Cold and the first snow of the season (24 October 2019)

Cold air and the first snow of the season
24 October 2019

Snow falling in Friona at 5:25 pm on Thursday, 24 October 2019. The image is courtesy of KVII.

A strong cold front and sharp upper level storm system conspired to bring the first taste of winter to the South Plains region on Thursday, October 24th. The cold front that supplied the much colder air moved through late Wednesday night, with sustained northerly winds of 20 to 30 mph continuing to carry in colder air all day Thursday. Temperatures fell from the 40s and 50s in the predawn hours to the upper 20s and lower to middle 30s by the later part of the day.

Regional radar animation valid from 1:38 am to 2:48 am on 24 October 2019. Additional animations can be viewed at: 9:58 am to 11:08 am on 24 October 2019; 3:38 pm to 4:48 pm on 24 October 2019; and 5:08 pm to 6:18 pm on 24 October 2019.

In addition, precipitation blossomed over the Texas Panhandle as moisture was drawn up and over the colder air moving in, ahead of a storm system approaching out of the southern Rockies. In general, it was just cold enough for the precipitation to fall as snow, except on the far southern flank where rain and sleet briefly occurred. Early on, there was even enough instability that a number of locations across the Texas Panhandle experienced the relatively rare phenomenon of thundersnow. Further south, where the lift was weaker, drizzle and very light rain was more common through the day on the South Plains.

Water vapor satellite image captured at 2:22 pm on 24 October 2019. An upper level disturbance is evident as it was approaching the Texas Panhandle

Temperatures continued to fall Thursday afternoon and evening, eventually dropping to and below freezing over much of the South Plains. This caused the drizzle to become freezing drizzle over portions of the northern and central South Plains. The snow and light icing did create some slick spots on area roadways.

West Texas Mesonet temperatures at 7 pm on 24 October.

Then, as the upper level storm system pivoted overhead, a narrow band of snow moved from west to east over the central and northern South Plains and southeast Texas Panhandle Thursday evening. Light snow even briefly fell in Lubbock, with a dusting observed in many spots. Officially, the Lubbock Airport recorded 0.1" of snow, making it the third earliest measurable snow on record, behind only October 17, 1999 (0.6" of snow fell) and October 21, 1911 (4.1" of snow fell).

Regional radar animation valid from 8:48 pm to 9:58 pm on 24 October 2019.

The wintry precipitation quickly shifted off to the east by early Friday morning, leaving behind chilly temperatures and a swath of snow. The heaviest snow fell over the central and northeastern Texas Panhandle, roughly along the Highway 60 Corridor, where a half foot to nearly a foot of snow was measured. Further south, 1 to 3+ inches of snow was common over much of the southern Texas Panhandle into the northern South Plains. This included 4.5 inches in Friona and 11 miles north-northwest of Dimmitt and 3 inches just north of Dimmitt.

Select plot of observed snowfall totals centered on the Texas Panhandle from 24-25 October 2019. A regional view of the same information can be VIEWED HERE.

When skies cleared on Friday, the large fresh shield of snow was apparent on satellite imagery, stretching over much of the Texas Panhandle as well as parts of northeast New Mexico and southeast Colorado. The below image also clearly shows Palo Duro Canyon outlined by the heavier snowfall.

Cold air and the first snow of the season 24 October 2019 Snow falling in Friona at 5:25 pm on Thursday, 24 October 2019. The image is courtesy of KVII. Late September and early October 2019 brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms to West Texas. Early on, a few of the storms were strong to severe, but the main theme with this activity was heavy rainfall. Regional radar animation valid from 1:38 am to 2:48 am on 24 October 2019. Additional animations can be viewed at: 9:58 am to 11:08 am on 24 October 2019; 3:38 pm to 4:48 pm on 24 October 2019; and 5:08 pm to 6:18 pm on 24 October 2019. The unsettled stretch started in earnest Friday night into early Saturday (27-28 September) when a complex of thunderstorms moved out of eastern New Mexico and across the Caprock, persisting into the western Rolling Plains. Many locations received a half inch to over an inch of rain from these overnight storms, which also brought a lot of loud thunder. Water vapor satellite image captured at 2:22 pm on 24 October 2019. Saturday afternoon and evening brought isolated thunderstorms to the region. Most spots remained dry, but one storm did strike the Caprock Canyons area during their Bison Fest celebration, complete with a 58 mph wind gust at the park. A separate storm generated a peak gust of 73 mph west of Earth as it collapsed. West Texas Mesonet temperatures at 7 pm on 24 October. The next night (Sunday, September 29th) brought a smaller cluster of thunderstorms out of southeast New Mexico and into the South Plains. Unlike the previous night, drier air was in place aloft. This drier air caused the storms to produce less rainfall while also generating widespread strong to severe wind gusts. Wind gusts near 60 mph were common from Brownfield through the west side of Lubbock and up to Anton. As the remaining showers quickly dissipated, they managed to generate a wind gust measured as high as 70 mph at the Happy West Texas Mesonet at 1:38 am. Regional radar animation valid from 8:48 pm to 9:58 pm on 24 October 2019. More widespread heavy rainfall then followed just in time to start the month of October. The initial band of heavy rain, fed by tropical moisture off of Tropical Storm Narda, near the Gulf of California, developed Monday night into early Tuesday. The rain band repeatedly trained over the western Texas Panhandle into southeast New Mexico and Far West Texas. Locations under this band of rain saw 2 to 3+ inches of rain, which did cause some minor flooding issues. Additional rounds of moderate to heavy rain followed Tuesday evening/night, primarily across the Texas Panhandle into the northwestern South Plains, while a few storms strayed further east by Wednesday (October 2nd). One final round of rain followed on Thursday as a cold front sagged through the region. Select plot of observed snowfall totals centered on the Texas Panhandle from 24-25 October 2019. A regional view of the same information can be VIEWED HERE. By the time all was said and done, 3 to 6+ inches of rain had fallen across the southwest Texas Panhandle and northwest South Plains. The rain totals quickly decreased with eastern extent and the eastern Rolling Plains missed out on the rain altogether. Officially, the Lubbock Airport recorded 2.29 inches of rain between September 28th and October 4th. This boosted the annual rain total 22.55 inches, some 6.71 inches above the normal year-to-date value. The widespread heavy rainfall did help to squish the late summer drought that had briefly tried to rear its ugly head. A listing of the preliminary storm and flooding reports for this active stretch fall weather can be found below. Composite "True Color" satellite image captured at 10:01 am on 25 October 2019. The white represents clouds over much of Oklahoma, North Texas and the far eastern Texas Panhandle, but snow over the remainder of the Panhandles and northeast New Mexico.

Composite "True Color" satellite image captured at 10:01 am on 25 October 2019. The white represents clouds over much of Oklahoma, North Texas and the far eastern Texas Panhandle, but snow over the remainder of the Panhandles and northeast New Mexico.

A listing of snow reports gathered during the event, as well as standard daily reports collected the next day, can be found below.

Preliminary Storm Report for October 24-25, 2019

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
302 PM CDT FRI OCT 25 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0616 PM     SNOW             FRIONA                  34.64N 102.72W
10/24/2019  M4.0 INCH        PARMER             TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

            2 FOOT DRIFTS

0823 PM     SNOW             11 NNW DIMMITT          34.70N 102.39W
10/24/2019  M4.5 INCH        CASTRO             TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ON US-385 JUST SOUTH OF COUNTY LINE

0800 AM     SNOW             FRIONA                  34.64N 102.72W
10/25/2019  M4.5 INCH        PARMER             TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM     SNOW             1 N DIMMITT             34.56N 102.32W
10/25/2019  M3.0 INCH        CASTRO             TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM     SNOW             HART                    34.39N 102.11W
10/25/2019  M2.0 INCH        CASTRO             TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM     SNOW             MULESHOE                34.23N 102.73W
10/25/2019  M2.0 INCH        BAILEY             TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM     SNOW             OLTON                   34.18N 102.14W
10/25/2019  M1.0 INCH        LAMB               TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM     SNOW             TULIA                   34.54N 101.77W
10/25/2019  M2.5 INCH        SWISHER            TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

0800 AM     SNOW             TURKEY                  34.39N 100.90W
10/25/2019  M1.0 INCH        HALL               TX   CO-OP OBSERVER

Daily Temperature and Precipitation Summary for 10/25/2019

Daily Temperature and Precipitation Summary
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
936 AM CDT Fri Oct 25 2019

 The following data are for the previous 24 HRS (8AM - 8AM)
 Highs typically from the previous day.  Low can be either day.

                                                        7-8AM
                      24 HOUR  TODAY   24HR       SNOW  SNOW
  LOCATION            HI  LOW  7-8AM   PCPN       FALL  DEPTH
 Aspermont            58   35   35     0.03        0.0   0
 Big Spring AWOS      58   36   35     0.00
 Brownfield           48   27   28     0.01        0.0   0
 Childress            45   35   42     0.28        0.0   0
 Childress ASOS       50   34   39     0.15
 Crosbyton            48   29   29     0.05        0.0   0
 Denver City          45   29   30     0.00        0.0   0
 Dimmitt              47   17   18     0.20        3.0   3
 Floydada             46   28   28     0.10        0.0   0
 Friona               35   19   22     0.44        4.5   5
 Guthrie              50   35   35     0.08        0.0   0
 Hart                 38   21   22     0.18        2.0   2
 Jayton                M    M    M        M          M   M
 Lake Alan Henry      52   35   35       T         0.0   0
 Levelland            44   27   27     0.01          T   T
 Littlefield 5SE      41   26   27        M        0.5   1
 Lubbock              45   28   28     0.01        0.1   0
 Matador              45   32   34     0.09          T   0
 Memphis              43   36   37        M          M   M
 Morton               39   25   25     0.02        0.1   0
 Muleshoe             37   21   21     0.05        2.0   2
 Muleshoe Refuge      58   23   28       T           T   0
 Olton                40   26   26     0.04        2.0   1
 Paducah 15S (Grow)   57   35   35     0.10        0.0   0
 Plainview Wtr Plnt   33   23   26     0.13        0.8   1
 Plainview Dly Hrld   42   25   26     0.08        0.2   T
 Plains               41   25   26     0.00        0.0   0
 Post                 54   32   33       T         0.0   0
 Silverton            39   24   26     0.10          M   M
 Snyder               56   35   39     0.00        0.0   0
 Spur                  M    M    M        M          M   M
 Tahoka               54   28   29       T         0.0   0
 Tulia                38   19   20     0.27        2.5   3
 Turkey               43   32   35     0.10        1.0   1
 White River Lake     51   33   36     0.02        0.0   0

  Automated Stations                   High Low  7AM    Rain
 Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge                39  24   26    0.00
 Caprock Canyons State Park RAWS         44  32   35    0.07
 Jayton RAWS                             53  32   35    0.02

 The following mesonet data show 24hr highs and lows
 and precipitation 8am-8am.  
                                             
 Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet... 
                      24-HR   8AM   8AM-8AM
                      HI LOW
 Abernathy 5NE        43  27   27     0.02
 Aiken 3WSW           42  26   26     0.04
 Adrian 6WSW          33  19   20     0.00
 Amarillo 7SSE        37  21   23     0.00
 Amarillo 9NNE        37  12   13     0.00
 Amarillo 15NNW       37  19   19     0.00
 Amherst 1NE          40  26   26     0.01
 Andrews 2NE          55  29   29     0.00
 Anton 6S             42  27   27     0.00
 Aspermont 3NE        57  35   36     0.04
 BBNP Persimmon Gap   82  39   39     0.00
 BBNP Castolon 1NW    92  43   43     0.00
 Big Lake 1WNW        67  37   37     0.00
 Bootleg 11WNW        33  16   20     0.00
 Boys Ranch 1WSW      37  24   24     0.00
 Brownfield 2S        48  27   27     0.00
 Canadian 6E          39  29   29     0.00
 Caprock Canyons      43  32   36     0.30
 Childress 2NNE       45  33   38     0.26
 Clarendon 2WSW       41  31   33     0.07
 Claude 12SW          37  23   24     0.00
 Clyde  2WNW          58  35   36     0.23
 Colorado City 5NW    55  36   36     0.00
 Coyanosa             64  36   36     0.00
 Crane 1NNW           62  36   36     0.00
 Crowell 1E           53  37   40     0.13
 Dell City 1N         55  27   28     0.00
 Denver City 7W       43  27   28     0.00
 Dimmitt 2NE          36  18   20     0.00
 Dora NM 2SW          38  25   25     0.00
 Dozier 2W            42  32   36     0.28
 Earth 9WSW           39  23   24     0.00
 Endee NM 2SW         36  15   17     0.04
 Estelline 3SSE       45  34   39     0.16
 Floydada 2NE         44  27   27     0.04
 Fluvanna 3W          53  33   35     0.00
 Fort Chadborne       55  37   39     0.40
 Fort Lancaster       75  39   41     0.00
 Fort Lewis CO        50  18   24     0.00
 Fort McKavett        71  38   40     0.07
 Friona 2NE           36  18   21     0.00
 Fritch 1WNW          37  27   27     0.00
 Gail 2SE             55  32   32     0.00
 Goodlett 3W          49  35   38     0.19
 Goodnight            38  28   28     0.02
 Graham 5SW           50  32   33     0.00
 Guadalupe N.P.       52  23   25     0.00
 Guthrie 10W          52  34   36     0.02
 Hackberry 2SSE       52  35   39     0.10
 Happy 1E             38  20   22     0.00
 Hart 3N              38  22   22     0.00
 Haskell 1NW          57  36   38     0.01
 Hereford 2NW         36  19   20     0.00
 Hobbs NM 5NW         47  29   30     0.00
 Jayton 1S            54  32   34     0.01
 Junction 1SSW        74  40   41     0.17
 Knox City 3NW        57  37   40     0.02
 Lake Alan Henry 1NW  53  34   35     0.01
 Lake McClellan 2NW   38  29   30     0.02
 Lamesa 2SE           53  29   29     0.00
 Lesley 2S            45  34   38     0.26
 Levelland 4S         43  25   27     0.00
 Lomax 1SSE           57  36   36     0.00
 Lubbock (TX Tech)    45  27   28     0.01
 Lubbock (Reese Ctr)  44  25   27     0.00
 McLean 1E            38  30   31     0.03
 Memphis 1NE          44  33   37     0.17
 Menard 2NWE          71  38   40     0.23
 Mertzon 3NNE         67  38   40     0.00
 Morton 1NE           41  25   25     0.01
 Muleshoe 2S          39  22   22     0.00
 New Home             47  26   29     0.00
 Northfield 1S        46  32   35     0.23
 O'Donnell 1N         50  29   30     0.00
 Olton 6S             39  24   24     0.00
 Odell 4ENE           50  36   38     0.27
 Paducah 10SW         49  33   35     0.13
 Paloduro 4E JA Ranch 42  32   34     0.24
 Palo Duro Canyon Rim 38  21   27     0.00
 Palo Duro Cnyn Floor 41  23   26     0.06
 Palo Duro Reservoir  35  21   22     0.00
 Pampa 2E             36  25   25     0.00
 Panhandle 1SSW       36  18   22     0.00
 Plains 3N            42  26   26     0.00
 Plainview 1S         41  25   26     0.00
 Post 1NE             51  34   34     0.01
 Ralls 1SE            46  31   31     0.01
 Roaring Springs 3N   46  32   34     0.09
 Rotan 5W             57  36   37     0.01
 San Angelo 7NW       67  39   41     0.00
 Seagraves 1SW        48  27   27     0.00
 Segovia 7SSW         73  37   39     0.14
 Seminole 2N          51  27   27     0.00
 Seymour 3NW          57  37   39     0.11
 Sierra Blanca 1SSE   65  28   29     0.00
 Silverton 7E         41  29   30     0.05
 Slaton 2NE           47  30   30     0.01
 Smyer                44  26   27     0.00
 Snyder 3E            54  34   36     0.00
 Snyder 3SSW (WTC)    55  35   37     0.00
 South Plains 3ENE    42  26   27     0.05
 Spur 1W              51  33   33     0.00
 Stamford 5ESE        59  37   39     0.02
 Stinnett 1NNW        35  23   24     0.00
 St Lawrence 5SW      60  37   37     0.00
 Sterling City 4WNW   60  37   37     0.00
 Sundown 8SW          42  25   27     0.00
 Sweetwater 11SW      55  35   36     0.01
 Tahoka 3NE           49  27   27     0.00
 Tarzan 2WNW          56  31   31     0.00
 Tatum NM 2SW         41  24   24     0.00
 Throckmorton 1SW     59  38   39     0.37
 Tulia 2NE            39  20   23     0.00
 Turkey 2WSW          45  32   32     0.06
 Umbarger 3NNE        36  18   23     0.00
 Van Horn 3ENE        59  26   27     0.00
 Vigo Park            39  21   26     0.02
 Wall 1E              68  39   41     0.01
 Weinert 2NNE         57  37   39     0.08
 Welch                51  27   29     0.00
 White River Lk 6NW   48  32   33     0.00
 Wolfforth 6SW        46  27   28     0.00

Supplemental Precipitation..
 Childress USDA (Childress Cnty)     0.46        0.0   0
 Childress 14NW (Childress Cnty)     0.17          T   0
 Childress 7NW  (Childress Cnty)     0.13          T   0
 Dodson 5S      (Childress Cnty)        M          M   M
 Kirkland 1W    (Childress Cnty)     0.28        0.0   0
 Dumont         (NW King County)        M          M   M
 Floydada 9SE     (Floyd County)     0.05        0.5   T
 Flomot 2E    (NW Motley County)     0.22        0.0   0
 Flomot 4NE   (NW Motley County)     0.24          T   0
 Lubbock 9N     (Lubbock County)        M          M   M
 Lubbock 7WSW (77TH NR Iola)           T           T   0
 Lubbock 7SW  (90TH NR Slide)           M          M   M
 Lubbock 7SW #2 (103RD NR Slide)        M          M   M
 Northfield   (NE Motley County)     0.14        0.0   0
 Paducah 10S     (Cottle County)        M          M   M
 Pitchfork Ranch     (E Dickens)     0.02        0.0   0
 Reese 4E   (8th ST & Milwaukee)        M          M   M
 Roaring Springs (Motley County)        M          M   M
 Ropesville 6NNW(Hockley County)       T           T   0
 Shallowater    (Lubbock County)     0.02          T   T
 Tell 3S        (Childress Cnty)     0.18        0.0   0
 Woodrow 3W  (154th & Indiana)          M          M   M

  ..Automated USGS Rain Gauges..
 Aspermont 10S (Stonewall County)    0.00
 Brice 6SW        (Hall County)      0.00
 Childress 10N(Childress County)     0.12
 Earth 4S Groundwater Stn            0.00
 Friona 12S  Running Water Dr        0.00          
 Guthrie 6E (King County)            0.00
 Guthrie 19NE (King County)          0.04
 Justiceburg(Garza County)           0.00
 Kirkland 1NNE N Grosebeck Ck        0.24
 Lake Alan Henry (Garza County)      0.00
 Lockney 10SW  Callahan Draw         0.03          
 Lubbock 4ESE (50TH LOOP 289)        0.01          
 Mackenzie Lake (Briscoe County)     0.00
 Paducah 14SE   (Cottle County)      0.00
 Plainview 1S   (Cottle County)      0.00
 Silverton 7W Rock Ck Tr                M
 Wellman 1NE (Terry County)          0.00          
 White River Lake (Crosby County)    0.00
 Wayside (Armstrong County)          0.00

 ------------- Agricultural Data -----------------
                                      Pan Evaporation
 Lake Alan Henry                               0.06