Texas, 1997

Flash Flood and Heavy Snow in Texas, April 25, 1997

April 25, 1997 · NWS AMA · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Unusual day in the Texas Panhandle where storm system dumped anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of snow during the morning and afternoon and also flooding occurred in the south central Texas Panhandle. Three to five thousand head of cattle were killed by the late season heavy snow and damage to crops was in the millions of dollars.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
$3.0 million
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS AMA wrote it up.

Unusual day in the Texas Panhandle where storm system dumped anywhere from 4 to 8 inches of snow during the morning and afternoon and also flooding occurred in the south central Texas Panhandle. Three to five thousand head of cattle were killed by the late season heavy snow and damage to crops was in the millions of dollars.

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy snow, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Hartley

When
April 25, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Hartley forecast zone
Coordinates
35.840, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Deaf Smith

When
April 25, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Deaf Smith forecast zone
Coordinates
34.966, -102.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Oldham

When
April 25, 2:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where
Oldham forecast zone
Coordinates
35.405, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Potter

When
April 25, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Potter forecast zone
Coordinates
35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Randall

When
April 25, 4:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Randall forecast zone
Crop damage
$3.0 million
Coordinates
34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Armstrong

When
April 25, 12:05 PM CST to 2:25 PM CST
Where
Armstrong County, Wayside
Coordinates
34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three feet of flood water covering the intersection of FM 285 and Highway 207.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5605437, 5605438, 5605439, 5605440, 5605441, 5605442.