Texas, 1997

Tornado and Hail in Texas, May 6, 1997

May 6, 1997 · NWS AMA · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

Thunderstorms moved from the western sections of the Texas Panhandle and across the central sections producing large hail and damaging winds. An isolated tornado was spawned by the storms over the northern Texas Panhandle, however this tornado did no damage or injuries.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

Thunderstorms moved from the western sections of the Texas Panhandle and across the central sections producing large hail and damaging winds. An isolated tornado was spawned by the storms over the northern Texas Panhandle, however this tornado did no damage or injuries.

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Deaf Smith

When
May 6, 6:18 PM CST
Where
Deaf Smith County, 14 mi N of Hereford
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.020, -102.400

Hail, Potter

When
May 6, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Potter County, Amarillo
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.200, -101.820

Reported at Amarillo Blvd and Western St.

Tornado, Sherman

When
May 6, 7:35 PM CST
Where
Sherman County, Stratford to 13 mi SSE of Stratford
Rating
F0
Path length
0.7 mi
Path width
25 yd
Coordinates
36.230, -102.070

Tornado remained over open country and track was estimated.

Hail, Sherman

When
May 6, 7:53 PM CST
Where
Sherman County, 30 mi E of Stratford
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
36.420, -101.530

Reported on Highway 1573 near the county line.

Thunderstorm Wind, Moore

When
May 6, 8:07 PM CST
Where
Moore County, Sunray
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
36.020, -101.730

Hail, Gray

When
May 6, 8:50 PM CST
Where
Gray County, Mc Lean
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
35.230, -100.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Gray

When
May 6, 9:13 PM CST
Where
Gray County, Pampa
Measured
69 kt (79 mph)
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
35.530, -100.970

Report of emergency vehicle windows blown out.

Hail, Roberts

When
May 6, 9:42 PM CST
Where
Roberts County, 12 mi NW of Miami
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
35.820, -100.780

What these are

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

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, May 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: 5610040, 5610041, 5610043, 5610042, 5610044, 5610045, 5610156, 5610157.