Matador, Texas Tornado of June 21, 2023

Overview

A supercell thunderstorm developed in the far southern Texas Panhandle during the late afternoon of Wednesday, June 21, 2023. This supercell moved south-southeastward through the western Rolling Plains during the evening and eventually moved into the Texas Big Country and the San Angelo National Weather Service forecast area around 11 pm CDT. This storm quickly intensified in Motley County just north of Matador, TX where the first of five reported tornadoes occurred around 7:50 pm CDT, however no survey was conducted as no damage was reported. This storm then produced a third of a mile wide tornado that went through the west side of Matador around 8 pm CDT killing 4 people and injuring 15 others. Peak wind gusts corresponding to the observed damage were estimated to be in the 145 mph to 165 mph range, resulting in an EF-3 rating. This rating was determined through consultation with engineers from the Texas Tech University National Wind Institute, who also performed a damage survey in Matador. It also produced extremely large hail with the largest stone measuring 4.5” in diameter on the east side of Matador.

Three of the four deaths that occurred from the tornado in Matador happened on the west side of the intersection of Highways 62 and 70. This included a man who was in or near his semi parked at the gas station on the north side of Highway 62, as well as two men that were inside a Recreational Vehicle parked next to a restaurant on the south side of the highway. Both the tractor-trailer and RV were rolled and completely destroyed. The fourth victim was a woman inside her home located about three-tenths of a mile south of the intersection and west of Highway 70. All of the walls of the home failed, collapsing on the victim and her husband, who was injured but survived.   

This killer tornado occurred relatively late in the season for West Texas, which typically experiences the bulk of the its intense severe thunderstorms in April, May and early June. However, this late of a killer tornado in West Texas is not unprecedented. One tornado that touched down in Briscoe County, near Silverton, on June 22, 1975, killed 3 people.

Widespread severe damage and ongoing cleanup on the west side of Matador the day after a tornado hit town.

The storm continued moving to the south-southeast where an 80 mph gust was reported at the Roaring Springs West Texas Mesonet site at 8:22 pm CDT, most likely associated with a rear flank downdraft surge. As it entered northern Dickens County another tornado was reported by an off-duty NWS employee approximately 5.5 miles northeast of Afton, however no damage was reported with this tornado. A second supercell produced a brief tornado west-southwest of Matador at 8:37 pm CDT that also produced no known damage. Shortly afterward, that supercell began to merge with the initial supercell with the fifth and final tornado being reported on US Highway 82 approximately 8 miles east of Dickens and no damage was observed with this tornado either. As the storm continued to move to the south-southeast a broad rear flank downdraft was noted on radar with the peak measured gust of 109 mph at the West Texas Mesonet site in Jayton at 10:07 pm CDT with 19 minutes of continuous severe wind gusts. These strong winds also occurred with hail up to four inches in diameter leading to damage observed along State Highway 70 in northeast Kent County including in and around the towns of Girard and Jayton.

Detailed damage survey information gathered from in and around Matador, as well as near Girard and Jayton, can be explored on the Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT) Viewer located at:

Damage Assessment Toolkit (noaa.gov)

When viewing the DAT, be sure to set the "Begin Time" (located in the upper right corner) back to at least 6/21/2023. Then zoom in to Matador, Girard or Jayton and select the various damage points for additional information and images.

• Tornado
• Photos & Video
• Radar
• Storm Reports
• Environment

Tornadoes:

Tornado - North of Matador Motley County Date June 21, 2023 Time (Local) 7:5- PM CDT EF Rating Unknown Est. Peak Winds N/A Path Length N/A Max Width N/A Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: The location is approximately 7 miles north of Matador, TX. Storm chasers stated that there was a brief touchdown over open country. Point location estimated by radar as there was no known damage. Track Map  No survey done

Tornado - Matador, Texas Motley County Date June 21, 2023 Time (Local) 7:51-8:09 PM CDT EF Rating EF-3 Est. Peak Winds 165 mph Path Length 9.4 miles Max Width .34 miles Injuries/Deaths 15/4 Summary: The tornado touched down north of town in an open field east of State Highway 70. The tornado then tracked to the south through open country until it reached just north of Farm to Market 94 where it damaged a few power poles. It then traveled to the south- southeast where it destroyed a house on the far north side of the city. Three vehicles at this residence were rolled at least a few hundred yards away from the house with two of the vehicles unable to be located. The tornado continued to track south along State Highway 70 where it damaged two additional houses and rolled another truck several hundred feet. The tornado then tracked back to the southwest and crossed State Highway 70 and damaged several houses northwest of the intersection of State Highway 70 and U.S. Highway 62, as well as rolling several vehicles including a tractor- trailer. The tornado then crossed U.S. Highway 62 between the Texas Department of Transportation facility and State Highway 70 where it rolled an RV, destroyed a house and steel framed retail store, and partially collapsed a power substation. The tornado continued traveling to the southeast paralleling State Highway 70 and damaged several more single family residences with another house being destroyed. The tornado then crossed State Highway 70 just south of Cross Lane where it destroyed a 500 foot radio tower as well as some light poles. The tornado then dissipated over an open field southeast of the Matador rest stop. Track Map Downloadable KMZ File

Tornado - near the town of Afton Dickens County Date June 21, 2023 Time (Local) 8:36-8:37 PM CDT EF Rating Unknown Est. Peak Winds N/A Path Length N/A Max Width N/A Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: An off-duty NWS employee relayed photos of a tornado approximately 5.5 miles northeast of Afton over open country. Point location estimated by radar as no damage was reported. Track Map   No survey done

Tornado - Southwest of Matador Motley County Date June 21, 2023 Time (Local) 8:37-8:40 CDT EF Rating Unknown Est. Peak Winds N/A Path Length N/A Max Width N/A Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: The location is approximately 4 miles west of Matador, TX. Media streamed a tornado that was located west of Matador. Location estimated by radar as no damage was found. Track Map  No survey done

Tornado - Near the town of Dickens Dickens County Date June 21, 2023 Time (Local) 9:18-9:19 PM CDT EF Rating Unknown Est. Peak Winds N/A Path Length N/A Max Width N/A Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: A storm chaser reported a tornado crossing US highway 82 east of Dickens. Point location estimated by the spotter’s location and radar as no damage was reported. Track Map  No survey done

Severe Winds in Girard and Jayton Dickens and Stonewall Counties Date June 21, 2023 Time (Local) 9:30-10:45 PM CDT Est. Peak Winds 110-120 mph Path Length N/A Max Width N/A Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: The West Texas Mesonet site near Spur reported an 84 mph gust at 9:32 pm CDT however there was no significant damage noted in Spur. Rear flank downdraft winds traveled to the south and southeast. In Girard, the NWS survey team found two homes that had their roofs partially or completely removed which is commensurate with wind gusts of 95-120 mph. The survey team continued to travel southeast on State Highway 70 but came across no other damage indicators until they arrived in Jayton. In town, several smaller outbuildings were completely destroyed along with some peeling back of porch roofs. This damage had an estimated wind speed of 60-80 mph. The West Texas Mesonet site just south of Jayton reported a 109 mph peak wind gust at 10:07 pm CDT. Additional damage to trees and partial peeling of a home’s roof was found on FM 1083 southwest of Jayton leading to estimated wind speeds of 65-90 mph. No additional damage was found south or southeast into Stonewall County. Surveyed Damage Points Map Downloadable KMZ File

 

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

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Images

 

Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)
Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)
Damage in Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Tornado near Matador (Tim Marshall)	Tornadic storm near Matador (Bruce Haynie)	Rope phase of the Matador tornado (Jim LaDue)
Satellite imagery of the Matador area before the tornado (https://www.sentinel-hub.com/)	Satellite imagery of the Matador area after the tornado (https://www.sentinel-hub.com/)

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Radar

 

Reflectivity (left) and Velocity (right) Data from the Lubbock WSR-88D while the Matador Tornado is ongoing.	Radar loop of the event	Reflectivity (left) and Velocity (right) Data from the Lubbock WSR-88D while damaging winds are affecting Jayton.

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Storm Reports

Click HERE to view a list and interactive map of storm reports. The preliminary storm reports and public information statement issued for this event can also be VIEWED HERE. A static map of the reports is below (click on the map to enlarge it - note that the tornado reports in Matador are covered up by the green hail reports):

 

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Environment

Synoptic Maps

925 mb observations, with heights, temperatures and dewpoints contoured at 00Z on 22 June 2023	850 mb observations, with heights, temperatures and dewpoints contoured at 00Z on 22 June 2023	700 mb observations, with heights, temperatures and dewpoints contoured at 00Z on 22 June 2023
500 mb observations, with heights and, temperatures contoured at 00Z on 22 June 2023	300 mb observations, with isotachs, streamlines and divergence plotted at 00Z on 22 June 2023	250 mb observations, with isotachs plotted at 00Z on 22 June 2023

Mesoscale Analysis

Mean sea level pressure and surface wind at 00Z on 22 June 2023	Supercell Composite Parameter and Bunkers storm motion at 00Z on 22 June 2023	Effective Storm Relative Helicity and Bunkers storm motion at 00Z on 22 June 2023
Significant Tornado Parameter (effective layer) and MLCIN at 00Z on 22 June 2023	Significant Hail Parameter at 00Z on 22 June 2023	Surface to 6 km shear vector at 00Z on 22 June 2023
MLCAPE and MLCIN at 00Z on 22 June 2023	Precipitable water at 00Z on 22 June 2023	850 mb moisture transport, height and theta-e at 00Z on 22 June 2023

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