NWS Lubbock, TX, Heavy Rain and Flooding, June 1, 2016

National Weather Service Lubbock Significant Weather Events

June 1, 2016: Torrential Rain and Flooding

Flooded vehicles near 50th Street and Loop 289 (near Lowes) in southwest Lubbock on Wednesday, 1 June 2016. The picture is courtesy of Bekki Reyes Germany.

After an active end to May, June didn't want to disappoint and it took no time in making itself heard. A storm system that had been in place across the Desert Southwest for the past several days finally approached West Texas. This larger system combined with a couple of smaller vortices to help lift and concentrate the abundant moisture that was already in place over the region. Light showers early after dawn gradually blossomed into more widespread moderate to heavy rain, with embedded thunderstorms unleashing torrential downpours.

Radar loop from the Lubbock WSR-88D valid from 8:44 am to 1:18 pm on 1 June 2016.

The rain initially flourished along the Highway 84 corridor from near Shallowater through Clovis, but eventually pivoted into Lubbock County during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Many locations to the northwest of Lubbock dealt with street and inundation flooding, though the heaviest rainfall rates generally didn't last very long in any one spot. That changed over the southwest side of Lubbock when newly developed heavy rain producing thunderstorms moving slowly westward and merged with other thunderstorms rotating in from the west to produce a prolonged period of torrential rainfall.

Flooding that occurred in and around the South Plains Mall in southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016.

The intense rain rates quickly resulted in massive amounts of runoff which in turn generated widespread flooding and flash flooding. Many car stalled out in the rising waters, while others were trapped where they were as roadways became impassable.

24-hour rainfall totals reported from around the South Plains region, ending Thursday morning (2 June 2016). A majority of the reports are from the West Texas Mesonet. The background map is the radar-estimated storm total precipitation from the Lubbock WSR-88D. It should be noted that the radar image is for the past several days, ending the morning of the 2nd, so it overstates the rainfall in some spots.

As the above map shows, 24 hour rainfall totals of 1 to 3+ inches were fairly common from the western half of Lubbock County northwestward into eastern Curry County, NM (including Clovis). In many spots northwest of Lubbock the rain was spread out over several hours, but most of the rain that fell in and around Lubbock fell in around 1 hour, which further exacerbated the flooding. A number of other spots across the southern Texas Panhandle into the northern South Plains and northern Rolling Plains did also record 1 to 2 inches of rain which caused some additional flooding at times.

Picture of flooding around southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. This picture is courtesy of Hector Iafuente. — Several pictures of flooding around southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. The left picture is courtesy of Hector Iafuente. The center picture is courtesy of KCBD. The right picture is from Shelley Burson and KCBD.

Picture of flooding around southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. The picture is courtesy of KCBD. — Several pictures of flooding around southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. The left picture is courtesy of Hector Iafuente. The center picture is courtesy of KCBD. The right picture is from Shelley Burson and KCBD.

As the below image shows, the heaviest rain in Lubbock County was concentrated across the southwest side of the city where 3 to 5+ inches fell. Most of this rain dropped in about an hour around midday and was focused near the Loop 289, Spur 327 and Marsha Sharp Freeway convergence. One direct measurement of 5.00 inches was observed near Chicago Avenue and 42nd Street, with several other unconfirmed reports in this same area in excess of 5 inches.

Close up view of the radar-estimated rainfall that fell over southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. at 6:45 pm on 29 May 2016. — Close up view of the radar-estimated rainfall that fell over southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016.

Thankfully, after about an hour, the heavy rain over southwest Lubbock did begin moving and shifted east of the hardest hit area. Even so, water continued to flow over roads for some time and playa lakes swelled well outside of their normal bounds. The water also caused some roofs to collapse and water flooded portions of the South Plains Mall. The after affects lasted through the evening and even into the next day where waters were slowest to recede.

Piictures of flooding near Slide Road and the South Plains Mall in Lubbock on 1 June 2016. The picture is courtesy of Makala Pinkston and KCBD. — Several pictures of flooding around southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. The left picture is courtesy of Makala Pinkston and KCBD. The center picture of flooding in the South Plains Mall is courtesy of Valerie Vasquez and KCBD. The right picture is from Hector Iafuente and was captured at 12:50 pm (top) and 2:37 pm (bottom).

Picture of flooding in the South Plains Mall on 1 June 2016. The top center picture is courtesy of Valerie Vasquez and KCBD. — Several pictures of flooding around southwest Lubbock on 1 June 2016. The left picture is courtesy of Makala Pinkston and KCBD. The center picture of flooding in the South Plains Mall is courtesy of Valerie Vasquez and KCBD. The right picture is from Hector Iafuente and was captured at 12:50 pm (top) and 2:37 pm (bottom).

The heaviest rain then pivoted north and eastward through the afternoon and early evening hours (see the below radar animation) before diminishing altogether late in the evening. Thankfully the rain rates were not as high and did not last as long at most locations, though some spots into the southern Texas Panhandle did experience minor flooding.

Regional radar animation valid from 5:18 pm to 6:28 pm on 1 June 2016.

The below images show additional inundation flooding outside of the city of Lubbock, including a swelling playa lake in Muleshoe City Park.

Flooding that occurred along FM 179 and the County line on 1 June 2016. The picture is courtesy of John Greene. on 30 May 2016. The picture is from Tim Berry. — (left) Flooding that occurred along FM 179 and the County line on 1 June 2016. The picture is courtesy of John Greene. (right) Flooding observed at the Muleshoe City Park on 1 June 2016. The image is from Ester Maria Estrada.

(left) Flooding that occurred along FM 179 and the County line on 1 June 2016. The picture is courtesy of John Greene. (right) Flooding observed at the Muleshoe City Park on 1 June 2016. The image is from Ester Maria Estrada.

Numerous reports of flooding were observed around southwest Lubbock June 1st. A small (incomplete) list of the preliminary storm reports received by National Weather Service in Lubbock can be FOUND HERE.