Winter Weather — Potter, Texas

2013-11-23 to 2013-11-24 · Potter, Texas

Event narrative

Storm total snow of 4.3 inches at the NWS office in Amarillo.

Public reports of 2.5 inches in Amarillo, 4.0 inches 1 miles WSW of Bushland, 4.0 inches 5 miles north of Amarillo, and 4.0 inches 6 miles W of Amarillo. Also multiple wreck with one known fatality.

Wider weather episode

A slow moving upper level low brought several inches of snow to the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle from the 23rd to the 24th of November. As the upper low moved over New Mexico, the associated jet streak provided large scale lift sufficient to produce scattered snow bands across the southern Texas Panhandle during the early evening hours of the 23rd. Moisture deficiency in the snow growth region of the atmosphere had been a hindrance for efficient snow production earlier in the week, but the 6 PM CST upper air sounding from Amarillo showed saturated conditions in the snow growth region. These scattered snow bands were able to quickly generate one to two inches of snow across the southern Texas Panhandle due the higher moisture availability. This snow band would move to the northwest before diminishing over the northeastern Texas Panhandle. After a brief lull, another snow band developed across the Eastern Plains of New Mexico and moved northeastward into the southwestern Texas Panhandle. The 6 AM CST upper air sounding from Amarillo on the 24th showed that drier air was beginning to work its way into the Texas Panhandle. However, the extreme northern portion of the snow bands reached the Oklahoma Panhandle. As this band reached the Oklahoma Panhandle, the influence of the drier air infiltrating the Southern Plains became more evident. The main snow band diminished and all further snow showers that developed through midday on the 24th became isolated in coverage. Ultimately by 2 PM, snow shower activity came to an end as more dry air filtered into the Panhandles and the large scale lift from the upper level low shifted to the east.

The snow that was produced across the Texas Panhandle from the 23rd to the 24th of November did not only result in a daily record snowfall for Amarillo (Potter County) for the 23rd, but also caused several vehicle accidents. One such accident occurred around 9:44 PM CST on the 23rd north of Dumas (Moore County). The driver of a 2002 Ford Ranger traveling in the southbound lane of U.S. Highway 287 lost control of the vehicle and drove over a curb. This caused the vehicle to roll several times before coming to a stop. Police in the seen stated that the driver had been traveling too fast on the snow covered roadway. The driver of the pickup was pronounced deceased at the scene of the wreck. Another wreck involving a pickup and a van in Potter County resulted in one fatality and three injuries at 8:20 PM CST. The driver of the 1990 Toyota pickup was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 87, and was traveling too fast for the hazardous road conditions. The truck swerved into the northbound lanes before leaving the roadway. At the same location, a 2009 Ford van, which had previously wreck in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 87), was parked. The pickup struck the parked van which caused the pickup to flip onto the driver side. The passenger was not wearing a restrain and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the pickup and the two occupants of the parked van were taken to the local hospital for injuries. By November 25th, the Amarillo District of the Texas Department of Public Safety reported it responded to nearly 150 vehicle accidents from Friday to Sunday, and did not have a preliminary number of injuries related to those accidents.

The following is a list of snow reports from across the Texas Panhandle: Texline 3.0 inches (Dallam County); Stratford 2.3 inches (Sherman County); Spearman 2.5 inches (Hansford County); 1 mile northeast of Gruver 3.0 inches (Hansford County); Perryton 2.5 inches (Ochiltree County); Lipscomb 2.0 inches (Lipscomb County); Dalhart 3.5 inches (Hartley County); Dumas 4.0 inches (Moore County); Borger 4.5 inches (Hutchinson County); 20 miles southeast of Spearman 3.6 inches (Roberts County); Miami 3.0 inches (Roberts County); Canadian 2.0 inches (Hemphill County); Vega 4.0 inches (Oldham County); 2 miles south of Wildorado 4.5 inches (Oldham County); Boys Ranch 4.0 inches (Oldham County); 7 miles east-northeast of Amarillo 4.3 inches (Potter County); Amarillo 2.5 inches (Potter County); 1 mile west-southwest of Bushland 4.0 inches (Potter County); 5 miles north of Amarillo 4.0 inches (Potter County); 6 miles west of Amarillo 4.0 inches (Potter County); White Deer 5.0 inches (Carson County); and 6 miles southwest of Pampa 3.0 inches (Gray County).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 484689. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.