NWS Lubbock

1964 (3rd-5th): Despite minimal impacts on the South Plains, the worst snowstorm of the 1963-1964 winter buried portions
of the TX Panhandle under 18-26 inches of snow from the 3rd through the 5th. This was the second heaviest snow in
Panhandle history to date and fell on the anniversary of the historic 1956 storm which occurred February 2nd-5th. The
storm blanketed parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and the Oklahoma Panhandle. Generally 15 inches or more fell from
the TX-NM state line along Deaf Smith and Oldham Counties northeast through Wheeler, Hemphill and Lipscomb Counties.
Borger measured 26 inches of snow and was without mail service for three days! Amarillo measured 17.3 inches, the heaviest
single snowfall there since November 1934. Although not as significant, 5.6 inches was measured farther south in
Plainview, 5 inches at Crosbyton, and a mere 1 inch at Lubbock. Winds in the Panhandle reached 30-35 mph creating blizzard
conditions that produced drifts up to 10 feet high in places! At one point on the 6th, all highways leading to Amarillo
were closed and many small towns, farms and ranches became isolated from travel for three days. All roads north of
Amarillo were closed for a few days until the snow could be cleared. Hotels were swamped with stranded travelers...so much
so that some had to find refuge in private homes, gas stations and churches. Unfortunately, four persons died from the
storm; one from exposure near Stinnett and three near Amarillo (one from a heart attack, another from carbon monoxide
poisoning, and one after a man backed his pickup truck into the path of an oncoming train in blinding snow). Cattle losses
could have been much worse had temperatures fallen below the 20s, but only about 200 died from exposure. An additional 354
were killed by trains after seeking shelter from the wind-driven snow in railway cuts in parts of Hartley and Dallam
Counties. Property damages throughout the region were estimated at $650,000 with livestock losses only around
$60,000...far lighter than the 1957 blizzard. Despite all the ruckus, farmers were extremely jubilant over the generous
amount of moisture once the snow melted.