Thunderstorm Wind — Hockley, Texas

2025-04-27 · near Smyer, Hockley, Texas

Event narrative

A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site in Smyer measured a wind gust to 64 mph.

Wider weather episode

Although large scale lift was weak on the afternoon and evening of the 27th, severe thunderstorms were still able to develop across the central South Plains. A dryline was again in place cutting from north to south around the Interstate 27/US Highway 87 corridor creating low level convergence. Strong heating along the dryline allowed a capping inversion to break late in the afternoon. With ample moisture in place at the lowest levels of the atmosphere, isolated storms were able to take advantage of a very unstable atmosphere. Isolated thunderstorms initially developed in and around the Lubbock (Lubbock County) vicinity and moved northeastward producing severe wind gusts along with hail up to ping pong ball size.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.5800, -102.1700)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1243943. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.