Dust Storm — Floyd, Texas

2009-06-18 · Floyd, Texas

Wider weather episode

A complex of strong to severe thunderstorms developed over the western South Plains during the late afternoon and early evening of the 18th. A few of these storms became severe and produced locally intense wind gusts up to 67 mph.

The most significant impacts from these storms, however, occurred as an organized and expansive cold pool of outflow winds expanded east-northeastward in advance of the convection over the central South Plains. The large outflow boundary lofted vast amounts of dust from the area's relatively bare cotton fields, and a large haboob dust storm evolved to envelop much of the central South Plains. Reduced visibility, at times less than a few hundred yards, and gusts in excess of 50 mph accompanied the haboob passage. The haboob became well-separated from its parent convection, and was sustained into the 21:00 CST hour east of the Caprock escarpment.

The haboob was likely a contributor to the occurrence of a fatal aircraft mishap in Floyd County. A prominent business owner and a passenger were killed when their Cessna 182 went down in a field fifteen miles east of Floydada near the small community of Dougherty. While an official determination into the cause of the accident is pending via an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, the time of the mishap corresponded to the occurrence of a westerly wind-shift and onset of 50+ mph surface winds and significantly reduced visibilities associated with the haboob. Doppler radar observations reveal that the top of the dust-filled outflow likely exceeded 6,500 feet above ground level.

In addition, the vast amounts of wind-driven dust destroyed thousands of acres of young cotton crops. With sensitive cotton plants just beginning to emerge, the sand blasting effect of the dust storm caused extensive damage.

Agricultural and property losses that resulted from the haboob dust storm likely approached $6 million.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 168553. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.