Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 23 to 24, 2002

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 23 to 24, 2002
Start: 2002-05-23T16:29
End: 2002-05-24T01:18
Location: Texas

May 23 to 24, 2002 · NWS AMA · 53 events in 9 counties and zones

damaging winds and tornadoes struck much of the central and northern Texas panhandle during the evening and into the overnight hours.

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: $160,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 53

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.

Numerous severe thunderstorms containing destructive large hail...damaging winds and tornadoes struck much of the central and northern Texas panhandle during the evening and into the overnight hours.

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 May 23, 1:55 PM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 23, 1:55 PM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes before

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
255 PM CDT THU MAY 23 2002

LATEST ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT COLD FRONT HAS STALLED OVER CNTRL ZNS
AS A NEW SFC LOW GETS BETTER ORGANIZED BETWEEN KROW AND KCVS AS
HINTED BY ETA MODEL. THIS SFC LOW IS PROGGED BY ALL SHORT RANGE
MODELS TO TRACK NEWD THRU FCST AREA TNGT AND FRI...WITH FRONTAL
BOUNDARY ACTUALLY RETREATING NWD TO NRN ZNS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 12Z
ETA/AVN/NGM...THEN MOVG SWD AGAIN LATER FRI AND FRI NIGHT...OUT OF
THE PNHDLS BY 12Z SAT. WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY HIGHEST POPS NERN HALF
TNGT...SLGT CHC ALL ZNS FRI...CHC POPS FRI NIGHT THRU THE MEMORIAL
WEEKEND. UA PATTERN FEATURES BROAD WSW FLOW WITH EMBEDDED
DISTURBANCES ZIPPING ACROSS ON OCCASION. COMBINATION OF MOISTURE...
WEAK IMPULSES AND PROXIMITY OF SFC BOUNDARIES WARRANTS THE CHC POPS
THRU WEEKEND...AGAIN FAIRLY TYPICAL OF CLIMATOLOGY OF LATE MAY HERE
ON SRN HI PLAINS. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS TEND TO AGREE ON BROAD WSW
FLOW ALOFT CONTINUING INTO TUE BEFORE HEIGHTS RISE AND RIDGING
OCCURS OVER WRN US. DEPENDING ON RIDGE AXIS...COULD SEE SOME SORT OF
NW FLOW OVER PNHDLS WED AND THU WHICH ALWAYS RAISES A CONCERN OF NW
FLOW WX EVENTS. WILL MAINTAIN THE CHC POPS FOR WED AND ADD THU IN AS
WELL DUE TO THAT PSBLTY BASED ON SOME SEMBLANCE OF MEDIUM RANGE
MODEL AGREEMENT...EXCEPTION BEING THE ECMWF WHICH HOLDS ON TO
SLIGHTLY LOWER HEIGHTS A BIT LONGER.

.AMA...
TX...NONE.
OK...NONE.

ANDRADE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 23, 12:15 PM CST, 4 hours 14 minutes before

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-232300-

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
115 PM CDT THU MAY 23 2002

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLE AND NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH TONIGHT. THE SLIGHT RISK AREA EXTENDS NORTH AND EAST OF A
TEXLINE TO DALHART TO AMARILLO TO CHILDRESS LINE.

A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM A SURFACE LOW OVER NORTHWESTERN
OKLAHOMA...TO NEAR BORGER...TO DALHART. A DRY LINE EXTENDS
FROM THE SURFACE LOW IN OKLAHOMA...TO NEAR AMARILLO...THEN
SOUTHWESTWARD ALONG THE TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO BORDER. THE DRY
LINE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME STATIONARY...OR SLOWLY RETREAT TO THE
NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON...AND BECOME A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT. CLOUD COVER HAS DECREASED OVER THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL
PANHANDLES EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL
SURFACE HEATING THIS AFTERNOON...HELPING TO FURTHER DESTABILIZE THE
ATMOSPHERE. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL ALSO MOVE ACROSS
THE PANHANDLES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL ENHANCE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT.

THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA MAY RAPIDLY BECOME
SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. DUE TO WIND SHEAR AND
TURNING WINDS WITH HEIGHT...ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE
MAINLY IN THE EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.

ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS OR SKYWARN SPOTTERS
WILL LIKELY BECOME NECESSARY LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

THE NEXT THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 6 AM TOMORROW
MORNING.

FOX

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

46 hail, 4 tornado, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Randall

When: May 23, 4:29 PM CST
Where: Randall County, Amarillo
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.200, -101.817

Hail, Randall

When: May 23, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Randall County, Amarillo
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.200, -101.817

Hail, Randall

When: May 23, 4:31 PM CST
Where: Randall County, Amarillo
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 35.200, -101.817

Hail, Potter

When: May 23, 4:42 PM CST
Where: Potter County, Amarillo
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.200, -101.817

Hail, Potter

When: May 23, 4:42 PM CST
Where: Potter County, Amarillo
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 35.200, -101.817

Hail, Potter

When: May 23, 4:44 PM CST
Where: Potter County, Amarillo
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.200, -101.817

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Darrouzett
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.317

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 4:57 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Darrouzett
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.317

Hail, Potter

When: May 23, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Potter County, 20 mi NE of Amarillo
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.400, -101.567

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:18 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Follett
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.133

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Follett
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.133

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:22 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Darrouzett
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.317

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Follett
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.133

Tornado, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:30 PM CST to 5:32 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, 2 mi SW of Follett
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.417, -100.167

Tornado occurred over open country and no damage was reported. The tornado path length and width were estimated.

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, 2 mi S of Follett
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.400, -100.133

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:30 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, 2 mi S of Follett
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.400, -100.133

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 5:34 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 3 mi SE of Fritch
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.600, -101.567

Hail, Carson

When: May 23, 5:34 PM CST
Where: Carson County, 8 mi NW of Mc Bride
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.600, -101.567

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 23, 5:37 PM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Follett
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.433, -100.133

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 5:38 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 8 mi W of Borger
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.667, -101.533

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 5:38 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 6 mi W of Borger
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.667, -101.483

Hail, Hansford

When: May 23, 5:48 PM CST
Where: Hansford County, 2 mi S of Spearman
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.167, -101.200

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 5 mi W of Stinnett
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.817, -101.533

Hail, Hansford

When: May 23, 6:21 PM CST
Where: Hansford County, 1 mi SW of Spearman
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.183, -101.217

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, Borger
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.667, -101.383

Hail, Ochiltree

When: May 23, 6:37 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree County, 10 mi S of Farnsworth
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.133, -100.967

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, Borger
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.667, -101.383

The large hail damaged several vehicles.

Hail, Ochiltree

When: May 23, 7:25 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree County, 12 mi SE of Waka
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.167, -100.900

Tornado, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 7:43 PM CST to 7:45 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 17 mi E of Borger
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.667, -101.083

The tornado occurred over open country and no damage was reported. The tornado path width and length were estimated.

Hail, Ochiltree

When: May 23, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree County, 2 mi S of Waka
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.250, -101.050

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 7:55 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 20 mi W of Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.700, -100.983

Tornado, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 8:05 PM CST to 8:07 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 17 mi E of Borger
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.667, -101.083

The tornado occurred over open country and no damage was reported. The tornado path width and length were estimated.

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 20 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.900, -100.883

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 8:12 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 5 mi W of Stinnett
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.817, -101.533

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 8:23 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, Stinnett
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.817, -101.450

Hail, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 8:31 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, Stinnett
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.817, -101.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Hutchinson

When: May 23, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, Hutchison Co Arpt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 35.700, -101.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Roberts

When: May 23, 9:25 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 13 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 69 kt (79 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.833, -100.800

Damaging downburst thunderstorm winds blew down trees...antennas...and removed roof shingles.

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:15 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 10 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.800, -100.767

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:18 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 9 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.800, -100.750

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:25 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 10 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.800, -100.767

Thunderstorm Wind, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:25 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 10 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.800, -100.767

Tornado, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:25 PM CST to 10:35 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 9 mi NW of Miami
Rating: F1
Path length: 6 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $65,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.800, -100.750

Two homes received moderate damage from the tornado while several storage sheds and a detached garage were completely destroyed. A few trees were snapped and numerous power poles were downed. No injuries or deaths were reported. One person whose home was struck by the tornado took shelter in the basement.

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:30 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 20 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 3 in hail
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.900, -100.883

Golfball to tea cup size hail caused considerable damage to vehicles...windows and roofs.

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 10:55 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 16 mi NE of Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.867, -100.433

Hail, Hemphill

When: May 23, 11:20 PM CST
Where: Hemphill County, 2 mi S of Canadian
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.867, -100.383

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 11:30 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 15 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.850, -100.817

Hail, Hemphill

When: May 23, 11:30 PM CST
Where: Hemphill County, Canadian
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.900, -100.383

Hail, Hemphill

When: May 23, 11:40 PM CST
Where: Hemphill County, 3 mi SE of Canadian
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.867, -100.350

Hail, Roberts

When: May 23, 11:45 PM CST
Where: Roberts County, 15 mi NW of Miami
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.850, -100.817

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 24, 1:10 AM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, 5 mi NW of Higgins
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 36.167, -100.083

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 24, 1:17 AM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Lipscomb
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.233, -100.267

Hail, Lipscomb

When: May 24, 1:18 AM CST
Where: Lipscomb County, Lipscomb
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.233, -100.267

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

Every storm in Texas in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Texas, 2002 Warnings in Texas, May 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: 5295414, 5295415, 5295416, 5295417, 5295418, 5295419, 5295420, 5295421, 5295422, 5295423, 5295424, 5295425, 5295426, 5295427, 5295428, 5295429, 5295430, 5295431, 5295432, 5295433, 5295434, 5295435, 5295436, 5295437, 5295438, 5295439, 5295440, 5295441, 5295442, 5295718, 5295443, 5295444, 5295499, 5295500, 5295501, 5295502, 5295705, 5295719, 5295706, 5295707, and more.