EF1 Tornado — Quay, New Mexico

2007-03-23 · near Logan, Quay, New Mexico

Event narrative

A small and possibly elevated landspout type tornado developed on the far east end of a rear flank outflow that swung south through east over Logan as a storm centered about 5 miles to the west moved north over Ute Lake. Damage along the track as it moved over the west side of Logan was intermittent with damage indicators pointing to winds of general 80 to 90 mph with peak winds near the south and north ends of the track estimated at 105 mph. Average track width was around 100 yards. Logan had no tornado siren system but citizens reported nearly 30 to 50 minutes notice of an approaching severe thunderstorm. About a dozen injuries were reported with only two transported to Tucumcari for brief treatment in hospital. Heaviest damage was mainly confined to about 50 manufactured homes and recreational vehicles tossed and rolled mainly on the south end of the lake resort community. Damage to site constructed homes and buildings was limited to window, roof and soffit damage except for one 1910 era frame home that lost its roof.

Wider weather episode

An unusually early and intense outbreak of severe storms with large hail and tornadoes occurred across east central and southeast New Mexico during the afternoon and evening of the 23rd. The average date for isolated first reports of damaging hail over the past 20 years has been March 24th with the location typically confined to far southeast New Mexico. The March 23rd 2007 episode produced a number of large hail events from Roswell to Tucumcari and peaked with multiple tornadoes from near Tatum north to Clovis and northeast of Tucumcari. A tornado at Clovis resulted in the death of two elderly citizens, the first tornado fatalities in New Mexico since October of 1974. The episode was characterized by a slow moving upper level low that produced strong speed shear but nearly uniform southerly directional flow aloft across the eastern and southeastern sections of the state. Storms with large hail developed first during early and mid afternoon from near Roswell north to Tucumcari. Towards late afternoon and early evening as storms migrated north northeast they encountered an increasing but shallow easterly surface flow that enhanced low level shear resulting in brief but shallow tornadoes. Multiple small but elevated vortices were observed circulating around well defined wall clouds with occasional spin downs into brief tornadoes.

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Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 20653. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.