High Wind — Lubbock, Texas

2019-03-13 · Lubbock, Texas

Event narrative

Measured at the NWS office.

Wider weather episode

Following heavy rains of one to two inches the prior day, an already strong surface cyclone strengthened even further in far southeast Colorado and western Kansas. This rapid intensification created a long-lived and widespread high wind event from Far West Texas north to Kansas. The intense surface low set all-time record low pressure readings in some states such as New Mexico, Kansas, and Colorado. Across the Texas South Plains, sustained westerly winds whipped up to 40 to 50 mph by mid morning, with gusts of 60 to 70 mph for several hours before finally subsiding by early evening. The sheer duration, coverage, and intensity of these high winds had not been seen across the region in decades. Widespread blowing dust accompanied these incredible winds, but fortunately the earlier heavy rains and lack of severe drought conditions dampened the severity of blowing dust as most locations saw visibility bottom out to around one to two miles - well above dust storm warning conditions. This moisture also eliminated the threat of wildfires and prevented what could have easily been a wildfire outbreak had soaking rains not occurred the day prior. Regional damage from this windstorm was scattered to widespread with around $2 million in property damage estimated in Lubbock County alone. Additional damage to trees, utility lines and poles, road signs, and traffic lights pushed combined losses across the region to an estimated $4.6 million.

Maximum wind gusts per county:

Castro County: 74 mph at Dimmitt

Swisher County: 74 mph at Tulia

Parmer County: 73 mph at Friona

Hockley County: 72 mph at Anton

Briscoe County: 70 mph at Caprock Canyons State Park

Cochran County: 70 mph at Morton

Hall County: 70 mph at Turkey

Motley County: 69 mph at Roaring Springs

Yoakum County: 68 mph at Denver City

Lubbock County: 68 mph at the NWS office

Bailey County: 67 mph at Muleshoe

Lynn County: 67 mph at New Home

Garza County: 67 mph at Post

Floyd County: 66 mph at Aiken

Childress County: 66 mph at the Childress Airport

Cottle County: 66 mph at Hackberry

Crosby County: 66 mph at Ralls

Lamb County: 65 mph at Amherst

King County: 65 mph southwest of Guthrie

Terry County: 64 mph at Brownfield

Hale County: 64 mph at Plainview

Stonewall County: 56 mph at Aspermont

Dickens County: 56 mph at Spur

Kent County: 55 mph at Jayton.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 802397. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.