A surface low pressure system strengthened rapidly across the southern Rockies into the central Plains states causing the winds to become strong and gusty.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS AMA wrote it up.
A surface low pressure system strengthened rapidly across the southern Rockies into the central Plains states causing the winds to become strong and gusty.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 22, 1:54 AM CST, 2 hours 6 minutes earlier.
TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 254 AM CDT SUN APR 22 2001 BIGGEST CONCERNS THIS FCST PD ARE THE WINDS AND FIRE WEATHER THREAT. RIGHT NOW...A LULL IN THE ACTION AS FAR AS SEVERE WX GOES...HWVR MORE ACTVTY PSBL LTR AS MAIN MID AND UPR LOW EJECTS OUT OF THE SWRN STATES LTR TNGT AND THEN NEWD INTO CO/KS BY 18Z SUN OR SO. LOOKING AT HIGH WIND DECISION TREE...APRS THAT THE 700 MB GRADIENT METHOD COMES OUT TO AT LEAST 90 TO 99 METERS OVR 200 NM ON SUNDAY ACRS THE PNHDLS. THIS TRANSLATES INTO WND SPDS OF AT LEAST 40 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH OR HIER...OTRW HIGH WND WRNG CRITERIA. MOS GUIDANCE FCSTG MIN RH VALUES NR OR SLGTLY BLO 20 PCT BY SUN AFTN ACRS THE PNHDLS. WL LIKELY GO WITH A HI WND WRNG FOR THE TX AND OK PNHDLS AND WL ISSUE A RED FLAG WRNG FOR FIRE WX FOR THE TX PNHDL SUN. STRONG CDFNT MOVS OUT OF THE CNTRL PLNS AND CNTRL RCKYS BY MIDDAY SUN AND THEN MOVS THRU THE OK AND NRN TX PNHDLS DURING THE AFTN AND THEN THRU THE RMNDR OF THE TX PNHDL BY ERY SUN EVE. MUCH COLDER AMS ADVECTS DOWN INTO THE FA SUN NGT AND MON AS SFC HIGH MOVS OVR THE PNHDLS. THE SFC HIGH THEN FCSTD TO RMN OVR OR NR THE PNHDLS MON NGT AND TUE. ANOTHER WKR CDFNT FCSTD TO MOV OUT OF CO AND KS TUE AND TUE NGT AND THEN FCSTD TO BCM STNRY NR THE OK PNHDL BY WED. SFC HIGH DROPPING SEWD OUT OF THE PLNS STATES WED MAY HELP THE CDFNT TO MOV THRU THE FA LT WED AFTN/ERY WED EVE. LEE SIDE SFC TROF DVLPS ACRS ERN CO AND ERN NM THU. CURRENTLY...FCST HAS SLGT CHC FOR CNVTN THU AND FRI. LACK OF LO LVL MSTR WL BE A CONCERN FOR CNVTV DVLPMT. MAY NEED TO DROP THE SLGT CHC...BUT WL LOOK AT LTST MRF BFR MAKING ANY CHGS TO CURRENT EXTENDED FCST. LOOKS AS THOUGH EXTENDED FCST WL BE DRY. THANK YOU FOR THE COORDINATION WSFO LBB...ABQ...DDC...AND OUN. PRELIM CCF: AMA 070/039 064/038 073 300 GUY 068/038 063/037 072 300 DHT 069/038 063/036 071 200 .AMA... TX...HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY FOR ZONES 001>020 TIL 00Z. OK...HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY FOR ZONES 001>003 TIL 00Z. SCHNEIDER/BROYLES/BILODEAU
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1101 PM CDT SAT APR 21 2001
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM 5NW CLARENDON TX 1.00 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 DONLEY OFF DUTY NWS FORECASTER
0920 PM 5 E UMBARGER TX .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL ARES SPOTTER
0934 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL 45TH AND SONCY
0940 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 POTTER WESTERN AND ST. FRANCIS BY
EOC
0956 PM BOYS RANCH TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 OLDHAM PUBLIC REPORT
1012 PM MORSE TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 HANSORD HANSORD COUNTY S.O.
1019 PM MASTERSON TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 MOORE ARES SPOTTER
RDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1123 PM CDT SAT APR 21 2001
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM 5NW CLARENDON TX 1.00 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 DONLEY OFF DUTY NWS FORECASTER
0920 PM 5 E UMBARGER TX .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL ARES SPOTTER
0934 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL 45TH AND SONCY
0940 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 POTTER WESTERN AND ST. FRANCIS BY
EOC
0956 PM BOYS RANCH TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 OLDHAM PUBLIC REPORT
1012 PM MORSE TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 HANSORD HANSORD COUNTY S.O.
1019 PM MASTERSON TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 MOORE ARES SPOTTER
0928 PM 3 NW CANYON TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL EOC/AES
0905 PM 15 S PERRYTON TX .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 OCHILTREE SHERIFF OFFICE
RDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 1123 PM CDT SAT APR 21 2001 TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS... ....COUNTY LOCATION.... 0555 PM 5NW CLARENDON TX 1.00 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 DONLEY OFF DUTY NWS FORECASTER 0920 PM 5 E UMBARGER TX .88 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 RANDALL ARES SPOTTER 0934 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 RANDALL 45TH AND SONCY 0940 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 POTTER WESTERN AND ST. FRANCIS BY EOC 0956 PM BOYS RANCH TX .75 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 OLDHAM PUBLIC REPORT 1012 PM MORSE TX .75 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 HANSFORD HANSFORD COUNTY S.O. 1019 PM MASTERSON TX .75 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 MOORE ARES SPOTTER 0928 PM 3 NW CANYON TX 1.75 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 RANDALL EOC/AES 0905 PM 15 S PERRYTON TX .88 INCH HAIL 04/21/01 OCHILTREE SHERIFF OFFICE RD S
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
134 AM CDT SUN APR 22 2001
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM 5NW CLARENDON TX 1.00 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 DONLEY OFF DUTY NWS FORECASTER
0559 PM HOWARDWICK TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 DONLEY CITY OFFICIAL
0643 PM 13S CLARENDON TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 DONLEY OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE
0920 PM 5 E UMBARGER TX .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL ARES SPOTTER
0934 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL 45TH AND SONCY
0934 PM AMARILLO TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL HOLLYWOOD AND HELIUM RD
0935 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL I-40 AND BELL BY ARES SPOTTER
0937 PM AMARILLO TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 POTTER 9TH AND WESTERN ST. BY ARES
SPOTTER
0938 PM AMARILLO TX .75 INCH HAIL 45TH AND
04/21/01 POTTER COULTER BY OFF DUTY NWS
EMPLOYEE
0940 PM AMARILLO TX .75 INCH HAIL 34TH AND
COULTER BY PUBLIC
0940 PM AMARILLO TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 POTTER WESTERN AND ST. FRANCIS BY
EOC
0956 PM BOYS RANCH TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 OLDHAM PUBLIC REPORT
1012 PM MORSE TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 HANSFORD HANSFORD COUNTY S.O.
1019 PM MASTERSON TX .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 MOORE ARES SPOTTER
0928 PM 3 NW CANYON TX 1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 RANDALL EOC/AES
0905p PM 15 S PERRYTON TX .88 INCH HAIL
04/21/01 OCHILTREE SHERIFF OFFICE
BILODEAUOKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-220745- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 221 AM CDT SUN APR 22 2001 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 155 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE. ALTHOUGH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN ACROSS THE PANHANDLES...THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER HAS DIMINISHED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...FURTHER SEVERE STORM DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT AND SUNDAYi MORNING. SD
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The sustained winds at Boise City were interpolated to be thirty-five knots...fifty knot winds were reported by the Goodwell mesonet located two miles east of Goodwell...and sustained winds were thirty-five knots at Slapout.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, April 2001
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: 5242882, 5242883, 5242884.