The first taste of winter for the southern Texas Panhandle and northern South Plains (3-4 December 2025)

First taste of winter for the southern Texas Panhandle & northern South Plains 3-4 December 2025

Snow falling and accumulating in Littlefield before 5 am on Thursday (4 December 2025). The image is courtesy of KLBK and Chris Whited.

A cold front, in combination with a passing upper level storm system and sufficient moisture, brought the first taste of wintry weather of the season to West Texas. The initial cold front moved through the region early Wednesday, limiting highs to the 50s after experiencing 60s the previous day. A reinforcing surge of colder air moved in through the evening and overnight.


Highs observed on Wednesday afternoon (3 December) and lows on Thursday morning (4 December). The data are courtesy of the West Texas Mesonet.

Several rain and sleet showers occurred early on, late Wednesday afternoon into the early evening hours, ahead of the strongest lift. The precipitation expanded in coverage and intensity through the late evening/overnight hours, and culminated in a band of moderate to heavy precipitation that formed and tracked eastward over much of the southern Texas Panhandle and northern South Plains early Thursday morning. By this time, the lower atmosphere had cooled enough that most of this precipitation fell in the form of snow.


Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 3:53 pm on Wednesday to 9:56 am on Thursday (3-4 December 2025).

The focused bands of moderate to briefly heavy snow quickly diminished Thursday morning, with sunshine and milder conditions returning to the region during the afternoon.


Snow actively falling in Dimmitt (left) and Plainview (right) before 5 am on Thursday (4 December 2025). The left image is courtesy of KVII and Storm Search 7 and the right image is courtesy of KLBK and Chris Whited

Even though the snowfall was relatively short-lived, it did manage to accumulate over a good chunk of the southern Texas Panhandle and northern South Plains. Many spots saw anything from a dusting to a couple inches of snow. The heaviest snow, from 2 to 3+ inches, affected locations near and around Olton, Plainview, Dimmitt, Tulia and Vigo Park. The highest measured snow total reported back to the NWS in Lubbock was 3.5 inches, observed 5 miles east of Tulia, while Vigo Park had 2-3 inches.


Snowy accumulations in Dimmitt (left) and between Cotton Center and Hale Center (right) on Thursday morning (4 December 2025). The pictures are courtesy of Russ Stringfield and Jacob Riley, respectively.

Where the heaviest snow fell, roads became snow/slush covered and slick for a short while. Thankfully, once the snow ceased, it was mild enough (temperatures near freezing) that road conditions quickly improved. However, the snow did stick around on grassy and elevated surfaces for several hours before succumbing to the milder and conditions and returning sunshine.


Snow totals received from around the southern Texas Panhandle and northern South Plains Thursday morning (4 December 2025).

Officially the Lubbock Airport observed a short period of snowfall, the first of the season, though no measurable snow. The combination of rain, sleet and snow, when melted down, only tallied to 0.01 inches of liquid. Where the heavier snow fell, liquid equivalent totals of several hundredths to a few tenths of an inch were common.


Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) estimated 24-hour rainfall (and melted snow) ending at 10 am on Thursday (4 December 2025). The rain and melted snow over this same stretch, as measured by the West Texas Mesonet, can be VIEWED HERE.

Preliminary storm reports collected by WFO Lubbock for this event can be found below.

WFO Lubbock's Storm Reports for December 4th, 2025

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
935 AM CST Thu Dec 4 2025

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

0730 AM     Snow             1 WNW Plainview         34.20N 101.75W
12/04/2025  M2.0 Inch        Hale               TX   CO-OP Observer

0730 AM     Snow             Earth                   34.23N 102.41W
12/04/2025  M1.5 Inch        Lamb               TX   Broadcast Media

0745 AM     Snow             Lockney                 34.12N 101.44W
12/04/2025  E1.0 Inch        Floyd              TX   Public

0750 AM     Snow             5 SW Littlefield        33.87N 102.26W
12/04/2025  M0.5 Inch        Lamb               TX   CO-OP Observer

0800 AM     Snow             1 ESE Dimmitt           34.54N 102.30W
12/04/2025  M2.0 Inch        Castro             TX   CO-OP Observer

0800 AM     Snow             1 S Olton               34.17N 102.14W
12/04/2025  M2.0 Inch        Lamb               TX   CO-OP Observer

0830 AM     Snow             4 NE Cotton Center      34.04N 101.94W
12/04/2025  M1.5 Inch        Hale               TX   Broadcast Media

0830 AM     Snow             Friona                  34.64N 102.72W
12/04/2025  E0.5 Inch        Parmer             TX   CO-OP Observer

0830 AM     Snow             Silverton               34.47N 101.31W
12/04/2025  M0.5 Inch        Briscoe            TX   CO-OP Observer

0845 AM     Snow             2 SE Hart               34.37N 102.09W
12/04/2025  M1.0 Inch        Castro             TX   CO-OP Observer

0900 AM     Snow             5 E Tulia               34.54N 101.68W
12/04/2025  M3.5 Inch        Swisher            TX   Broadcast Media

0900 AM     Snow             Vigo Park               34.65N 101.51W
12/04/2025  M2.5 Inch        Swisher            TX   CO-OP Observer

0900 AM     Snow             Muleshoe Wildlife Refug 33.97N 102.74W
12/04/2025  M1.5 Inch        Bailey             TX   CO-OP Observer

0930 AM     Snow             Memphis                 34.72N 100.53W
12/04/2025  E0.5 Inch        Hall               TX   Law Enforcement