Dust Storm and Damaging Winds in Texas, June 22, 2006

A complex of convection produced widespread strong to severe winds over the central and southern South Plains region of west Texas during the afternoon hours of the 22nd. The public initially reported thunderstorm wind gusts that were estimated to exceed 60 MPH in rural portions of northeastern Crosby County at 14:18 CST. By 14:23 CST, local law enforcement officials had reported that numerous utility poles and wires had been blown down along Farm to Market Road 651, and that electricity outages were widespread in the vicinity of Ralls and Crosbyton. Severe thunderstorm winds were observed to continue eastward over northern Crosby County during the next twenty minutes. At 14:45 CST the West Texas Mesonet site near Ralls recorded a gust up to 61 MPH. No additional damage was reported.

Severe thunderstorm winds caused damage at the Lubbock Children's Home near Idalou. This occurred less than twenty-four hours after the facility suffered extensive damage from high winds during the late evening hours of the 21st. Several additional large trees were uprooted, and an outbuilding was destroyed. The administrators at the Lubbock Children's Home reported that all of the resident children and staff were sent to underground storm shelters before the storm struck. No injuries were reported. A severe wind gust up to 60 MPH was recorded by a West Texas Mesonet site in northern Lubbock County as the storms continued to propagate west-southwestward.

A severe dust storm affected much of the southwestern South Plains of west Texas during the afternoon and early evening of the 22nd. The dust storm was a classic haboob, characterized by a visually dramatic and densely whirling wall of dust. The haboob was associated with a strong outflow boundary that propagated southwestward from a complex of severe storms over the central portions of the South Plains. Winds associated with the outflow were generally sustained in the 30 MPH range, with a peak wind gust measured by the West Texas Mesonet of 54 MPH. Dust storm conditions were reported over the five county area of Lubbock, Hockley, Terry, Yoakum, and Lynn Counties, however, radar and satellite imagery suggests that the effects of the haboob were widespread over the western and southern portions of the greater South Plains region.Visibilities in blowing dust were reduced to zero along U.S. Highway 62/82 southwest of Lubbock. At least twenty-seven multi-vehicle accidents were reported between Ropesville and Brownfield. An elderly man was killed when his vehicle impacted the rear of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer. Fifteen other motorists were injured in the series of chain collisions (fatality and injuries were deemed as "indirect" per National Weather Service Directive 10-1605). The fatality accident occurred at 15:50 CST approximately five miles northeast of Brownfield.In addition, the haboob destroyed an estimated 10,000 acres of cotton across the southwestern South Plains, as wind-driven dust reportedly "burned" the young cotton plants, stripping leaves off of the already drought-stressed plants.

A severe dust storm affected much of the southwestern South Plains of west Texas during the afternoon and early evening of the 22nd. The dust storm was a classic haboob, characterized by a visually dramatic and densely whirling wall of dust. The haboob was associated with a strong outflow boundary that propagated southwestward from a complex of severe storms over the central portions of the South Plains. Winds associated with the outflow were generally sustained in the 30 MPH range, with a peak wind gust measured by the West Texas Mesonet of 54 MPH. Dust storm conditions were reported over the five county area of Lubbock, Hockley, Terry, Yoakum, and Lynn Counties, however, radar and satellite imagery suggests that the effects of the haboob were widespread over the western and southern portions of the greater South Plains region.Visibilities in blowing dust were reduced to zero along U.S. Highway 62/82 southwest of Lubbock. At least twenty-seven multi-vehicle accidents were reported between Ropesville and Brownfield. An elderly man was killed when his vehicle impacted the rear of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer. Fifteen other motorists were injured in the series of chain collisions (fatality and injuries were deemed as "indirect" per National Weather Service Directive 10-1605). The fatality accident occurred at 15:50 CST approximately five miles northeast of Brownfield.In addition, the haboob destroyed an estimated 10,000 acres of cotton across the southwestern South Plains, as wind-driven dust reportedly "burned" the young cotton plants, stripping leaves off of the already drought-stressed plants.

A severe dust storm affected much of the southwestern South Plains of west Texas during the afternoon and early evening of the 22nd. The dust storm was a classic haboob, characterized by a visually dramatic and densely whirling wall of dust. The haboob was associated with a strong outflow boundary that propagated southwestward from a complex of severe storms over the central portions of the South Plains. Winds associated with the outflow were generally sustained in the 30 MPH range, with a peak wind gust measured by the West Texas Mesonet of 54 MPH. Dust storm conditions were reported over the five county area of Lubbock, Hockley, Terry, Yoakum, and Lynn Counties, however, radar and satellite imagery suggests that the effects of the haboob were widespread over the western and southern portions of the greater South Plains region.Visibilities in blowing dust were reduced to zero along U.S. Highway 62/82 southwest of Lubbock. At least twenty-seven multi-vehicle accidents were reported between Ropesville and Brownfield. An elderly man was killed when his vehicle impacted the rear of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer. Fifteen other motorists were injured in the series of chain collisions (fatality and injuries were deemed as "indirect" per National Weather Service Directive 10-1605). The fatality accident occurred at 15:50 CST approximately five miles northeast of Brownfield.In addition, the haboob destroyed an estimated 10,000 acres of cotton across the southwestern South Plains, as wind-driven dust reportedly "burned" the young cotton plants, stripping leaves off of the already drought-stressed plants.

A severe dust storm affected much of the southwestern South Plains of west Texas during the afternoon and early evening of the 22nd. The dust storm was a classic haboob, characterized by a visually dramatic and densely whirling wall of dust. The haboob was associated with a strong outflow boundary that propagated southwestward from a complex of severe storms over the central portions of the South Plains. Winds associated with the outflow were generally sustained in the 30 MPH range, with a peak wind gust measured by the West Texas Mesonet of 54 MPH. Dust storm conditions were reported over the five county area of Lubbock, Hockley, Terry, Yoakum, and Lynn Counties, however, radar and satellite imagery suggests that the effects of the haboob were widespread over the western and southern portions of the greater South Plains region.Visibilities in blowing dust were reduced to zero along U.S. Highway 62/82 southwest of Lubbock. At least twenty-seven multi-vehicle accidents were reported between Ropesville and Brownfield. An elderly man was killed when his vehicle impacted the rear of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer. Fifteen other motorists were injured in the series of chain collisions (fatality and injuries were deemed as "indirect" per National Weather Service Directive 10-1605). The fatality accident occurred at 15:50 CST approximately five miles northeast of Brownfield.In addition, the haboob destroyed an estimated 10,000 acres of cotton across the southwestern South Plains, as wind-driven dust reportedly "burned" the young cotton plants, stripping leaves off of the already drought-stressed plants.

A severe dust storm affected much of the southwestern South Plains of west Texas during the afternoon and early evening of the 22nd. The dust storm was a classic haboob, characterized by a visually dramatic and densely whirling wall of dust. The haboob was associated with a strong outflow boundary that propagated southwestward from a complex of severe storms over the central portions of the South Plains. Winds associated with the outflow were generally sustained in the 30 MPH range, with a peak wind gust measured by the West Texas Mesonet of 54 MPH. Dust storm conditions were reported over the five county area of Lubbock, Hockley, Terry, Yoakum, and Lynn Counties, however, radar and satellite imagery suggests that the effects of the haboob were widespread over the western and southern portions of the greater South Plains region.Visibilities in blowing dust were reduced to zero along U.S. Highway 62/82 southwest of Lubbock. At least twenty-seven multi-vehicle accidents were reported between Ropesville and Brownfield. An elderly man was killed when his vehicle impacted the rear of a jack-knifed tractor-trailer. Fifteen other motorists were injured in the series of chain collisions (fatality and injuries were deemed as "indirect" per National Weather Service Directive 10-1605). The fatality accident occurred at 15:50 CST approximately five miles northeast of Brownfield.In addition, the haboob destroyed an estimated 10,000 acres of cotton across the southwestern South Plains, as wind-driven dust reportedly "burned" the young cotton plants, stripping leaves off of the already drought-stressed plants.

The West Texas Mesonet site near Slaton additionally measured a severe thunderstorm wind gust as a complex of storms affected portions of Lubbock County. No damage was reported in the Slaton vicinity.

Damaging winds spread southward over Garza County as a large complex of severe thunderstorms impacted the area during the late afternoon hours on the 22nd. Storm spotters initially estimated wind gusts up to 70 MPH in Post at 15:23 CST. By 15:25 CST, local authorities reported that many large trees and utility lines had been blown down in the city. The Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet observations indicated peak gusts to 73 MPH in the vicinity. The severe winds began to affect the Lake Alan Henry area by 16:10 CST, when a gust of 69 MPH was recorded by the West Texas Mesonet near the lake. Severe thunderstorm winds intermittently gusted to near 70 MPH at the lake until 16:22 CST. A local newspaper additionally reported that some minor structural damage also occurred in Post. No injuries were reported.

As the convective complex propagated southward over Garza County, additional severe gusts were recorded by the West Texas Mesonet site near Graham. No damage was reported.

The West Texas Mesonet site near O' Donnell recorded a severe thunderstorm wind gust of 61 MPH. The winds were accompanied by blowing dust that restricted visibilities to near zero.

A severe thunderstorm wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by the West Texas Mesonet site near Olton.

A severe thunderstorm wind gust of 60 MPH was measured by the West Texas Mesonet site near Abernathy.