Texas, 1997

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, June 14, 1997

June 14, 1997 · NWS AMA · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms pounded the northwest Texas Panhandle and then moved east and southeast across the central and eastern sections. These storms produced large hail and damaging winds along with flash flooding and a few tornadoes.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
None recorded
Events
5

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.

Severe thunderstorms pounded the northwest Texas Panhandle and then moved east and southeast across the central and eastern sections. These storms produced large hail and damaging winds along with flash flooding and a few tornadoes.

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:49 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 tornado, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Hutchinson

When
June 14, 5:48 PM CST to 5:51 PM CST
Where
Hutchinson County, 3 mi E of Borger
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
35.670, -101.330

Tornado was reported on Highway 152 over open country. Tornado track was estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Donley

When
June 14, 5:54 PM CST
Where
Donley County, Clarendon
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
34.930, -100.900

Report of downed power lines.

Flash Flood, Hutchinson

When
June 14, 5:58 PM CST
Where
Hutchinson County, 3 mi S of Sanford
Coordinates
35.840, -101.355 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Eighteen inches of water covering roads south of the city of Sanford.

Flash Flood, Hutchinson

When
June 14, 5:58 PM CST
Where
Hutchinson County, Fritch
Coordinates
35.840, -101.355 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two feet of water covering roads in Fritch.

Tornado, Carson

When
June 14, 6:10 PM CST to 6:13 PM CST
Where
Carson County, 2 mi W of Skellytown
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Coordinates
35.570, -101.220

Tornado remained over open country and track was estimated.

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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 historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 1997Warnings in Texas, June 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: 5609526, 5609527, 5609590, 5609591, 5609592.