In most places, spring arrives rather gently. Flowers begin to bloom, the weather warms up, and you see more people braving the outdoors.

In Lubbock, spring shows up a little differently.

Locals don’t rely on flowers or calendars to know the season has changed. Instead, there are a handful of very specific signs that let everyone in town know spring has officially arrived in West Texas.

The Wind

The first clue is the wind. Not just a light breeze. No. The kind of wind that makes you question every life decision that led you to be standing outside. Trash cans start rolling down the street, patio furniture moves on its own, and your trampoline is in the neighbor’s yard.

The Dust

Then come the dust storms. One minute the sky is blue, and the next minute the horizon looks like a giant brown cloud slowly moving toward town. Longtime Lubbock residents barely react anymore. They just shrug, say something like “looks dusty out there,” and keep going about their day.

Images: Lance Ballance-Townsquare Media

Images: Lance Ballance-Townsquare MediaThe Allergies

Another reliable sign of spring is allergy season kicking into full gear. People across the city suddenly start sneezing, rubbing their eyes, and carrying tissues everywhere they go. Even people who claim they “never get allergies” somehow end up suffering once the wind starts moving everything around.

The Grilling

Of course, spring also means people begin finding excuses to be outside again. Backyard grills fire up, patios fill with friends, and someone inevitably says, “It’s actually pretty nice out today,” even though the wind is still blowing at 30 miles per hour.

That’s spring in Lubbock, folks. It may not look like the postcard version of the season, but we all know the signs. When that wind picks up and the dust starts rolling, it’s official. Spring has arrived in West Texas.

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