Power Outage in Friona, TX

A complex of severe thunderstorms, which included an embedded high-precipitation supercell, were accompanied by damaging winds over parts of Parmer County during the 17:00 CST hour of the 17th. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site near Friona initially recorded a 71 mph wind gust at 17:15 CST. By 17:57 CST, a 79 mph gust was measured by the KVII-TV Schoolnet site in Lazbuddie. Local newspaper reports indicate that the winds were accompanied by a blinding dust storm. A number of utility poles were downed and power outages were reported. Damages also were reported to several center pivot irrigation systems. No injuries were reported.

Strong to severe westerly winds brought blowing dust and minor damage to the South Plains region of west Texas. The winds additioanally fanned raging wildfires. Winds over the South Plains region of west Texas gusted as high as 66 MPH. This downed power lines and caused light roof damage. Around 14:00 CST, severe wind gusts caused a tractor-trailer to roll over while traveling along Interstate 27 near Abernathy (Hale County). The driver walked away with no injuries. Numerous homes across the region lost shingles from roofs, particularly in Lubbock. Neither significant structural damage nor injuries were reported. A list of severe wind gusts recorded by the Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet and area observing stations follows:Abernathy (Hale County).........58 MPHAmherst (Lamb County)..........59 MPHChildress (Childress County)...58 MPHDimmitt (Castro County).........62 MPHFloydada (Floyd County).........58 MPHFriona (Parmer County)...........65 MPHGraham (Garza County)..........66 MPHHart (Castro County)...............61MPHMemphis (Hall County)...........60 MPHMuleshoe (Bailey County).......61 MPHOlton (Lamb County)..............60 MPHPaducah (Cottle County)..........58 MPHPlainview (Hale County)..........58 MPHPost (Garza County)................62 MPHTahoka (Lynn County)............58 MPHTulia (Swisher County)...........60 MPHSilverton (Briscoe County)......64 MPHWolfforth (Lubbock County)....59MPH

The Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet recorded a total of seven severe wind gusts across the South Plains region during the daytime hours on the 12th. The high westerly winds, with gusts up to 62 MPH, blew dust and smoke from ongoing wildfires over much of the region. The visibilities were dramatically reduced during much of the afternoon. Minor roof damage to several homes was reported in Lubbock and a few power lines were additionally blown down by the winds. No injuries were reported. A list of measured severe wind gusts follows:Friona (Parmer County)..........59 MPHTulia (Swisher County)...........60 MPHSilverton (Briscoe County)......59 MPHTahoka (Lynn County)............59 MPHLubbock (Lubbock County).....58 MPHHart (Castro County)...............62 MPHPlains (Yoakum County).........60 MPH

Strong thunderstorm winds snapped power lines and blew over power poles.

A strong upper level storm moved into the Southern Plains resulting in a very strong pressure gradient over West Texas. Westerly winds increased to 40 to 50 mph sustained with gusts measured to 63 mph during the high wind event. A tractor trailer was overturned by the wind near Tulia resulting in one (direct) injury. Minor wind damage was reported across the South Plains including power lines blown down, power poles blown down, minor damage to homes, and trees blown down.Blowing dust reduced the visibility to near zero at times on the Caprock. This blindingly low visibility contributed to several multiple car accidents. The worst car accident occurred about six miles northwest of Post on U.S. Highway 84 in Garza County and involved 25 vehicles. Two (indirect) fatalities resulted from this accident along with twelve (indirect) injuries. A four car accident occurred on U.S. Highway 87 and Woodrow Road in southern Lubbock County and a five car accident occurred on Interstate 27 eight miles north of Abernathy in Hale County.The Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet stations recorded the following high wind reports during the event: 63 mph wind gust 3 miles north of Plains in Yoakum County; 62 mph wind gust 1 mile northeast of Morton in Cochran County and 4 miles south of Levelland in Hockley County; 61 mph wind gust 7 miles east of Silverton in Briscoe County, 2 miles northeast of Dimmitt in Castro County, 2 miles northeast of Tulia in Swisher County, and 1 mile south of Plainview in Hale County; 60 mph wind gust 2 miles south of Brownfield in Terry County and 6 miles northwest of White River Lake in Crosby County; 59 mph wind gust 3 miles north of Roaring Springs in Motley County, 1 mile northeast of Amherst in Lamb County, 8 miles southwest of Sundown in Cochran County, 5 miles northeast of Abernathy in Hale County, 2 miles northeast of Muleshoe in Bailey County, 6 miles south of Olton in Lamb County, 1 mile south of Ralls in Crosby County, and 1 mile south of Post in Garza County; 58 mph wind gust 2 miles northeast of Slaton in Lubbock County, 6 miles south of Anton in Hockley County, 5 miles southwest of Graham in Garza County, 2 miles northeast of Friona in Parmer County, 3 miles north of Hart in Castro County, and 10 miles southwest of Paducah in Cottle County.

A strong upper level storm moved into the Southern Plains resulting in a very strong pressure gradient over West Texas. Westerly winds increased to 40 to 45 mph and gusted to as high as 67 mph over the South Plains area. The high wind turned over several tractor trailers on Interstate 27 between Lubbock and Plainview, blew down power lines, and produced minor damage to homes. Widespread blowing dust reduced the visibility to less than one quarter of a mile across much of the region. The West Texas Mesonet recorded a number of high wind events across the region during the late morning through mid afternoon hours. The measured peak wind gust at each of the stations exceeding high wind criteria follows: 67 mph gust 1 NE Morton in Cochran County, 65 mph gust at Reese Center in Lubbock County, 65 mph gust 3 N Plains in Yoakum County, 64 mph gust 2 NE Friona in Parmer County, 62 mph gust 1 NE Amherst in Lamb County, 62 mph gust 2 S Muleshoe in Bailey County, 61 mph gust 7 E Silverton in Briscoe County, 61 mph gust 3 N Hart in Castro County, 61 mph gust 2 NE Dimmitt in Castro County, 60 mph gust 6 S Anton in Hockley County, 60 mph gust 4 S Levelland in Hockley County, 60 mph gust 6 S Olton in Lamb County, and a 59 mph gust 1 S Plainview in Hale County.

A strong upper level low moved north of the region causing an increase in mid level winds over the South Plains and extreme southwestern Panhandle. These strong winds mixed to the ground behind a dryline that moved east off the Caprock Escarpment by mid afternoon. Sustained winds of 40 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph occurred. The surface wind was even higher behind a Pacific cold front that moved through the region during the early evening. Widespread blowing dust decreased visibility to less than 1/2 mile at times. The wind also blew down numerous large tree limbs and power lines, snapped numerous power poles, damaged the roofs of several buildings and produced major damage to the roof of a church.The West Texas Mesonet stations recorded a number of high wind events across the region during the afternoon and evening hours. The measured peak wind gust at each of the stations exceeding high wind criteria follows: 64 mph gust 5 NE Abernathy in Hale County, 60 mph gust 1 NE Amherst in Lamb County, 66 mph gust 6 S Anton in Hockley County, 65 mph gust 2 S Brownfield in Terry County, 62 mph gust 2 NE Dimmitt in Castro County, 67 mph gust 2 NE Floydada in Floyd County, 68 mph gust 2 NE Friona in Parmer County, 67 mph gust 5 SW Graham in Garza County, 62 mph gust 3 N Hart in Castro County, 61 mph gust 3 W Lubbock in Lubbock County, 71 mph gust 4 S Levelland in Hockley County, 66 mph gust 1 NE Morton in Cochran County, 70 mph gust 1 N O'donnell in Lynn County, 71 mph gust 3 N Plains in Yoakum County, 61 mph gust 1 S Plainview in Hale County, 78 mph gust 1 SE Ralls in Crosby County, 69 mph gust Reese Center in Lubbock County, 62 mph gust 7 E Silverton in Briscoe County, 62 mph gust 2 NE Slaton in Lubbock County, 58 mph gust 8 SW Sundown in Hockley County, 65 mph gust 3 NE Tahoka in Lynn County, and a 59 mph gust 2 NE Tulia in Swisher County.

A cold front pushed into the South Plains area from the east and northeast during the early morning hours of the 30th. Meanwhile, a strong upper level disturbance was approaching the region from New Mexico. As the disturbance approached, a large area of precipitation developed during the morning of the 30th as relatively warm and moist air was lifted up over the cold air near the surface. Due to the rather shallow depth of the cold air, the precipitation fell as freezing rain and sleet over the extreme southern Panhandle and northern South Plains. One quarter to three quarters of an inch of ice was reported on exposed surfaces. The ice brought down a few trees and some power lines but damage was not widespread from this storm. The precipitation changed to snow during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 30th with one to two inches accumulating on top of the ice over the southwestern Panhandle. The precipitation ended early on the 31st.

A pair of supercell thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours of May 30th in northeastern New Mexico. The storms maintained their strength as they moved into the southwestern Panhandle during the evening. The northern storm eventually weakened over Deaf Smith County but the southern storm maintained its intensity as it developed into southwestern Parmer and northwestern Bailey Counties. The first report of severe weather associated with this storm in West Texas came at around 800 pm when estimated 80 mph wind gusts and tree damage were reported in Farwell. Intermittent reports of 60 to 70 mph wind gusts and associated wind damage continued for the next hour as the storm evolved into a classic "bow echo" configuration. This severe storm's most intense stage occurred as it moved through southern Lamb, northern and eastern Hockley, western and southern Lubbock, and northern Lynn Counties. During this portion of its life, the storm produced measured wind gusts in excess of 100 mph and hail up to golfball size. A broad swath of wind damage occurred along the path of the storm, within which several mobile homes were rolled and destroyed, numerous power poles were snapped at ground level, trees were blown down, windows were blown out, and more than 220,000 acres of cotton were laid to waste. As the storm moved across a given location, it produced a lengthy period of wind-driven hail, which virtually sand blasted property and crops. Damage is estimated at over $100 million to property and $70 million to crops in Lubbock and surrounding counties to the west and south.Other severe thunderstorms developed along a frontal boundary, which extended across the extreme southern South Plains and northern Permian Basin. These storms produced hail up to golfball size and very heavy rainfall over Stonewall and Kent Counties.

The cold front associated with a rapidly deepening low pressure system over the Central Plains moved through West Texas during the afternoon. Westerly wind behind this front increased to 40 to 50 mph with gusts near 70 mph measured in several locations. Fairly widespread but minor damage resulted from the strong wind including numerous power lines and power poles blown down; signs blown down; several tractor trailers blown over; damage to the siding and roofs of buildings; and trees blown down. Widespread blowing dust resulted in visibilities of less than two miles across the South Plains and extreme southern Texas Panhandle.The West Texas Mesonet sites near Morton and Levelland measured nonconvective wind gusts to 66 mph while the site at Reese Center measured a 68 mph gust.

A strong pacific cold front moved through West Texas during the morning of the 24th. The dry atmosphere behind the front was mixed to at least 15,000 feet during the day allowing high momentum air above the surface to mix to the ground. Sustained wind of 40 to 50 mph developed on the Caprock during the late morning and off the Caprock during the early afternoon. The wind gusted to near 60 mph across the South Plains with the TXDOT observation site at Hart reporting a 58 mph gust and the site in Progress reporting a 63 mph gust. Minor damage was reported from Lubbock northward with signs and power lines blown down in several areas. In addition, two tractor trailers were blown over on I-27 in Tulia with no injuries reported. Blowing dust reduced visibilities to less than one mile across the South Plains and extreme southern Texas Panhandle.

A strong upper level low pressure system moved from California into the Southern Rockies on the 27th. Cold air spread into West Texas ahead of this system and the stage was set for the development of precipitation as warm and moist air was drawn up over the shallow cold air that was in place in the lowest several thousand feet of the atmosphere. The precipitation began as freezing rain early on the 27th and by late afternoon had resulted in a heavy glaze on exposed surfaces. The freezing rain changed to snow over the northwestern South Plains and extreme southwestern Panhandle during the night as the cold air slowly deepened. This region received between four and eight inches of snow on top of the one quarter inch of ice before the event ended early on the 28th. The freezing rain continued across the remainder of the South Plains, extreme southern Panhandle, and Rolling Plains into the morning hours of the 28th. Between one quarter of an inch and an inch of glaze accumulated on exposed surfaces over much of this region. The precipitation finally changed to snow before it ended with one to three inches accumulating on top of the heavy glaze. Some brief power outages were reported as heavy ice brought down power poles, power lines, and trees.

A strong upper level disturbance translated into the southern Rockies on the 25th and across West Texas on the 26th. A shallow cold air mass was in place over the Southern Plains well ahead of this system. Widespread precipitation developed over the region as the system approached as warm and moist air was drawn over the shallow cold air near the surface. Freezing rain produced a layer of glaze on exposed surfaces that was one quarter to three quarters of an inch thick. The freezing rain became mixed with sleet and snow during the early morning hours on the 26th and eventually changed to snow over most of the area shortly before daybreak on the 26th. The snow continued into the early morning hours of the 27th as the upper low moved across the Permian Basin. Eight to twelve inches of snow fell across the South Plains and extreme southern Panhandle with up to sixteen inches reported in the extreme southwestern Panhandle. Two to four inches of snow were reported across the Rolling Plains. This very heavy snow fell on top of the thick layer of ice resulting in a crippling impact to the region. Most flights into and out of the Lubbock International Airport were canceled for the better part of four days. Many roads were impassable and a number of vehicles were stranded in deep snow. Many traffic accidents were reported with at least two fatalities occurring as a result. Many businesses, including those in the South Plains Mall in Lubbock, were closed for two to three days due to the weather. Thousands of power poles and power lines were downed resulting in power outages across the region and at least $1 million in damage; most of these outages only lasted a few hours but some lasted up to nine days in Lynn County. The storm also interrupted mail service for up to three days in some locations.

An upper level disturbance moving into the Southern Plains from Arizona resulted in a rapidly deepening area of low pressure over southeastern Colorado. The pressure gradient strengthened during the day and southwest to west winds increased to 30-40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. The KLBB ASOS unit measured a 58 mph wind gust at 1542CST, the TXDOT mesonet site at Progress reported a 58 mph wind gust at 1456CST, and the TXDOT mesonet site at Morton measured a 54 mph wind gust at 1459CST. Minor wind damage was reported across the Southern Panhandle and South Plains with power lines and tree limbs blown down in Lubbock. Roof damage was reported at 38th Street and Avenue A and a large tree limb fell onto and damaged a car. The strong wind also resulted in widespread blowing dust that frequently reduced visibility to less than one mile.

A strong upper level disturbance over southern Arizona moved northeast into New Mexico during the day on the 7th. Low pressure quickly deepened over southeastern Colorado in response to the approach of this system. As a result, the pressure gradient strengthened over the Southern Plains. The dryline surged east of the Caprock during the late morning hours leaving very dry air over much of the South Plains, Southern Panhandle, and Low Rolling Plains. Deep mixing into this dry air combined with a strong pressure gradient resulted in very strong west winds of 35-45 mph with gusts exceeding 50-60 mph at times. Numerous reports of downed power lines and trees were received across the South Plains, Southern Panhandle, and Low Rolling Plains as well as minor damage to lightweight structures such as barns and tin roofs. ASOS units at KLBB and KCDS measured wind gusts of 56 mph and 64 mph, respectively, during this event while a 60 mph gust was measured at the NWS forecast office on the south side of Lubbock. A few specific damage reports included: power lines were blown down in Denver City at 1210 pm; several sprinkler pivot systems were blown onto roadways in Hockley County between 1230 pm and 100 pm; in Levelland at around 100 pm, a piece of tin debris from a roof hit a woman causing a minor injury; tin roofs were removed from several buildings and power lines were blown down in Brownfield at 140 pm; a sign at a gas station was damaged in Spur at around 830 pm. Major damage was reported in Childress as a 400 foot tower valued at over half a million dollars was destroyed at around 930 pm. The strong wind resulted in widespread blowing dust, which reduced visibility to less than 1/4 of a mile in many areas.