Tornado in Motley County, Texas

The fourth of several tornadoes occurred approximately four miles west of Matador. Local broadcast media live streamed a tornado that crossed US Highway 62. No known damage occurred.

A supercell thunderstorm developed in the far southern Texas Panhandle during the late afternoon of the 21st of June. This supercell moved south-southeastward through the western Rolling Plains during the evening and eventually moved into the Texas Big Country and the San Angelo National Weather Service forecast area around 2200 CST. This storm quickly intensified in Motley County just north of Matador where the first of five reported tornadoes occurred around 1850 CST, however no survey was conducted as no damage was reported. This storm then produced a third of a mile wide tornado that went through the west side of Matador around 1900 CST killing four people and injuring 15 others. One of the fatalities was an 85 year old woman at home. A 59 year old truck driver died while in his semi-trailer. The final two fatalities were a 43 year old male and 23 year old male in a recreational vehicle. Peak wind gusts corresponding to the observed damage were estimated to be in the 145 mph to 165 mph range, resulting in an EF-3 rating. This rating was determined through consultation with engineers from the Texas Tech University National Wind Institute, who also performed a damage survey in Matador. It also produced extremely large hail with the largest stone measuring 4.50 inches in diameter on the east side of Matador. The storm continued moving to the south-southeast where a 75 mph gust was reported at the Roaring Springs West Texas Mesonet site at 1922 CST, most likely associated with a rear flank downdraft surge. As it entered northern Dickens County another tornado was reported by an off-duty NWS employee approximately 5.5 miles northeast of Afton, however no damage was reported with this tornado. A second supercell produced a brief tornado west-southwest of Matador at 1937 CST that also produced no known damage. Shortly afterward, that supercell began to merge with the initial supercell with the fifth and final tornado being reported on US Highway 82 approximately eight miles east of Dickens and no damage was observed with this tornado either. As the storm continued to move to the south-southeast a broad rear flank downdraft was noted on radar with the peak measured gust of 109 mph at the West Texas Mesonet site in Jayton at 2107 CST with 19 minutes of continuous severe wind gusts. These strong winds also occurred with hail up to four inches in diameter leading to damage observed along State Highway 70 in northeast Kent County including in and around the towns of Girard and Jayton.