Wildfire and High Wind in Texas, January 1, 2006

Name: Wildfire and High Wind in Texas, January 1, 2006
Start: 2006-01-01T10:40
End: 2006-01-01T16:30
Location: Texas

January 1, 2006 · NWS LUB · 20 events in 16 counties and zones

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: 4
Property damage: $360,000
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 LUB wrote it up.

January 1 Wind and Wildfire Event Summary - A potent upper level trough affected much of the Southern Plains on New Year's Day. The trough resulted in widespread high winds over the region, where intense short-term drought conditions existed. The wind combined with the exceptionally dry conditions to result in a historic outbreak of wildfires over eastern New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.High and frequently severe winds began to blow over the west Texas South Plains by late morning. These winds persisted through the mid afternoon hours, and resulted in widespread blowing dust and one injury. At least a dozen wind-driven wildfires were sparked over the South Plains. Four of the wildfires were significant, and resulted in the loss of property and three injuries. The winds and fires on the 1st combined to result in four injuries and estimated property losses that exceeded $350,000 .

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 Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 1, 3:35 AM CST, 7 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 1, 3:35 AM CST, 7 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
335 AM CST SUN JAN 1 2006

.SHORT TERM...
A VIGOROUS SHTWV OUT AHEAD OF 130+ KT 250 MB JET OVER THE DESERT SW
IS CURRENTLY MOVING QUICKLY EASTWARD THIS MORNING ACROSS THE
4-CORNERS REGION...PERHAPS SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN INDICATED BY 0Z
GUIDANCE. WINDS ON THE TUCUMCARI PROFILER AT 2 AM ARE ALREADY AOA
50 KTS THRU ALL BUT THE LOWEST GATE AND SFC WINDS ACROSS THE SW
PANHANDLE/NW SPLNS HAVE BEEN GUSTING UP TO 45 MPH PER OBS FROM THE
WEST TEXAS MESONET. NAM AND GFS GUIDANCE ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT
TRACKING THIS SHTWV OUT ACROSS SRN CO/SRN KS AND THE PANHANDLES
TODAY. ATTENDANT SFC LOW CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER THE NE TX
PANHANDLE WILL DEEPEN AND MOVE NORTHEAST INTO EASTERN KS BY EARLY
EVE. ALTHOUGH 0Z MOS GUIDANCE FOR LBB AND CDS IS MARGINAL
REGARDING WIND SPEEDS REACHING WARNING CRITERIA...LOCAL WIND
GUIDANCE WITH THIS SYSTEM SHOWS THAT CONDITIONS WILL BE VERY
FAVORABLE FOR A HIGH WIND EVENT ACROSS MOST OF THE CWA TODAY. THE
FCST NORTH-SOUTH 700 MB GRADIENT IN PARTICULAR WILL BE VERY
STRONG. THUS HAVE DECIDED TO UPGRADE THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A HIGH
WIND WARNING FOR ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN-MOST ROW OF COUNTIES. GIVEN
THE PROGGED TRACK OF THE H8-H7 WIND MAX ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND
NORTHERN COUNTIES...AND THE SLIGHTLY WEAKER HEIGHT GRADIENT FURTHER
SOUTH...WILL OPT TO CONTINUE THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHERN
ROW OF COUNTIES. PATCHY BLOWING DUST IS ALSO EXPECTED UP ON THE CAPROCK
BY LATE MORNING.

ALSO EXPECTING ANOTHER VERY WARM DAY...WITH THE BULK OF THE CAA
CONFINED TO LOCALS FARTHER NORTH. PLENTY OF MID-HIGH LVL MOISTURE
STREAMING OUT AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING PARTLY-MOSTLY CLOUDY
SKIES THROUGHOUT THE MORNING...HOWEVER...PRONOUNCED DRY SLOT WILL
BEGIN TO SPREAD OVER THE AREA BY MID-DAY...AND WE CAN EXPECT
CLEARING SKIES FROM W-E. HAVE STAYED CLOSE TO GUIDANCE FOR AFTN
HIGHS...WHICH WILL ONCE AGAIN BRING US CLOSE TO RECORD VALUES.

AS THE SHTWV QUICKLY MOVES TO THE E-NE...EXPECT THE WIND TO BEGIN TO
DIE DOWN LATE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON FROM WEST TO EAST. TEMPS WILL BE
COOLER TONIGHT ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NW AS WE LOSE THE MAJORITY OF
THE DOWNSLOPE COMPONENT AND SLIGHTLY COOLER...DRIER AIR ADVECTS IN FROM
THE NW.

.LONG TERM...
WITH MAJORITY OF CONCERN IN THE SHORT TERM...ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS
WERE REQUIRED TO THE LONG TERM GRIDS/FORECAST.

MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL TRANSLATE EAST OVER THE ROCKIES ON
MONDAY AS THE POTENT UPPER LOW PROPAGATES EAST OVER THE MID
MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL VEER/BECOME SOUTHERLY
ON TUESDAY AS THE NEXT SHORTWAVE TROUGH AMPLIFIES OVER THE SOUTHERN
ROCKIES. THIS WILL AGAIN RESULT IN BREEZY/DRY CONDITIONS AS SURFACE
CYCLOGENESIS OCCURS OVER KANSAS. WITH GOOD DOWNSLOPING FLOW...
EXPECT AN UNSEASONABLY WARM DAY WITH MAXIMA 20 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE
SEASONAL AVERAGES. A COLD FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH LATE TUESDAY/EARLY
WEDNESDAY IN THE WAKE OF THE PASSING TROUGH AXIS...AND WILL PROVIDE
FOR THE ONSET OF SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES. THE PATTERN WILL
AMPLIFY FROM MID WEEK THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD WITH INCREASED
RIDGING OVER THE WESTERN U.S. AND A LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THIS WILL PROMOTE OCCASIONAL REINFORCING SHOTS
OF COOL/DRY SURFACE RIDGING FROM THE GREAT BASIN REGION.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
DESPITE SLIGHTLY MORE MOIST AIR ADVECTING INTO THE CWA THIS MORNING
FROM NEW MEXICO...ONCE THE DRY SLOT AND DOWNGLIDE ON THE SOUTH SIDE
OF THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES OVER THE REGION THIS AFTN...WE EXPECT DEW
POINT TEMPS AND RHS TO AGAIN DROP TO THE 10-15 PERCENT RANGE. 20 FT
WIND SPEEDS THAT ARE FCST TO BE WELL ABOVE RED FLAG CRITERIA.
THIS...COUPLED WITH THE CRITICAL FIRE DANGER ACROSS THE AREA DUE IN
PART TO THE ONGOING DROUGHT...HAVE LED US TO UPGRADE THE FIRE
WEATHER WATCH TO A RED FLAG WARNING FOR THE ENTIRE CWA THIS AFTN.

USERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THIS EVENT HAS POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH /INCLUDING HIGH
HAINES INDICES/ OVER A LARGE AREA OF TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA WHERE
NUMEROUS WILDFIRES HAVE OCCURRED IN RECENT DAYS. GIVEN HIGH
OUTDOOR INTEREST/S THROUGH THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND...STATE OFFICIALS
ARE URGING EXTREME CAUTION...AND HAVE REQUESTED THE ISSUANCE OF
SPECIAL MESSAGES AND CALL TO ACTION STATEMENTS TO HEIGHTEN PUBLIC
AWARENESS. SPC HAS INCLUDED THE FA IN AN EXTREMELY CRITICAL FIRE
WEATHER AREA FOR TODAY CITING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
WE CONCUR AND WILL ISSUE A PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT /PNSLUB/
AND WILL INCLUDE ENHANCED CALL TO ACTION STATEMENTS AS REQUESTED
BY THE STATE IN ALL HEADLINING TEXT PRODUCTS AND THE HAZARDOUS
WEATHER OUTLOOK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FRIONA        69  32  66  31 /   0   0   0   0
TULIA         70  30  66  30 /   0   0   0   0
PLAINVIEW     72  34  66  36 /   0   0   0   0
LEVELLAND     73  37  70  34 /   0   0   0   0
LUBBOCK       74  35  67  35 /   0   0   0   0
BROWNFIELD    74  39  70  40 /   0   0   0   0
CHILDRESS     76  37  69  35 /   0   0   0   0
SPUR          75  38  70  35 /   0   0   0   0
ASPERMONT     78  43  71  39 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 5 PM SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BAILEY...BRISCOE...CASTRO...CHILDRESS...COCHRAN...COTTLE...
CROSBY...DICKENS...FLOYD...HALE...HALL...HOCKLEY...KING...LAMB...
LUBBOCK...MOTLEY...PARMER...AND SWISHER.

RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON SUNDAY TO 6 PM SUNDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: BAILEY...BRISCOE...CASTRO...CHILDRESS...
COCHRAN...COTTLE...CROSBY...DICKENS...FLOYD...GARZA...HALE...
HALL...HOCKLEY...KENT...KING...LAMB...LUBBOCK...LYNN...MOTLEY...
PARMER...STONEWALL...SWISHER...TERRY...AND YOAKUM.

WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: GARZA...
KENT...LYNN...STONEWALL...TERRY...AND YOAKUM.

&&

33/20

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 high wind, 4 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Parmer

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Parmer forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.530, -102.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds affected much of the South Plains of west Texas on New Year's Day. The Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet recorded numerous severe wind gusts up to 67 MPH. The strong westerly winds caused blowing dust and resulted in dangerous driving conditions for holiday travelers. A tractor-trailer was blown over on Interstate 27 five miles south of Hale Center (Hale County). The driver sustained minor injuries. A summary of recorded severe gusts in order of magnitude follows:2 NE Friona (Parmer).....................67MPH7 E Silverton (Briscoe)...................67MPH3 N Hart (Castro)...........................67MPH2 NE Dimmitt (Castro)...................67MPH2 NE Tulia (Swisher)......................65MPH2 S Muleshoe(Bailey).....................65MPHLubbock Int. Airport (Lubbock)......64MPH6 S Anton (Hockley)......................64MPH1 NE Amherst (Lamb)....................64MPH4 S Levelland (Hockley).................64MPH6 S Olton (Lamb)...........................62MPH2 NE Floydada (Floyd)...................62MPH7 W Denver City (Yoakum)............62MPHReese Center (Lubbock).................61MPH1 S Plainview (Hale)......................61MPH3 NE Tahoka (Lynn)......................61MPH10 SW Paducah (Cottle).................60MPH3 N Roaring Springs (Motley).........60MPH1 NE Morton (Cochran).................60MPH3 W Lubbock (Lubbock)................60MPHChildress (Childress).....................59MPH5 NE Abernathy (Hale)..................59MPH6 SW Wolfforth (Hockley).............59MPH8 SW Sundown (Yoakum).............58MPH6 NW White RIver Lake (Crosby)...58MPH

High Wind, Briscoe

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Briscoe forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Castro

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Castro forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.530, -102.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Childress

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Childress forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.529, -100.208 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cochran

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Cochran forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 33.604, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Cottle

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Cottle forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.078, -100.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Crosby

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Crosby forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 33.615, -101.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Floyd

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Floyd forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.072, -101.303 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hale

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Hale forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.071, -101.827 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hockley

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Hockley forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lamb

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Lamb forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.069, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lubbock

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Lubbock forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lynn

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Lynn forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 33.177, -101.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Motley

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Motley forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.074, -100.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Swisher

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Swisher forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Yoakum

When: January 1, 10:40 AM CST to 3:40 PM CST
Where: Yoakum forecast zone
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 33.173, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wildfire, Swisher

When: January 1, 10:55 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Swisher forecast zone
Property damage: $175,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wildfire near the rural community of Claytonville (Swisher County) destroyed two homes. No injuries were reported.A second wildfire ignited near the intersection of Regis and Interstate 27, one mile southwest of Lubbock International Airport. The fire destroyed horse stables, and one fire fighter was hospitalized for smoke inhalation related injuries.Another large wildfire near Levelland burned two mobile homes and injured fire fighters. Two firemen were hospitalized due to minor burn injuries and smoke inhalation.A wildfire that initiated near Tatum, New Mexico, burned several thousand acres of rangeland and threatened structures as it spread across the Texas/New Mexico state-line into Yoakum County near Bronco. The fire was contained before doing significant damage in Yoakum County, but one rural residence was evacuated.

Wildfire, Lubbock

When: January 1, 1:30 PM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where: Lubbock forecast zone
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wildfire ignited near the intersection of Regis and Interstate 27, one mile southwest of Lubbock International Airport. The fire destroyed horse stables, and one fire fighter was hospitalized for smoke inhalation related injuries.

Wildfire, Hockley

When: January 1, 2:30 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hockley forecast zone
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A large wildfire near Levelland burned two mobile homes and injured fire fighters. Two firemen were hospitalized due to minor burn injuries and smoke inhalation.

Wildfire, Yoakum

When: January 1, 2:30 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where: Yoakum forecast zone
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates: 33.173, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wildfire that initiated near Tatum, New Mexico, burned several thousand acres of rangeland and threatened structures as it spread across the Texas/New Mexico state-line into Yoakum County near Bronco. The fire was contained before doing significant damage in Yoakum County, but one rural residence was evacuated.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, January 2006

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: 5486017, 5486018, 5486019, 5486020, 5486021, 5486022, 5486023, 5486024, 5486025, 5486026, 5486027, 5486028, 5486029, 5486030, 5486031, 5486032, 5486115, 5486116, 5486117, 5486118.