Texas, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, July 12, 1998

July 12, 1998 · NWS LUB · 9 events in 6 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms affected parts of the extreme southern Texas Panhandle and the northern South Plains (between Amarillo and Lubbock) on the afternoon and evening of the 12th. In Kress, the roof of a restaurant was blown off.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$135,000
Crop damage
$475,000
Events
9

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.

Severe thunderstorms affected parts of the extreme southern Texas Panhandle and the northern South Plains (between Amarillo and Lubbock) on the afternoon and evening of the 12th. In Kress, the roof of a restaurant was blown off. Golfball-sized hail fell northeast of Tulia (where cotton, corn, and milo crops were heavily damaged) and east of Crosbyton (where 10 vehicles sustained damage). Quarter-sized hail fell in Parmer and Castro Counties, where cotton and corn fields were damaged. The NWS co-operative observer southeast of Floydada reported 65 mph wind gusts that downed numerous large tree branches. The roof was ripped off a large building in Floydada. This same storm caused significant wind damage to crops (cotton, corn, and pumpkins) and snapped utility poles near Sand Hill and Sterley.In Childress, the ASOS measured a wind gust to 63 mph. Light damage occurred in Childress, where a street light was blown over, and numerous large branches were blown off trees.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Swisher

When
July 12, 3:40 PM CST
Where
Swisher County, 10 mi NE of Tulia
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
$250,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.630, -101.650

Hail, Parmer

When
July 12, 3:40 PM CST
Where
Parmer County, 3 mi NW of Black
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$50,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.720, -102.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Swisher

When
July 12, 4:05 PM CST
Where
Swisher County, Kress
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.370, -101.750

Hail, Crosby

When
July 12, 4:15 PM CST
Where
Crosby County, 7 mi E of Crosbyton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$35,000
Crop damage
$50,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
33.670, -101.130

Hail, Castro

When
July 12, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Castro County, 10 mi SSW of Dimmitt
Measured
1 in hail
Crop damage
$50,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
34.420, -102.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Floyd

When
July 12, 5:20 PM CST
Where
Floyd County, 5 mi W of Floydada
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
$75,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
33.980, -101.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Floyd

When
July 12, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Floyd County, 9 mi SE of Floydada
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
33.880, -101.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Childress

When
July 12, 6:15 PM CST
Where
Childress County, (Cds)childress Arpt
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
34.430, -100.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Childress

When
July 12, 6:32 PM CST
Where
Childress County, (Cds)childress Arpt
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
34.430, -100.300

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, July 1998

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: 5660726, 5660727, 5660802, 5660801, 5660728, 5660803, 5660731, 5660730, 5660729.