The combination of a strong upper level storm system and a dryline triggered widespread severe thunderstorms which moved east across West Central Texas Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning. During the late afternoon hours, isolated supercell thunderstorms developed across the Big Country along I-20 where storm chasers reported a couple brief tornadoes.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 SJT wrote it up.
The combination of a strong upper level storm system and a dryline triggered widespread severe thunderstorms which moved east across West Central Texas Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning. During the late afternoon hours, isolated supercell thunderstorms developed across the Big Country along I-20 where storm chasers reported a couple brief tornadoes. At around midnight, a line of severe thunderstorms developed across the western sections of West Central Texas. As this line moved rapidly east, severe thunderstorms within the line evolved into supercells with strong rotation that went on to produce multiple tornadoes. There were also reports of straight line wind damage across West Central Texas from this line of severe thunderstorms.
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 San Angelo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 9, 12:36 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 136 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008 .UPDATE... ZONE FORECAST HAS BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE A TORNADO WATCH FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA THROUGH 8PM THIS EVENING. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 958 AM CDT WED APR 9 2008/ UPDATE... HAVE SENT AN UPDATE WITH THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INFORMATION THAT AFFECTS THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE BIG COUNTRY THROUGH 21Z. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 628 AM CDT WED APR 9 2008/ AVIATION... A WARM FRONT SHOULD GRADUALLY MOVE NORTH INTO THE BIG COUNTRY THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THIS MORNING AS LOW LEVEL JET DEVELOPS WITH MOISTURE TRANSPORT OVER THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. MVFR CIGS OVC010-020 OVER THE AREA THIS MORNING...WITH LCL IFR CIS BLO OVC010 OVER THE HEARTLAND...RISING TO BKN020-030 THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY IN THE WARM SECTOR. SCATTERED STORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MAINLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL STORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...JUST AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING DRYLINE WEST OF A SWEETWATER TO SAN ANGELO TO OZONA LINE. AS THE STRONG LIFT FROM THE APPROACHING DEEP UPPER TROUGH IMPINGES ON THE AREA...AN INTENSE SQUALL LINE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND MOVE RAPIDLY EAST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS TONIGHT. 21 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 339 AM CDT WED APR 9 2008/ DISCUSSION... A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON WEATHER WISE OVER THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TX. YESTERDAYS COLD FRONT HAS STALLED OVER THE NW HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTHERN HEARTLAND. A BAND OF ELEVATED CONVECTION DEVELOPED OVER NORTH CENTRAL TX AND IS CONTINUING TO MOVE EAST AWAY FROM THE AREA THIS MORNING. THE RUC/NAM BOTH DEVELOP ANOTHER BAND OF ELEVATED CONVECTION RIGHT AROUND OR JUST AFTER 12Z AS A LEAD IMPULSE EJECTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS AHEAD OF THE MAIN SYSTEM. THIS AREA OF CONVECTION WILL LIKELY GROW IN COVERAGE AS IT TRAVELS NORTH ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY AND NORTHERN TX THRU 18Z. THE MAIN QUESTION WILL BE WHERE THE BOUNDARIES SET UP LATER TODAY AFTER THE ELEVATED CONVECTION DEPARTS. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT WE WILL TRANSITION FROM ELEVATED TO SURFACE BASED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON ON THE SOUTHERN FLANK NEAR THE RETREATING SURFACE WARM FRONT. OTHER DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE DRYLINE WHICH WILL STRETCH SOUTH OF A DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW OVER THE PERMIAN BASIN BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. THE ELEVATED STORMS THIS MORNING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING ARE EXPECTED TO TRANSITION QUICKLY TO SUPERCELLULAR GIVEN THE PROGGED INSTABILITY/SHEAR COMBINATION AND WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE WARM FRONT AND TOWARD EVENING AS LOW LEVEL SHEAR INCREASES WITH THE STRENGTHENING LLJ. A STRONG TORNADO OR TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT WITH ANY DISCREET CELLS THIS EVENING. THE STORMS WILL LIKELY BECOME A SQUALL LINE OVERNIGHT AS A PACIFIC COLD FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE AREA WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO POSSIBLE. THE PACIFIC FRONT AND ANY STORM ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH IT WILL QUICKLY MOVE EAST OF MY FORECAST AREA EARLY THURSDAY. SKIES WILL CLEAR OUT FAIRLY RAPIDLY WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR FULL INSOLATION AND DEEP TROPOSPHERIC MIXING TO TAKE PLACE. THE NAM/GFS FORECAST WINDS OF 40 TO 45 KTS AT THE TOP OF THE MIXED LAYER DURING THE AFTERNOON...WHICH IS USUALLY A GOOD ESTIMATE FOR THE MAX WIND GUST. IT WILL BE A CLEAR CUT HIGH END WIND ADVISORY EVENT...HOWEVER WITH THE EXPECTED HIGHER PRIORITY SEVERE WEATHER PRECEDING IT...I WILL ELECT NOT TO ISSUE A HEADLINE TO AVOID COMPLEXITY AND WILL LIKELY DO SO TOMORROW MORNING AFTER THE CONVECTIVE EVENT IS OVER. FOR WHAT ITS WORTH...MET GUIDANCE IS FORECASTING SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE LOW 30S KT RANGE. A VERY WINDY DAY IS INDEED IN STORE. ONLY MADE A FEW TWEAKS HERE AND THERE TO THE FORECAST BEYOND THURSDAY. THERE ARE SOME NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GFS/ECMWF ON HOW DEEP THE TROUGH WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS FOR THE WEEKEND. IF THE ECMWF VERIFIES...TEMPS WILL BE EVEN COOLER THAN WHAT IS IN THE FCST. NO MATTER WHICH SOLN YOU BELIEVE...THE WEATHER WILL BE DRY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 7 DAY PERIOD. LACY && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ABILENE 58 77 40 74 / 70 10 10 10 SAN ANGELO 58 83 43 78 / 60 10 10 0 JUNCTION 63 85 44 83 / 50 10 10 10 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING FOR BROWN-CALLAHAN-COKE-COLEMAN-CONCHO-CROCKETT-FISHER- HASKELL-IRION-JONES-KIMBLE-MASON-MCCULLOCH-MENARD-NOLAN-RUNNELS- SAN SABA-SCHLEICHER-SHACKELFORD-STERLING-SUTTON-TAYLOR- THROCKMORTON-TOM GREEN. && 99/15
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 152 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-101900- FISHER-NOLAN-STERLING-COKE-RUNNELS-IRION-TOM GREEN-CONCHO- CROCKETT-SCHLEICHER-SUTTON-HASKELL-THROCKMORTON-JONES-SHACKELFORD- TAYLOR-CALLAHAN-COLEMAN-BROWN-MCCULLOCH-SAN SABA-MENARD-KIMBLE- MASON- 152 PM CDT WED APR 9 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS AS A WARM FRONT INTERACTS WITH A SURFACE DRYLINE. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM STERLING CITY...THROUGH SAN ANGELO...AND SOUTH TO MASON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON IN THIS VERY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE VERY LARGE HAIL AND STRONG TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ON THURSDAY...WATCH FOR STRONG WEST WINDS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. EXPECT AT LEAST A WIND ADVISORY. ALSO...WITH VERY DRY AIR MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL TEXAS...MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL LIKELY DROP INTO THE TEENS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THUS...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... EXPECT SPOTTER ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. 23/HUBER
The Dyess AFB radar (KDYX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.
10 hail, 8 tornado, 8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm chasers reported a brief tornado just west of Tye off Interstate 20.
Storm chasers reported a brief tornado 2 miles northeast of Tye, or about 3/4 mile north of Interstate 20.
Baseball size hail was reported near the intersection of Highways 351 and 604.
The NWS storm survey revealed the tornado snapped tree limbs along Farm to Market Road 853.
The NWS storm survey found that a tornado tore the roof and some walls off the upper floor of a residential home just southwest of Tankersley. Wind speeds were estimated around 100 mph.
A car was blown over.
The NWS storm survey revealed that the tornado snapped tree limbs near the Twin Buttes Equalization Channel and downed 6 utility poles along Schwartz Road.
The NWS storm survey team found a tornado track across the Houston Harte Expressway that caused severe damage to a large distribution warehouse. Also, the tornado overturned 2 trailers, knocked down a communication tower, utility poles, and power lines, flipped cars, damaged roofs and road signs along the expressway. A couple of truck drivers who rode out the storm reported their tractor trailers were lifted at times during the tornado. One motorist in a smaller truck took shelter at the nearby Allsup's gas station reported being lifted up while he was in his small truck and seeing a small tornado.
Wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph were reported. The Paul Ann area suffered chimney damage while trees were uprooted around Angelo State University. Several fences, poles and power lines were also knocked down by the damaging winds.
The NWS storm survey revealed the tornado destroyed 20 sheep shelters, damaged irrigation equipment, overturned an RV travel trailer and removed tin from a large outbuilding.
A couple of power lines and trees were knocked down by the damaging thunderstorm winds.
About 12 utility poles were knocked down by the thunderstorm winds.
Trees and road signs were blown down on Farm to Market Road 503 about 8 miles south of Doole.
There were several roofs damaged with one roof blown off.
The NWS storm survey revealed an EF1 tornado with winds estimated at 90 mph, damaging grain silos, roofs and overturning a trailer.
Power lines were blown down. A mobile home was damaged and a large old outdoor movie screen was destroyed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2008Warnings in Texas, April 2008
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: 93190, 93191, 81010, 81012, 81015, 81019, 81020, 81027, 80778, 81039, 81040, 93240, 93193, 93253, 93198, 93201, 81041, 81101, 93230, 93257, 97137, 93258, 93261, 93234, 81102, 93264.