The afternoon and evening of the 13th brought an active severe weather situation to West Texas. The primary severe weather mode was multicell storm structures with damaging winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 MAF wrote it up.
The afternoon and evening of the 13th brought an active severe weather situation to West Texas. The primary severe weather mode was multicell storm structures with damaging winds. However, a few storms exhibited supercellular characteristics, and one tornado was documented in western Reeves County. Large hail to the size of golfballs was also reported. The most significant damage reports were received from the West Odessa and Odessa areas in Ector County. Winds up to 100 MPH were reported with the first severe storm to impact that area, but those reports could not be substantiated by a NWS damage survey. A second complex of storms affecting the area resulted in 70 MPH winds. Damage was also reported from thunderstorm winds in Kermit and Fort Stockton.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 13, 1:00 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 200 PM CDT FRI SEP 13 2002 MID/UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER COLORADO THIS MORNING/AFTERNOON WITH SHORTWAVES ROTATING AROUND IT AS IT MOVES. RIDGE FINALLY BEING BROKEN DOWN A LITTLE BIT OVER OUR AREA AND IS NOW CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHEAST U.S. SURFACE TROUGH IS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE IN EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND ALSO EXTENDS NORTH INTO SOUTHEASTERN CO AND SOUTHWESTERN KS. ALONG WITH THIS ARE LIS INDICATED BY MSAS ALREADY AT OR BELOW -6. LIS TO -5 ALSO EXTEND INTO THE NORTHERN COUNTIES OF OUR CWA. AT 500MB A SHORTWAVE IS ROTATING AROUND THE BASE OF THE TROUGH THROUGH SOUTHERN NM THAT HAS ALREADY SET OFF A COUPLE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHERN NM THIS MORNING AND CONTINUES TO INDUCE CONVECTION IN NM AT THIS HOUR. THIS FEATURE SHOULD AID IN THE INITIATION THIS AFTERNOON SOUTHEAST NM. BESIDES THAT...AT 250MB A BAND OF 50 KT OR GREATER WINDS SHOULD MOVE OVER THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING WHICH COULD HELP SOME OF THESE STORMS TO BECOME ORGANIZED. LAPSE RATES GREATER THAN 7.5C/KM ARE ALSO FORECAST BY MODELS WITH INVERTED-V SOUNDINGS INDICATED BY THE MESOETA SUGGESTING WE MAY BE DEALING WITH SOME SEVERE WIND GUSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORMS. LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE A THREAT WITH ANY STORMS THAT CAN GET ORGANIZED. CONVECTION HAS ALREADY STARTED IN NM. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DEVELOP INTO A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ORIENTED LINEAR GROUP OF STORMS AND TRAVEL EAST WITH INDIVIDUAL CELLS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST. FOR TOMORROW...THE FRONT IS NOW FORECAST TO MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST NM DURING THE MORNING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE AGAIN EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT TOMORROW. THESE HOWEVER WILL BE MAINLY TAKING PLACE IN TEXAS AS THE FRONT MOVES SOUTH THROUGH THE PANHANDLE AND SOUTH PLAINS OF TEXAS. THUNDERSTORMS MAY START A BIT EARLIER TOMORROW...AND AID THE FRONT IN ITS SOUTHERN MOTION. EXPECT AN AREA OF STORMS TO MOVE INTO OUR CWA SOMETIME BETWEEN 18Z AND 21Z TOMORROW. THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE STRONG TOMORROW TOO...AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS IS THERE. SUNDAY WE MAY HAVE POST-FRONTAL CLOUDINESS SKIES IN OUR EASTERN ZONES WITH SOME ISENTROPIC ASCENT AT THE LOW LEVELS. WITH THAT IN MIND...HIGHS ON SUNDAY COULD BE MUCH LOWER IN EASTERN AREAS THAN WHAT GUIDANCE IS CALLING. WILL UNDERCUT GUIDANCE A TAD FOR EASTERN AREAS DUE TO THIS. FOR THE EXTENDED...WILL KEEP THE NEAR OR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS AND DRY FORECAST GOING THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY AS THE RIDGE SLOWLY TRIES TO ESTABLISH ITSELF. PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FOLLOW... MAF 66/87/59/77 324- LSA 64/86/56/74 424- 6R6 70/92/65/80 212- MRF 57/84/53/71 3232 CNM 64/86/58/74 322- .MAF... TX...NONE. NM...NONE. SN
NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-140500- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 110 PM CDT FRI SEP 13 2002 .SYNOPSIS... AS OF NOON FRIDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WERE ROTATING AROUND IT...AND WILL IMPACT PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS THROUGH THIS EVENING. AT THE SURFACE...A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WAS ORIENTED ALONG THE TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO BORDER. .WEATHER HAZARDS... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...GENERALLY INCLUDING AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 10. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATE AFTERNOON NEAR THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD EAST INTO THE PLAINS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE EXPECTED DEGREE OF INSTABILITY...AND INCREASING WIND SHEAR... INDICATES THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE MOST LIKELY AREAS TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE WEATHER LATE FRIDAY WILL INCLUDE THE PLAINS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...THE UPPER TRANS PECOS...AND THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PERMIAN BASIN. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BY LATE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE PLAINS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND THE UPPER TRANS PECOS. ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PERMIAN BASIN. .EXTENDED OUTLOOK... A COLD FRONT WILL SURGE SOUTH INTO WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO SATURDAY. THE FRONT WILL LIKELY BECOME A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT....WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE. LINDLEY
The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 196 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:30 UTC.
18 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A truck driver traveling on Interstate 10 in western Reeves County reported and photographed a tornado. The tornado was located just north of the interstate...a few miles east of the Interstate 10 and Interstate 20 junction.
Local law officials reported large trees blown down by thunderstorm winds.
Local media reported that a large transmitter tower was blown down near Monahans by severe thunderstorm winds.
Two residences along Interstate 20 in southwest Ector County received damage from severe thunderstorm winds. The roof of a mobile home was destroyed, windows were broken, and a barn was destroyed.
A well developed bow echo developed and moved east across Winkler County. The Kermit PD reported damaging winds up to 75 MPH. Large trees were blown down along with power poles. A few tin roofs received minor damage.
A severe thunderstorm wind gust was measured by the Texas Mesonet.
Numerous reports of damaging winds were received from the area around West Odessa. Although reports indicated wind speeds ranging from 80 to 100 MPH, a NWS damage survey concluded that maximum wind gusts were likely 80 MPH. One mobile home was completely destroyed. Seven homes received what was termed major damage, including severe roof or siding damage. Five additional homes had minor damage, restricted to mainly broken windows. Large trees and power poles were also blown down. No injuries were reported.
Several reports of large hail ranging from quarter to golfball size were received from West Odessa.
Minor street flooding was reported in the city.
Reported on Highway 385.
A severe thunderstorm wind gust of 64 MPH was measured at the Pecos Municipal Airport.
Severe thunderstorms resulted in 60 MPH winds at the Scarburough Sports Complex just before a high school football game was scheduled to begin. No injuries or damage was reported.
A secondary area of severe winds developed, and moved into the Odessa area. These winds were associated with a broad area of weak convection which developed in the wake of the more significant severe thunderstorm previously listed. This event resulted in damaging winds affecting the Permian Basin Fair. Windows were blown out of approximately ten vehicles, and several tents were blown down. No injuries were reported.
The ASOS at Fort Stockton measured a 58 MPH wind gust. Numerous reports of winds up to 80 MPH were received in the following fifteen minutes. Some of the reports indicated damage to large trees, power poles, and road signs.
Moderate street flooding was reported in parts of Odessa, resulting in at least one stalled car. No injuries were reported.
A severe thunderstorm wind gust was measured by the Texas Mesonet.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2002Warnings in Texas, September 2002
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: 5315505, 5315411, 5315412, 5315410, 5315415, 5315413, 5315515, 5315416, 5315414, 5315513, 5315514, 5315417, 5315507, 5315419, 5315418, 5315506, 5315508, 5315509, 5315510, 5315511, 5315512, 5315516.