Winter Storm in Texas, January 30 to 31, 2002

Name: Winter Storm in Texas, January 30 to 31, 2002
Start: 2002-01-30T06:00
End: 2002-01-31T06:00
Location: Texas

January 30 to 31, 2002 · NWS AMA · 20 events in 20 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system in the upper atmosphere approached the Texas panhandle from the west as a cold arctic air mass remained in place along with abundant moisture. and one inch of snow along with one inch of ice reported at Clarendon and Wellington Texas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 20

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.

A strong low pressure system in the upper atmosphere approached the Texas panhandle from the west as a cold arctic air mass remained in place along with abundant moisture. Eight inches of snow was reported at Dalhart and Perryton...seven to eight inches of snow reported at Stratford...eight to nine inches of snow reported at Spearman...six to eight inches of snow along with one inch of sleet reported at Borger...three to four inches of snow along with a half inch of ice reported at Lipscomb...five to six inches of snow along with one quarter of an inch of ice reported at Miami...four to five inches of snow along with one quarter of an inch of ice reported at Dumas...four to five inches of snow along with one inch of sleet reported at Panhandle...four inches of snow along with one inch of sleet and ice reported at Pampa...two to three inches of snow along with one half to one inch of ice and sleet reported at Canadian...Claude and Shamrock...three to four inches of snow along with one inch of sleet reported at Vega...two to three inches of snow along with one inch of sleet reported at Amarillo...one to two inches of snow along with one inch of sleet and ice reported at Hereford...one to two inches of snow along with one inch of sleet reported at Canyon...and one inch of snow along with one inch of ice reported at Clarendon and Wellington Texas. The Amarillo Police Department responded to about forty accidents on January 30 with the concentration of the accidents mainly along Interstate 40 and Interstate 27 and on major thoroughfares in the city of Amarillo. Most of the accidents were minor with no fatalities reported.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jan 30, 2:37 AM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 30, 2:37 AM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes before

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
237 AM CST WED JAN 30 2002

THE ARCTIC CDFNT STILL MOVG VERY SLOLY S AND W ATTM AND EXTENDS FM
NR ROMERO TX...SW OF KDHT...TO ACRS THE KAMA AREA AND THEN TO E OF
HAPPY TX...BTWN KAMA AND KPVW.  3 HR PRES CHG SHOWING PRES FALLS
ACRS THE PNHDLS ATTM...SO FNT SHOULD MOV VERY LTL INITIALLY.  THE
SWRN QUARTER OF THE FA RMNS IN THE WARM SECTOR BUT THAT SHOULD
EVENTUALLY CHG AS THE CDFNT MOVS THRU THAT AREA PRBLY BY 18Z WED.  IN
THE COLDER SECTOR...TEMPS HAVE CONTD TO PLUNGE INTO THE 20S WITH JUST
ABV FRZG TEMPS ONLY WHERE THE FNT HAS JUST MOVD ACRS.  WSR-88D KAMA
SHOWING A BAND OF PRECIP...RAIN IN THE WARM SECTOR AND FRZG RAIN IN
THE COLD SECTOR...EXTENDING FM SERN NM AND THE WRN SXNS OF THE TX S
PLNS NEWD ACRS S-CNTRL TX PNHDL AND THEN NEWD INTO THE NE TX PNHDL...
ERN OK PNHDL...AND NWRN OK.  NUMEROUS REPORTS OF ACCIDENTS DUE TO ICE
ON U.S. HIGHWAY 287 IN AND ALL AROUND STRATFORD.  DUE TO THE SHALLOW
NATURE OF THE ARCTIC AMS AND THE REASON FOR THE SLOW MOVMT...WL CONT
TO CALL FOR MAINLY FRZG RAIN TO START WITH TDA. HWVR...A SURGE OF
EVEN COLDER AIR COMING OUT OF CO AND KS TDA SHOULD CHG THE FRZG RAIN
TO SNW EITHER DURING THE MRNG HRS OR THIS AFTN.  850 MB TEMPS FCSTD
TO DROP BLO 0 DEG C ACRS THE NRN PNHDLS BTWN 12Z AND 18Z WED AND THEN
OVR THE RMNDR OF THE FA BTWN 18Z WED AND 00Z THU.  NOTICING THAT THE
AVN AND ETA BOTH INITIALIZED 850 MB TEMPS OVR SWRN NE OF -6 DEG C TO
-8 DEG C AND -8 DEG C TO -10 DEG C RESPECTIVELY.  ACTUALLY SWRN NE
REPORTED 850 MB TEMPS OF -12 DEG C AT 00Z WED.  IT LOOKS AS THOUGH
THE FA WILL SEE ERY HIGH TEMPS TDA WITH FALLING TEMPS DURING THE AFTN
HRS.

CUT OFF UPR LOW EVIDENT ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY JUST OFF THE SRN CA
COAST AND MOVG INTO NRN BAJA CA ATTM.  THE UPR LOW AND TROF IS
FCSTD TO BEGIN MOVG EWD ACRS THE SWRN STATES BY THIS EVE AND TNGT
AND THEN BEGIN MOVG OVR THE PNHDLS BY 18Z THU...SLOWER THAN WHAT
ERYR MODELS HAD BEEN FCSTG.  BEST CHC FOR SNW WL BE TNGT AS THE UPR
LVL DYNAMICS FM THE CUT OFF LOW APCHS THE PNHDLS.  INSTEAD OF GOING
WITH A WINTER STORM WATCH TNGT...WL GO DIRECTLY TO A WINTER STORM
WRNG FOR BOTH TDA AND TNGT.  IF THE ETA IS CORRECT...WHICH IT SEEMS
TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THE SITUATION...THE NRN SXNS COULD SEE SIX
TO EIGHT INCHES BY 12Z THU WITH THREE TO FIVE INCHES OR MORE ACRS THE
SRN SXNS.  PLAN ON HOLDING OFF ISSUING A HVY SNW WRNG FOR THE
MOMENT...BUT THAT IS SUBJECT TO CHG BFR THE FCST PCKG IS ISSUED.  AS
THE UPR TROF LIFTS NEWD THU...FEEL THAT THE SNW WL GRADUALLY END FM
SW TO NE ACRS THE PNHDLS.  PLAN ON HANGING ONTO TO POPS THU WITH
DECRG CLDS BY THE EVE HRS.

AFT THAT...THU NGT THRU THE RMNDR OF THE EXTENDED PD LOOKS DRY WITH
A VERY SLOW MODERATING OR WARMING TREND.  WL UNDERCUT GUIDANCE AT
LEAST FOR THE FRI AND SAT AND PSBLY SUN FCST TOO SINCE THERE STILL
SHOULD BE SNW COVER AROUND KEEPING MAX TEMPS LWR.  OTRW...NO MAJOR
CHGS TO THE EXTENDED FCST.

PRELIM CCF:

AMA 035/018 026/008 030  +83
GUY 024/015 024/006 028  +94
DHT 027/016 025/005 029  +94

.AMA...
OK...WINTER STORM WARNING TODAY AND TONIGHT ZNS 001>003.
TX...WINTER STORM WARNING TODAY AND TONIGHT ZNS 001>020.

SCHNEIDER/HOLSENBECK/WOODALL

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Armstrong

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Armstrong forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.965, -101.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Carson

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Carson forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.404, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Collingsworth

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Collingsworth forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.965, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dallam

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Dallam forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.278, -102.602 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Deaf Smith

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Deaf Smith forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.966, -102.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Donley

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Donley forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.965, -100.814 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Gray

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Gray forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.401, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hansford

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hansford forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.278, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hartley

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hartley forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.840, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hemphill

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hemphill forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.838, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hutchinson

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hutchinson forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.840, -101.355 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lipscomb

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Lipscomb forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.273 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Moore

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Moore forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.838, -101.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Ochiltree

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Ochiltree forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Oldham

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Oldham forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.405, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Potter

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Randall

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Randall forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.966, -101.897 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Roberts

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Roberts forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.839, -100.813 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sherman

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Sherman forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.278, -101.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wheeler

When: January 30, 6:00 AM CST to January 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Wheeler forecast zone
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.401, -100.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, January 2002

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: 5276797, 5276798, 5276799, 5276892, 5276990, 5276991, 5276992, 5279606, 5279607, 5279608, 5279609, 5279610, 5279611, 5279612, 5279613, 5279614, 5279615, 5279616, 5279617, 5279618.