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Lubbock, TX

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Tornadic thunderstorms - May 25, 2019

Weather.gov > Lubbock, TX > Tornadic thunderstorms - May 25, 2019
 
National Weather Service Lubbock Significant Weather Events
May 25, 2019: Four brief tornadoes impact the South Plains region
Tornadic thunderstorm west of Cotton Center on 25 May 2019. The picture is courtesy of Steve Polley.
Tornadic thunderstorm west of Cotton Center on 25 May 2019. The picture is courtesy of Steve Polley.

 

May 25th, 2019, was one in a series of active weather days this May. Abundant moisture and instability in the region were acted on by a dryline to the west and unsettled southwest flow aloft. The combination caused thunderstorms to erupt across the Texas Panhandle back into the western South Plains during the afternoon. This activity repeatedly tracked northeastward over the same area into the evening hours, causing flooding rains. In addition, several of the storms began to rotate, producing funnel clouds and at least four brief tornadoes.

 

Damage incurred to a homestead about 2 miles west of Cotton Center. The image is courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions. Damage incurred to a homestead about 2 miles west of Cotton Center. The image is courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions.
Damage incurred to a homestead about 2 miles west of Cotton Center. The images are courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions.

 

One of the tornadoes touched down near Cotton Center just after 6 pm. This tornado tracked from about 3.5 miles west-northwest of town to just east-northeast of town. Unfortunately, one farmstead was impacted west of town. The tornado destroyed a shed and caused minor roof damage to the adjacent home.

 

Lubbock WSR-88D radar image captured at 6:04 pm on 25 May 2019. This is around the time of the tornado near Cotton Center.
Lubbock WSR-88D radar image captured at 6:04 pm on 25 May 2019. This is around the time of the tornado near Cotton Center.

 

Another tornado briefly touched down on the north side of Plainview about 20 minutes earlier. This tornado was associated with storm immediately in advance of the one that brought the tornado to the Cotton Center area. This tornado downed a cell phone tower, toppled a mobile home that was in transit and threw a couple of semi trailers. 

 

Collapsed cell phone tower on the north side of Plainview. The image is courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions. Collapsed cell phone tower on the north side of Plainview. The image is courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions.
Collapsed cell phone tower on the north side of Plainview. The images are courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions.

 

The most extreme damage, the downed cell phone tower, incurred an EF-2 damage rating, consistent with peak winds of 110 to 132 mph. Although fairly intense, the tornado was not on the ground very long.

 

Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 4:50 pm to 6:17 pm on 25 May 2019.
Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 4:50 pm to 6:17 pm on 25 May 2019.

 

The destroyed mobile home, a flipped semi trailer and other debris can be seen in the below images. This damage was immediately to the west of where the cell phone tower that fell was located. All of this damage was near the intersection of North Columbia Street and CR 65 on the north edge of Plainview. 

 

Destroyed mobile home and flipped semi on the north side of Plainview. The image is courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions. Destroyed mobile home and flipped semi on the north side of Plainview. The image is courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions.
Destroyed mobile home and flipped semi on the north side of Plainview. The images are courtesy of Fletcher Aerial Solutions.

 

A final possible brief tornado was observed as the storms moved into the southeast Texas Panhandle, just southwest of Memphis. No known damage occurred from this tornado or another brief tornado that occurred early in the evening west of Anton. Thankfully, no people were injured or killed with the tornado activity Saturday afternoon or evening (25 May).

 

Funnel cloud and possible tornado between Lakeview and Eli around 7:40 pm on 25 May 2019. The picture is courtesy of Cort Scholten.
Funnel cloud and possible tornado between Lakeview and Eli around 7:40 pm on 25 May 2019. The picture is courtesy of Cort Scholten.

 

A damage survey was conducted around Plainview the next day by a team out of the National Weather Service in Lubbock. To view the complete damage survey results, go to the NWS Damage Assessment Viewer (DAT). Once on the DAT page select "Lubbock" for your Office ID. Then select a begin date of 05/24/2019 and an end date of 05/26/2019 toward the top right of the page and click "Filter". At this point the relevant damage survey points east of Anton should be visible. You can then zoom in and select the points to view more details and images.

 

24-hour radar-estimated and bias-correct rain totals ending at 7 am on 26 May 2019.
24-hour radar-estimated and bias-correct rain totals ending at 7 am on 26 May 2019. Rain totals measured by the West Texas Mesonet over this same period can be VIEWED HERE.

 

Not to be overlooked, the training thunderstorm dumped a quick 1 to 3+ inches of rain in a swath from near Littlefield through Plainview and Silverton. The torrential rain caused extensive flooding, especially in and around Plainview. The West Texas Mesonet recorded a peak rainfall of 3.12 inches at the Plainview site during this event. 

 

The NWS Damage Survey, as well as the Preliminary Storm Reports for this active weather day can be found below:

 

 

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
354 PM CDT Mon May 27 2019

...NWS Damage Survey for 05/25/2019 Tornado Event...

.Tornado 1 - 8 WSW Anton, TX...

Rating:                   EF-U
Estimated Peak Wind:      Unknown

Path length:              1.0 Mile
Path width:               Unknown
Fatalities:               0
Injuries:                 0

Start date:               05/25/2019
Start time:               4:59 PM CDT
Start location:           8 WSW Anton / Hockley County / TX
Start Lat/Lon:            33.7796 / -102.2978

End date:                 05/25/2019
End time:                 5:01 PM CDT
End location:             7 WSW Anton / Hockley County / TX
End_lat/lon:              33.7823 / -102.2797

Times and locations based on storm chaser reports and radar data.
Unable to perform survey due to flooded roads and will try to
survey once drier conditions are in place.

.Tornado 2 - Plainview, TX...

Rating:                   EF-2
Estimated Peak Wind:      110-132 MPH

Path length:              0.89 Miles
Path width:               100 Yards
Fatalities:               0
Injuries:                 0

Start date:               05/25/2019
Start time:               5:39 PM CDT
Start location:           2.85 NNW Plainview
Start Lat/Lon:            34.2293 / -101.7126

End date:                 05/25/2019
End time:                 5:44 PM CDT
End location:             2.75 NNE Plainview
End_lat/lon:              34.2274 / -101.6977

Tornado development started west of Interstate 27 around 5:36 PM
CDT based on storm chaser images. The first indications of damage
occurred near the intersection of the north-bound Interstate 27
off-ramp and N Columbia Street where tin roofs were blown off
storage buildings. Damage then continued south and east towards
the intersection of N Columbia Street and Fence Road where a small
out building was destroyed and a mobile home that was being
transported on a flatbed trailer was blown over and destroyed. The
tornado started to move east near or over County Road 65/E 34th
Street where several trees had damage and a small out building was
destroyed. On County Road 65 halfway between N Columbia Street
and Well Road, the most significant damage occurred to a trussed
cell phone tower was destroyed and fell across County Road 65. The
tornado dissipated shortly after crossing Well Road north of
County Road 65.

.Tornado 3 - Cotton Center, TX...

Rating:                   EF-U
Estimated Peak Wind:      Unknown

Path length:              4.66 Miles
Path width:               100 Yards
Fatalities:               0
Injuries:                 0

Start date:               05/25/2019
Start time:               6:08 PM CDT
Start location:           3.5 WNW Cotton Center / Hale County / TX
Start Lat/Lon:            34.0022 / -102.0567

End date:                 05/25/2019
End time:                 6:16 PM CDT
End location:             1 ENE Cotton Center / Hale County / TX
End_lat/lon:              34.0032 / -101.9757

Multiple storm chaser photographs and video along with radar data
were used to estimate start time and location for this tornado.
Moving over mainly farm and ranch land, there were no damage
indicators hit to provide an EF Rating. The only indications of
damage were an overturned center pivot irrigation system near a
curve of Farm-to-Market 37 2.5 miles WNW of Cotton Center. A
cotton trailer and livestock feed bunk were also pulled across the
road near this location. The tornado continued moving east
passing one mile north of Cotton Center and no damage was found
near Farm to Market 179 where the path crossed the road. The
tornado dissipated 1 mile ENE of Cotton Center and poor road
conditions prevented a survey to see if any further damage
occurred near this point.

.Tornado 4 - 5.5 Miles SW of Memphis / Eli, TX...

Rating:                   EF-U
Estimated Peak Wind:      Unknown

Path length:              0.0 Miles
Path width:               Unknown
Fatalities:               0
Injuries:                 0

Start date:               05/25/2019
Start time:               7:40 PM CDT
Start location:           5.5 SW Memphis / Hall County / TX
Start Lat/Lon:            34.6986 / -100.8289

End date:                 05/25/2019
End time:                 7:41 PM CDT
End location:             5.5 SW Memphis / Hall County / TX
End_lat/lon:              34.6986 / -100.8289

A brief tornado was photographed by storm chasers near the ghost
town of Eli, TX. Times and location based on radar data and
storm chaser reports. Survey not performed for this tornado.

EF Scale:  The Enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies Tornadoes into
the following categories.

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 MPH
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 MPH
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 MPH
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 MPH
EF4...Violent...166 To 200 MPH
EF5...Violent...>200 MPH

Note:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$

Jordan/James

 

 

 

 

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