Power Outage in Post, TX

A swath of wind damage was observed from just south of Southland along US Highway 84 into Post. Several transmission power poles were downed within this swath. The Garza County Sheriff's Office relayed numerous reports of wind damage in and around Post including outbuilding flattened, carports lifted, roofs damage, and a tractor trailer flipped over. The Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site one mile northeast of Post reported a peak wind gust of 73 mph at 2120 CST. Severe winds were observed from 2110 through 2130 CST.

A swath of wind damage was observed from just south of Southland along US Highway 84 into Post. Several transmission power poles were downed within this swath. The Garza County Sheriff's Office relayed numerous reports of wind damage in and around Post including outbuilding flattened, carports lifted, roofs damage, and a tractor trailer flipped over. The Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site one mile northeast of Post reported a peak wind gust of 73 mph at 2120 CST. Severe winds were observed from 2110 through 2130 CST.

An electric cooperative official reported nine power poles downed by strong winds approximately six miles south of Southland.

A Lubbock TV station relayed a report of quarter size hail and power outages in Post. No damage was 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 National Weather Service in Lubbock, Texas conducted a damage survey of impacts resultant from severe thunderstorm activity occurring across the area on Saturday, August 27 2005.An outbreak of severe thunderstorms developed across the NWS Lubbock forecast and warning area of responsibility during the late afternoon on Saturday and continued through the pre-midnight hours. A mesoscale convective system, or a large and organized complex of intense thunderstorms, developed as upper level energy pushed into the Texas Panhandle from the northwest and combined with numerous surface fronts generated from previous thunderstorm outflows. Garza county: A severe thunderstorm produced a swath of significant damage in a relatively isolated area in Garza county. The zone of greatest Impact occurred approximately 8 miles to the west of downtown Post, TX on Highway 380. The pattern of damage was consistent with a thunderstorm downburst. The downburst resulted from what is known as a rear flank downdraft (RFD). An RFD can form in severe thunderstorms as air high above begins to sink rapidly on the backside or rear of the thunderstorm. The RFD can, at times, play a significant role in the formation of a tornado. RFD winds can produce damage comparable to tornado damage, however there will generally be a circulation debris pattern evident when surveying tornado damage.The downburst pattern was bounded from 8 miles west of Post, or beginning at the intersection of Highway 380 and County Road 125, to beyond a mile just past County Road 105. The damage pattern was observed up to two miles south of this location along FM 1313.The debris field started with a snapped stop sign at the intersection of Highway 380 and County Road 125 with 3 cotton trailers and a small cylindrical oil tank blown over, all from a north to south direction. Following this location, along Highway 380, a series of power poles and lines were blown over, snapped, and/or ripped from the ground for a stretch of 1 mile by the downburst wind. All of these poles were blown from a north to south direction.Farther to the south between county roads 105/115/125 and along Fm1313, numerous large trees were snapped and/or uprooted and a few center pivot irrigation systems were blown over. A manufactured home located on County Road 125 sustained damage with layers of shingles lifted off the roof, landing a short distance in the backyard. The front attached patio/walkway was pushed toward the left-front of the home by gusty wind. The debris at this location was blown from an east to west direction and was likely the result of moderate east/southeast inflow in the immediate vicinity of the rotating mesocyclone in the severe thunderstorm. Noted was a small shed and trees adjacent to the home that sustained no impactsfrom the apparent less than severe inflow winds responsible for peeling off the shingles from the roof. No rotation was evident in the pattern of debris fall from the shingles.The Texas Tech/West Texas mesonet station, located 5 miles south of Graham, measured a 69 mph wind gust from the north at 6:35 PM CST. Graham is located approximately 6 miles southeast of the manufactured home. Interviewing local utility crews, a total of 49 power poles were destroyed and several acres of cotton were damaged and/or destroyed.

The Garza County EOC reported power poles and trees blown down by strong thunderstorm wind. The wind also damaged a carport, damaged the roof of a house, and destroyed sheds.

A powerful storm system moved out of the southern Rockies into the Plains during the evening of the first. Strong winds aloft spread over the region resulting in robust surface winds. One severe wind gust of 64 mph was recorded at 1716 CST at Lake Alan Henry (Garza County) by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet.

A shortwave approaching from southeastern New Mexico aided in the development of scattered thunderstorms during the morning hours of the 19th. While nearly all convection was non-severe, an electric cooperative employee reported nine power poles downed by strong winds six miles south of Southland (Garza County).