Thunderstorm Wind in Ward County, Texas

A thunderstorm moved across Ward County and produced wind damage south of Monahans. The damage swath included metal roofs/carports lifted or bent, downed tree branches between one to three inches in diameter, and several damaged travel trailers. The damage was generally oriented in an easterly direction. After re-analysis of radar data, the damage was determined to be the result of a microburst that occurred at approximately 9:15 pm CDT. The survey team estimated the peak wind speeds to be between 75 to 85 mph. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.

An upper level trough was over Arizona and New Mexico. A cold front was stalled across portions of Southeast New Mexico and the northern Permian Basin. Hot temperatures were in place ahead of the cold front. An area of low pressure was across the northwestern Permian Basin and a dryline attached to the low extended southward to Pecos County and the Big Bend region. The airmass ahead of the front and east of the dryline was moist and very unstable. There was less moisture at the surface than higher in the atmosphere so this lead to the potential of strong, damaging winds. Wind shear was enhanced near the front. These conditions lead to the development of thunderstorms that produced strong, damaging winds and hail and a landspout tornado across portions of West Texas.