Power Outage in Andrews, TX

A line of thunderstorms moved across Andrews County with small circulations called meso-vortices along this line. By 9:51 pm CDT, as the storm crossed Highway 385 south of Andrews, the presence of a hook echo was noted on radar. The survey team noted that damage extended from along County Road 2601 from SE 650 Road to SE 1000 Road, and then northeastward to just north of Hamrick Loop. The survey team also noted the majority of the damage coincided with the radar location of the meso-circulation and hook echo. The survey team determined that the damage was the result of a tornado. Damage to outbuildings, residential structures, power poles, and to a 300-foot transmission tower suggest that the most significant damage is indicative of a moderate to high end EF-1 tornado, with wind speeds estimated at 80-100 mph. The tornado was estimated to be 1/5 mile wide. Based on radar and damage information, it is believed that the tornado had a life span of 6 minutes, from approximately 9:55 pm to 10:01 pm. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.

Reports of 0.25-0.50 inch of ice accumulation with numerous trees and power lines down. From 1100 to 2300 LST on January 2nd, the Andrews Sheriffs Office had over 30 calls about power lines down. In some cases, trees laden with ice fell on the power lines and started fires.

A thunderstorm moved across Andrews County and produced a strong wind gust which resulted in several trees and power lines being blown down. This wind gust is estimated to have been around 70 mph, and the cost of damage from the wind is a rough estimate.

A severe thunderstorm moved across Andrews County and produced a tornado about an eighth of a mile east of Frankle City, TX. A National Weather Service employee spotted the damage at about 9:30 PM CDT. The damage consisted of one power pole bent at a 60 degree angle to the south of FM1967 with power lines about ten feet above the road. A power pole to the north of the first one was snapped, and another power pole was bent slightly. Based on radar data, the circulation was over the affected area around 8:58 PM CDT, and the tornado was rated an EF-1 based on the damage reported. Since no other damage was reported, the path length and time were an estimate.

This fire, known as the Derick Fire, burned around 25,000 acres in Andrews County and moved into portions of Martin County. The fire destroyed 110 power poles.

Law enforcement reported powerlines were downed by strong winds in Andrews, TX.

Widespread wind damage occurred throughout Andrews. The West Texas Mesonet site measured a peak gust of 55 knots. Numerous powerline poles were downed by these winds. Two hanger doors wers blown inward at the Andrews Airport. Two commercial roofs were torn off and a convenience store awning collapsed.

Several powerlines were downed by strong winds in the city of Andrews.

The West Texas Mesonet Station in Andrews (KANS) measured a 59 mph wind gust, power was lost to the station shortly thereafter and no other observations were received. Sixty to sevety mph winds were estimated by the public based on a heavy spare tire being blown around.||Trees were uprooted and power lines and poles were downed in Andrews as a result of high winds. Additional damage included included a roof blown onto powerlines and several carports blown over.

Powerlines and trees were downed by strong winds. A roof was also blown off a building and onto powerlines.

The West Texas Mesonet site two miles east of Andrews recorded a 59 mph wind gust. The local newspaper reported damage to roofs, awnings, fences, and trees. Three grass fires also were reported, started by sparking downed power lines.

Severe thunderstorm winds blew down at least 15 power poles along Highway 176 east of Andrews to near the Martin County line as the supercell storm moved across eastern Andrews County.

At least five power poles were blown down by severe thunderstorm winds along State Route 176 near the intersection of Farm to Market Road 1788.The first of four supercell thunderstorms to affect the northern Permian Basin during the evening of the 7th and the early morning hours of the 8th developed over Andrews County. This storm resulted in large hail and damaging thunderstorm winds. The storm then propagated southeast across unpopulated areas of southwest Martin County, and eventually across Midland (including the city of Midland proper) and northern Upton Counties.

A very intense storm developed rapidly at the intersection of two outflow boundaries over Andrews County. The storm produced golfball size hail and an intense downburst which destroyed a barn just west of town, blew down power poles, and blew a large tree across a city street in town.

Damage was sustained to trees, powerlines, traffic lights and signs. In one instance, a falling tree struck a vehicle. No injuries were reported.

A potent upper level storm system propagated east across the Southern Plains on the 19th, and resulted in severe mountain winds and damaging gradient winds in the northwest Texas Permian Basin. A wind gust of 94 MPH was recorded by an automated weather station at The Bowl in the Guadalupe Mountains, and wind gusts to 78 MPH were measured at the McDonald Observatory in the Davis Mountains. The Texas Mesonet recorded wind gusts of 57 MPH at Seagraves (Gaines County), with gusts between 50 and 55 MPH widespread. A tin roof was blown off of a building in the city of Andrews. Several power poles and lines were also blown down just southeast of Seminole. Gaines County officials reported visibilities reduced to near zero in some locations due to blowing dust.

Severe thunderstorms struck the northwest parts of the Permian Basin during the early evening of the 1st. The most intense storm was a supercell which moved from far northwest Andrews County across the western half of the Gaines County. This storm produced very large hail and damaging winds. Local newspaper reports indicate that crop and rural property damage was wide spread. The most intense damage began about 17 miles west of Seminole, just south of U.S. Highway 180, and continued north. Almost ninety power poles were blown down by the storm, and several thousand electrical customers were without power through the remainder of the night. Crop damage was reported to be substaintial, with five circles of peanuts destroyed along with 8,000 acres of cotton. Two additional severe storms moved across central Gaines County later in the evening. These also produced large hail. Close to 1,000 acres of cotton was also destroyed by these storms.The economical impact due to agricultural damage was reported to be significant, since crops could not be replanted so late in the growing season. The total estimated agricultural losses are in the one to one and a half million dollar range.