Hail — Lubbock, Texas

2017-06-30 · near Shallowater Arpt, Lubbock, Texas

Event narrative

This is the continuation path of the devastating supercell that affected Lamb and far northeast Hockley Counties. Wind-driven hail up to the size of tennis balls devastated area crops and caused moderate to heavy damage to about 100 rural homes in far northwest Lubbock County, generally northwest to just northeast of Shallowater. The heaviest toll was inflicted to roughly 40,000 acres of cotton, sorghum and corn which became a total loss after heavy rains and flooding eroded the young plants. Fortunately, the supercell storm dissipated northwest of Lubbock in response to a line of storms developing immediately to its southeast.

Wider weather episode

A short-lived, but intense heat spell with highs of 102 to 108 came to an abrupt end late this evening as active northwest flow overspread the region. Isolated, high-based supercell thunderstorms erupted first near the U.S. Highway 83 corridor from Childress south to Aspermont, with even more intense supercells occurring later over the western South Plains. Some of these storms produced giant hail of 3 to 4 inches in diameter causing severe damage to crops, buildings and vehicles. Cities hit especially hard included Childress, Amherst, Littlefield, and Anton where combined property damages may exceed $10 million with regional agricultural losses approaching $50 million. Toward midnight CST, individual storms grew more linear over the southern South Plains before exiting southeast of the region before daybreak on July 1st.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.7500, -102.0800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 700064. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.