High Wind — Hemphill, Texas

2024-02-27 · Hemphill, Texas

Event narrative

Two mesonet sites located in the county measured multiple gusts exceeding 58 mph with a peak gust of 70 mph during this time. Sustained winds also surpassed 40 mph.

Wider weather episode

A good growing season through spring/summer 2023 led to decent fuel loading, compared to the previous couple of years, before vegetation went into winter dormancy. Dormant fuels and two weeks without precipitation leading into February 26th provided a very combustible environment when combined with abnormally warm temperatures (record breaking) and high winds on Monday, February 26th. An upper level system first brought strong winds on Monday with sustained winds peaking between 25 and 39 mph out of the west. Wind gusts peaked around 55 mph with some locations briefly gusting up to 58 to 62 mph. Not only were the winds strong but the relative humidity values also dropped to 12 to 18 percent. These conditions with the dormant and dry state of vegetation contributed to the development and spread of a few large wildfires on the 26th. Some of these fires occurred in rough terrain leading to efforts to contain the fires being of little to no gain. These fires continued through the night with little recovery in relative humidity and short lived reduced winds.

Going into the morning of the 27th west to southwest winds quickly increased into the 25 to 35 mph range with gusts quickly exceeding 58 mph in the late morning hours before noon. Frequent gusts of 58 to 64 mph soon picked up into the 65 to 70 mph range during the afternoon of the 27th. Some areas saw sustained winds top out in the 40 to 45 mph range for a few hours as well. With temperatures starting out in the 50s on the morning of the 27th, afternoon temperatures were back in the 70s in no time. Despite afternoon temperatures a few degrees cooler than the day before on the 26th, relative humidity values fell into the 12 to 15 percent range. This did not help with ongoing fires and also contributed to a few new fires across the combined Panhandles, some of which merged with one another turning into megafires. The same system contributing to the high winds also pushed a cold front into the area from the north. Fires that once were moving from west to east soon started to move from north to south behind the front. Winds behind the front continued to blow in the 25 to 35 mph range and gusting 40 to 50 mph. Communities that were initially on the right flank of the fire, out of harm's way, soon found themselves on the forward flank.

There were roughly 9 named wildfires with some of these merging into one, such as the 687 Reamer Fire which started on the 27th, the day after the Smokehouse Creek Fire started but eventually burned into and merged with the Smokehouse Creek Fire. It took until early to mid March before all fires were contained. It is estimated that at least 2,075 homes were directly impacted by the Smokehouse Creek fire and within the fire perimeter. The fires also left residents without electricity or gas for several days after the 27th of February. A significant number of cattle and livestock were also lost, and there are cascading effects from the loss of livestock revenue. Two lives were also lost in these fires and over 4000 people were impacted.

Texas AgriLife estimated the total economic loss to the Texas Panhandle, its economy, and the economies it feeds may ultimately exceed $1 billion from these fires. AgriLife conservatively estimated that the Panhandle suffered $123 million in agricultural and agriculture-related losses (including wildlife hunting revenue losses). The number includes $68.7 million in lost fencing, $26 million in grazing losses over 1.5 years, cattle losses of $27 million, and lost hunting revenues of $875,000 annually.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1162360. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.