. Although Taylor Swift keeps her hold on the peak of Billboard's country albums chart, FGL's single "Cruise" is spending its second week at No. 1 on the country airplay tally.

Shania Twain sure knows how to make an entrance. And without a doubt, she leaves a lasting impression. That much is clear after her opening night performance of Shania: Still the One on Saturday night (Dec. 1) in Las Vegas.

Joe Nichols is eyeing a strong 2013, now that he's signed to a newly-formed label, Red Bow Records.

It was Mike Curb's 317th No. 1 single as a record label owner, but his eyes sparkled like it was his first hit.

Nominations went to most of the usual suspects, but Hunter Hayes, the Lumineers and Alabama Shakes are in the running for best new artist in the all-genre category at the 55th annual Grammy Awards.

Texas Tech's women's basketball team improved to 7-1 Wednesday night by handling the Illinois Fighting Illini, 75-56 at United Spirit Arena. 

On Wednesday the National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on the Midland train accident that killed four veterans during a parade. The one page report gives several details on the facts leading up to the deadly crash.