Thunderstorm Wind in Crosby County, Texas

A large and particularly destructive macroburst (downburst winds more than 2.5 miles in width) tracked east across most of northern Crosby County this evening, accompanied by winds ranging from 80 to 100 mph at times. Data from radar and damage patterns during a NWS storm survey indicated these intense winds were about five miles in width, and traveled for a distance of almost 30 miles. The community of Cone was struck especially hard by these winds. An older, single family home had a west-facing wall partially collapse, and the roof to a grain store was blown off and deposited on US Highway 62 forcing a temporary closure of the road. Additional damage in Cone consisted of several downed power lines, about ten snapped utility poles, a few downed trees, light to moderate building damage, and one metal shed that was destroyed and had its contents of antique tractors and vehicles damaged. The NWS damage survey also noted several dozen more damaged power lines throughout northern Crosby County, along with multiple center pivot irrigation systems overturned. Cotton, corn, and sorghum crops sustained light to moderate damage, however some crops used as silage were completely flattened by the intense winds. Combined losses in Crosby County alone are estimated to be nearly $2 million USD.

Scattered severe thunderstorms erupted this afternoon and tracked eastward across the South Plains and into the Rolling Plains. A few of these storms acquired deep rotation as they interacted with a stationary front draped west-to-east over the region, and resulted in swaths of destructive hail and significant straight line winds at times. One particularly intense supercell storm produced a large swath of downburst winds of 70 to 100 mph over portions of Lubbock, Hale, Crosby, and Dickens Counties.