NWS Lubbock Local Weather Events

Strong Winds and Fires Impact Region
(April 6, 2006)

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM LOCATED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS BROUGHT SOME VERY STRONG WINDS TO THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS THURSDAY (4/6/2006). AREAS OF BLOWING DUST REDUCED VISIBILITIES TO 1 TO 3 MILES AT MANY LOCATIONS WITH A FEW LOCATIONS ACROSS THE NORTHERN SOUTH PLAINS AND EXTREME SOUTHERN PANHANDLE INDICATING VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS 1/2 OF A MILE. ALSO...THE STRONG WINDS RESULTED IN A SEMI-TRUCK ROLL OVER NEAR ABERNATHY. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED.

IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG WINDS AND DUST, THE EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS AIDED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND SPREAD OF A NUMBER OF FIRES. IN PARTICULAR, A FIRE WAS NOTED IN LYNN COUNTY EARLY IN THE DAY, WITH OTHER FIRES NEAR MULESHOE AND EARTH. UNFORTUNATELY...ONE FIRE NEAR EARTH DID BURN DOWN A HOUSE. THANKFULLY...THE FAMILY IN THE HOME WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE WITHOUT INJURY.

BELOW ARE A FEW GRAPHICS TO HELP SUMMARIZE THE DAY:

Above is a map of peak wind gusts that occurred around the region on April 6, 2006. The map was composed with data from the National Weather Service and the West Texas Mesonet (at Texas Tech University).

Radar image of smoke plumes and dust during the Afternoon of April 6, 2006.

Above is a radar image take around 2 pm on April 6, 2006. The image displays a number of smoke plumes, in addition to a dust plume.

Satellite image from early Thursday afternoon (4/6/2006) sensing a number of fires around the region.

Satellite image from Thursday afternoon (4/6/2006) sensing a number of fires around the region.

BELOW ARE THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS (IN MPH) REPORTED AT NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OBSERVING SITES IN THE REGION:

* SEVERE WIND GUST

LUBBOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT    56
CHILDRESS AIRPORT                58 *

ALSO...FOLLOWING ARE THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS AS REPORTED BY THE
TEXAS TECH WEST TEXAS MESONET SITES(IN MPH):

* SEVERE WIND GUST

ABERNATHY 5NE           58 *
AMHERST 1NE             59 *
ANDREWS 2E              52
ANTON 6S                56
ASPERMONT 3NE           51
BROWNFIELD 2S           50
CLARENDON 2W            63 *
DENVER CITY 7W          50
DIMMITT 2NE             62 *
FLOYDADA 2NE            58 *
FLUVANNA 3W             57
FRIONA 2NE              65 *
GAIL 2SE                52
GOODLETT 3W             53
GRAHAM 5SW              66 *
GUTHRIE 10W             56
HART 3N                 61 *
HEREFORD 2NW            65 *
JAYTON 1S               53
LAKE ALAN HENRY 1NW     55
LUBBOCK 3W              53
LAMESA 2SE              56
LEVELLAND 4S            55
MCLEAN 1E               70 *
MEMPHIS 1NE             60 *
MORTON 1NE              56
MULESHOE 2S             61 *
O`DONNELL 1N            57
OLTON 6S                60 *
PADUCAH 10SW            57
PAMPA 2E                57
PLAINS 3N               51
PLAINVIEW 1S            58 *
POST 1S                 62
RALLS 1SE               54
REESE CENTER            56
ROARING SPRINGS 3N      54
SEAGRAVES 1SW           51
SEMINOLE 2N             49
SILVERTON 7E            64 *
SLATON 2NE              57
SNYDER 3E               54
SPUR 1W                 55
SUNDOWN 8SW             48
TAHOKA 3NE              58 *
TULIA 2NE               60 *
WHITE RIVER LAKE 6NW    56
WOLFFORTH 6SW           59 *