High Wind — Lubbock, Texas

2011-10-17 · Lubbock, Texas

$25.0M

Property damage

64 MG

Magnitude

Wider weather episode

A storm system moving out of the Rockies sent a powerful cold front through the southern Texas panhandle, South Plains, and Rolling Plains during the early evening hours of the 17th. The cold front surged at 55 mph as it moved across the South Plains. Extreme pressure rises behind this front on the South Plains created a widespread high wind event along with a haboob. Visible satellite images estimated the width of the haboob to be around 250 miles extending from eastern New Mexico through the South Plains. Visibilities were reduced across much of the South Plains below one quarter mile and zero at some locations.

Widespread damage was also observed with the most extensive damage in the Lubbock area. Additionally, one wildfire was intensified by the severe winds in Garza county. Smoke from this wildfire caused the the closure of US Highway 84 between County Road 220 and Highway 380.

A list of severe wind gusts measured by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet, KVII-TV Schoolnet, and Automated Surface Observing Systems follows: 71 mph at Friona (Parmer County), 77 mph at Dimmitt (Castro County), 66 mph at Hart (Castro County), 61 mph at Muleshoe (Bailey County), 68 mph at Amherst (Lamb County), 66 mph at Olton (Lamb County), 59 mph at Plainview (Hale County), 58 mph at Abernathy (Hale County), 60 mph at Morton (Cochran County), 69 mph at Anton (Hockley County), 74 mph at Lubbock (Lubbock County), 71 mph at Slaton (Lubbock County), 60 mph at Wolfforth (Lubbock County), 65 mph at Plains (Yoakum County), 60 mph at Brownfield (Terry County), and 75 mph at Post (Garza County).

Damage reports are as follows:

Parmer County saw some trees and tree limbs down in the city of Friona. Power lines, trees, and a barn roof were blown down in Castro County. An irrigation pivot was overturned in Lamb County. Power outages were reported across Bailey County. Power lines were blown down in Hale County. In Hockley County, trees and power lines were blown down as well as a roof blown off of a gas station. Power lines were blown down in Yoakum County. Trees and power lines were blown down in Terry County in the city of Brownfield. In the city of Post in Garza County, street signs, fences and trees were blown down as well as shed and patio roofs blown off. Numerous power outages were reported around the city of Lubbock. Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport also sustained heavy damages. There was damage to the air traffic control tower as well as the airport fire station. Numerous small aircraft were also damaged. Total economic damages were estimated at $25 million.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 346463. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.