Power Outage in Pampa, TX

The land spout tornado traveling along a fast moving outflow boundary with just weak showers above was captured on a local television station web cam moving across open country just west of Pampa. The tornado remained in open country farm and grasslands for 6 minutes and encountered few damage indicators. It did however cross two power lines and did not produce damage suggesting relatively weak winds before lifting as it reached additional structures just south of Highway 152 on Country Road 4.

The land spout tornado traveling along a fast moving outflow boundary with just weak showers above was captured on a local television station web cam moving across open country just west of Pampa. The tornado remained in open country farm and grasslands for 6 minutes and encountered few damage indicators. It did however cross two power lines and did not produce damage suggesting relatively weak winds before lifting as it reached additional structures just south of Highway 152 on Country Road 4.

A combination sleet and freezing rain led to light ice accumulations which caused hazardous driving conditions the morning of Monday, October 26th. Additional impacts occurred from half an inch of sleet on the morning of the 27th. During the evening of the 27th the county saw several hours of freezing rain that lead to ice accumulations of half an inch to three quarters of and inch across the majority of the county. This higher amounts of ice were located east of Pampa. These ice totals lead to wide spread power outages and broken tree limbs. An additional 2 to 3 inches of snow fell on the evening of the 28th.

The tornado did minor damage around a residence which included,|very minor damage to the home roof cap, a rolled and displaced air|conditioner unit, and a destroyed free standing antenna tower. A|heavy duty metal storage box with a stored car inside was also|rolled onto some farming equipment. The tornado stripped|significant amounts of sheet metal off two barns and caused one|wall to collapse. The EF1 rating was due to four 10 inch power|poles which were snapped where the tornado crossed a nearby |county road. Debris from objects around the home and sheet metal |from the barns were carried 100-200 yards down the path.

Part of a roof blown off a new barn, some brick damage to a church, a couple large tree limbs down, and a few leaning power poles. Time estimated.

Reports of multiple down trees and power lines. Power out through half the city, and Emergency Manager continues to assess wind damage.

Power lines downed.

Pampa AWOS showed a 67 mph wind gust. Also received media report that power was out in parts of the city.

Two separate microbursts were observed with thunderstorms in the Skellytown and Pampa areas on Saturday evening. In Skellytown, 21 power poles were snapped with an additional 50 poles snapped in the northwest and northern parts of the city of Pampa. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped and portions of roof coverings were removed from several homes. A large RV was also overturned. After talking with county EM's and gathering other reports, winds of 90 MPH were estimated to be the cause of the damage.

This long track tornado caused damage mainly to power lines and trees due to its rural track. It was the first tornado to pass near Pampa. Some trees were debarked and completely defoliated leaving only the trunks. The collapse of a high tension power line metal truss tower is the basis for the EF-3 rating. Maximum winds were estimated to be 140 mph. The tornado continued into Roberts County.

This long track tornado caused damage mainly to power lines and trees due to its rural track. It was the first tornado to pass near Pampa. Some trees were debarked and completely defoliated leaving only the trunks. The collapse of a high tension power line metal truss tower is the basis for the EF-3 rating. Maximum winds were estimated to be 140 mph. The tornado continued into Roberts County.

A line of thunderstorms moved out of the Oklahoma Panhandle and into the Texas Panhandle during the late night hours of the 22nd. As the line neared the town of Pampa (Gray County), the city Emergency Manager reported an estimated 95 mph thunderstorm downburst gust in town which blew down several trees, destroyed a travel trailer, and downed power lines. After producing this downburst gust the line continued to move to the south-southeast across the Texas Panhandle.

The public reported 0.10 inches of ice, power lines down on State Highway 152 in Pampa, and power outages across the city.

The thunderstorm wind gusts snapped five to six power poles along Interstate 40 and there was an interstate exit sign that was blown down. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

The Gray County Emergency Manager reported thunderstorm wind damage to a roof of a residence, a power line, and a fence in the city of Pampa, Texas. There were no injuries or fatalities.

Local law enforcement officials reported that power poles were snapped along Interstate 40. There was also an empty tractor trailer truck traveling along Interstate 40 that was flipped over by the thunderstorm wind gusts. The driver of the tractor trailer truck was injured.

An official National Weather Service storm survey revealed that a narrow area of damaging thunderstorm wind gusts moved through Pampa, Texas between Banks Street and West Brown Street. The path of damage was twenty-five yards wide and five hundred yards long. The winds picked up and destroyed a ten by ten aluminum shed which caused debris for four hundred yards. An abandoned wood frame house on Banks Street had its side wall collapse. There were three containers that were overturned by the winds. Also, a park sign in a municipal park was damaged and a business on West Brown Street had the front wall of the establishment blown onto West Brown Street. There was also damage to a power pole. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

This is the first segment of a tornado which formed ten miles south southwest of Miami just north of Texas State Highway 152 and traveled northeastward for about eight miles before exiting Gray county about five and a half miles north northeast of Laketon at 0055CST. While in Gray county, the tornado was rated an EF1. The tornado had a maximum width of one hundred yards. At he beginning of the tornado track in Gray county, there was a horse barn damaged as well as a center pivot irrigation system overturned. Then two miles from about where the tornado touched down to the northeast, also in Gray county, two single power poles were snapped at the base. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

The local newspaper reported that the high winds caused many EXCEL Energy customers to lose power in the city of Pampa Texas in Gray County. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

Local law enforcement officials reported that a dumpster was overturned and that multiple power lines were snapped in half and lying on the roads. Also, some of the roads were closed due to the power lines still lying on the roads. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

The Gray County Emergency Managers Office reported that several power poles had been blown down by the thunderstorm wind gusts at Texas State Highway or Loop 171 and Texas State Highway 70. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

The Gray County Emergency Managers Office reported that the northeast corner of an abandoned grocery store had the roof peeled back due to the thunderstorm wind gusts. Also, there was damage to a brick building and several trees were blown down on the south side of Pampa Texas. The south half of the city of Pampa lost power due to downed power lines. There were no reports of injuries or fatalities.

According to a city official...a representative of the XCEL electric company reported that four thousand customers in Pampa and Lefors had lost power due to thunderstorm winds.

An official National Weather Service storm damage survey team determined that a multiple vortex tornado touched down four miles east northeast of Pampa at 1609 CST. This tornado then moved southeast to five miles east southeast of Pampa where it lifted at 1617 CST. At least one home sustained significant damage from the tornado. In addition...at least four other homes sustained significant damage from downburst winds in close proximity to the tornado...one to three miles east of Pampa along and near U.S. Highway 60. Several other structures and vehicles were also damaged...including a semi truck and a motor home. One injury occurred to the semi truck driver. Trees and power poles also sustained considerable damage.

The Roberts County Sheriff's Office reported a power pole snapped six miles south of Miami on Farm to Market Road 748...or two miles north of Laketon.

Part of a tar roof was blown off of the First Baptist Church. Power lines were knocked down on the west side of McLean. No injuries were reported.

The tornado developed about five miles southwest of Pampa at 2240 CST and tracked northeast for about two miles before dissipating at 2246 CST three miles southwest of Pampa. An off-duty National Weather Service employee...who was chasing in the area...saw a power flash about 2241 CST. Although no injuries were reported...damage occurred at the National Oilwell Varco Plant to three buildings which also had windows blown out and several oil rigs were blown around.

This tornado formed in extreme southwest Gray county about one mile north of Interstate 40 and one half mile east of the Carson county line at 2050 CST. The tornado moved north northeast and caused considerable damage to a homestead where a home lost part of its roof. A couple rode out the storm inside the home but were not injured. Several storage and outbuildings were destroyed. Several power poles were snapped and downed along its path. No injuries were reported.

This tornado developed from the same storm that moved just east of McLean. The initial circulation developed eight miles north northeast of McLean at 1945 CST and was initially moving northeast at forty miles per hour. As it crossed Farm to Market Road 2473 at the McClellan Creek bridge...high-tension power lines supported by double wooden pole structures were broken or snapped at the ground at several locations. Numerous hard and softwood trees were debarked with only stubs remaining. At 1949 CST...the tornado moved more northwesterly and accelerated to forty-five miles per hour. A local rancher...who lives seven miles northwest of Kellerville heard the tornado approaching and took shelter. Damage to his property included a covered porch that was completely blown off and steel roofing was peeled back on the the southward facing side. A brick chimney also collapsed. Several trees...as much as two hundred feet from the west edge of the house...were blown down. A bunkhouse on the property lost of the roof. An anchored large steel feed bunk was pulled out of the ground. No injuries were reported.

Damage was reported on the east side of McLean with three foot diameter tree uprooted...a horse trailer flipped over...power lines down...and roof damage to buildings. No injuries were reported.

Report of windows blown out of vehicles along with trees and power line blown down.

Power lines and several tree limbs were reportedly blown down by the high winds. Also...the roof of a barn was completely blown off. No injuries were reported.

A strong upper level low pressure system accompanied by a strong surface low provided some lift and instability across the eastern Texas Panhandle on the evening of the 16th. Several storms were able to produce severe hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter along with measured wind gusts up to 60 mph. Based on some damage in Ochiltree County during the late evening one storm put off a very strong outflow which is estimated to be around 80 to 85 mph winds toppling 18 train cars amongst downed powerlines and overturned semis. This same system eventually moved off to the east a bit bringing strong winds behind a cold front and snow the very next day.

A supercell thunderstorm developed and moved along a frontal boundary south of Miami, Texas on the afternoon of August 16th. The presence of the boundary and high instability aided the storm in developing a strong circulation and produced a short lived tornado which was on the ground for several minutes and less than two miles. The tornado did minor damage to a residence and power lines in the area. The storm also produced large hail across portions of the area.

The 2473 Wildfire began about four miles west southwest of Kellerville Texas in Gray County around 1200CST. The cause of the wildfire was downed power lines. There was a report of four homes and two other structures threatened although no homes or other structures were reported damaged or destroyed. There were also no reports of any injuries or fatalities. The wildfire consumed eight hundred and five acres. The Texas A&M Forest Service responded to the wildfire which was contained around 1800CST on April 19.

The Arrington Wildfire began about eight miles southeast of White Deer in Gray County around 1418CST. The wildfire started between W Line Road and Keahey Haiduk Road south of Baggerman Road. The wildfire consumed three hundred and twenty-three acres and was caused by downed power lines. There were no homes or other structures threatened or destroyed by the wildfire. There also were no reports of injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was contained around 2200CST and a total of five fire departments and other fire agencies responded to the wildfire including the Texas A&M Forest Service.

One of the most significant severe weather events of the 2016 severe weather season occurred on the 22nd and brought large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes to mainly the eastern Texas Panhandle. A supercell thunderstorm produced at least 6 tornadoes in southern Ochiltree County on the evening of May 22, 2016. No damage was reported for the final two tornadoes east of Highway 70 in open country and these were not surveyed. Damage consisted of a destroyed barn, downed power lines, some tree damage, and several flipped pivot irrigation systems. Homes were narrowly missed on several occasions. the tornadoes exhibited odd motions that were not consistent with the motion of the storm which was turning right sharply during the event. Tow of the tornadoes were large and at least one large multivortex tornado occurred with this event. The storm's rear flank downdraft also produced significant damage across the area which included snapping numerous power poles along Highway 281.

The large wildfire began about one mile north of McLean around 1230CST and consumed approximately six hundred and forty acres. One vacant home and one shed were completely destroyed, however there were no reports of injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was brought under control around 1430CST which was caused by high winds striking a power line.

Severe thunderstorms producing five tornadoes...large hail and damaging winds moved across the eastern sections of the Texas Panhandle during the late afternoon and evening hours. One person was injured by a tornado...although no fatalities occurred. Numerous homes and windshields were damaged by the hail while the high winds knocked over eighteen wheelers...power poles and trees. The high winds also caused numerous power outages.

The wildfire known as the Borger wildfire started four miles southeast of Borger on the Burnett (6666) Ranch property. This wildfire was caused by downed power lines due to the strong gradient southwesterly winds. The wildfire burned four hundred and seventy-nine thousand five hundred and forty-nine acres. Twenty eight structures were lost and seven people were killed. This fire burned into southeast Hutchinson County...northwest Gray County...through central Roberts County and finally into western Hemphill County. The second wildfire known as the Interstate 40 wildfire burned four hundred and twenty-seven thousand six hundred and ninety-six acres. This wildfire started four miles east of Groom near Boydston and was also caused by downed power lines from the strong gradient southwesterly winds. Eighty vehicles and eighty outbuildings were destroyed. Nine fire fighters were injured and one of those injured fire fighters died about a month later. Four people were killed in a nine vehicle accident on Interstate 40. The Texas Forest Service named the two wildfires the East Amarillo Complex which killed approximately five thousand head of livestock. Over forty structures were destroyed including thirty-two homes. More than one thousand and forty electrical poles were destroyed leaving at least eighty homes without power. The wildfires also destroyed about seven hundred miles of fencing. The Texas Forest Service said that the wildfires moved forty-five miles in just nine hours with a spread rate of five miles an hour and flame lengths of greater than eleven feet.

Severe thunderstorms with hail and damaging winds moved across the western Texas panhandle into the east-central Texas panhandle during the evening hours. Large tree branches along with several power poles were reported blown down by the high winds across the northwest Texas panhandle. No injuries were reported.

Very damaging non-thunderstorm winds ravaged much of the northern...central and eastern Texas panhandle during the evening hours. These winds resulted in numerous reports of telephone and power poles down...trailer homes blown over...windows of cars and businesses blown out...and a tractor-trailer rig blown off the road in and around Dumas. Also...windows were reported blown out of cars in Pampa by Pampa Central Dispatch.