Texas, 1997

Hail in Texas, June 9, 1997

June 9, 1997 · NWS LUB · 12 events in 6 counties and zones

An upper level low pressure system moved east from eastern New Mexico across West Texas during the early afternoon as widely scattered severe thunderstorms developed over the western portions of the South Plains. Hen egg-sized hail was reported by a television crew over southern Hockley County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
$2.8 million
Events
12

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 LUB wrote it up.

An upper level low pressure system moved east from eastern New Mexico across West Texas during the early afternoon as widely scattered severe thunderstorms developed over the western portions of the South Plains. Hen egg-sized hail was reported by a television crew over southern Hockley County. The Terry County Sheriff's Office reported golfball-sized hail near the community of Needmore. There were also several reports from the public and storm chasers of dime- to quarter-sized hail across the area. There were approximately 25,000 acres of cotton destroyed or damaged by the hail that occurred over southern Hockley and northern Terry Counties. The communities of Lockettville and Needmore were most affected by this crop damage.

The radar

The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:04 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lamb

When
June 9, 3:05 PM CST
Where
Lamb County, Littlefield
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
33.920, -102.320

Hail, Hockley

When
June 9, 3:45 PM CST
Where
Hockley County, 3 mi W of Anton
Measured
1.25 in hail
Coordinates
33.820, -102.220

Hail, Bailey

When
June 9, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Bailey County, Bula
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.920, -102.650

Hail, Lamb

When
June 9, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Lamb County, 13 mi W of Littlefield
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
33.920, -102.550

Hail, Lubbock

When
June 9, 4:37 PM CST
Where
Lubbock County, Shallowater
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.680, -101.980

Hail, Hockley

When
June 9, 5:21 PM CST
Where
Hockley County, Levelland
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
33.580, -102.370

Hail, Hockley

When
June 9, 5:22 PM CST
Where
Hockley County, 6 mi W of Levelland
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
33.580, -102.470

Hail, Hockley

When
June 9, 5:40 PM CST
Where
Hockley County, 3 mi S of Levelland
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
33.530, -102.370

Hail, Hockley

When
June 9, 5:54 PM CST
Where
Hockley County, 12 mi S of Levelland
Measured
2 in hail
Crop damage
$300,000
Coordinates
33.420, -102.370

Hail, Terry

When
June 9, 6:18 PM CST
Where
Terry County, Needmore
Measured
1.75 in hail
Crop damage
$2.5 million
Coordinates
33.320, -102.330

Hail, Hall

When
June 9, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Hall County, 8 mi SSW of Lakeview
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
34.570, -100.750

Hail, Hall

When
June 9, 6:50 PM CST
Where
Hall County, 11 mi WSW of Estelline
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
34.480, -100.620

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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, 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: 5606625, 5606626, 5606628, 5606629, 5606627, 5606631, 5606630, 5606632, 5606714, 5606716, 5606715, 5606717.