Flash Flood and Flooding in Texas, September 11 to 12, 2008

Name: Flash Flood and Flooding in Texas, September 11 to 12, 2008
Start: 2008-09-11T15:00
End: 2008-09-12T12:00
Location: Texas

September 11 to 12, 2008 · NWS LUB · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

The first half of September brought historic rains to the west Texas South Plains. Beginning late on the 10th, and persisting through the 12th, numerous rain showers impacted the region.

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: $4.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

The first half of September brought historic rains to the west Texas South Plains. Beginning late on the 10th, and persisting through the 12th, numerous rain showers impacted the region. The wet weather pattern was exacerbated by copious atmospheric moisture remnant from the eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Lowell, which overspread west Texas on southwesterly winds aloft in advance of a large western U.S. storm system.

Between 06:00 CST on the 11th and 04:00 CST on the 12th, Lubbock received it's highest ever twenty-four hour rainfall total of 7.80 inches. The onset of particularly heavy rain rates began during the afternoon rush hour. Numerous vehicles became disabled in the rising waters on Lubbock city streets - twenty-eight of which were closed due to flooding during the evening hours.

Swollen playa lakes flooded 137 homes and businesses. More than twenty structures suffered complete inundation of the ground level story. Lubbock city officials deployed more than 5,000 sandbags in an attempt to control some of the flooded playas, and fire fighters conducted several high water rescues during the night - including the rescue of a mother and three year old child who became stranded in rising water while attempting to flee their flood-threatened home at Buffalo Springs Lake around 01:00 CST on the 12th.

A State of Emergency was declared by Lubbock Mayor, Tom Martin. Lubbock area schools and government offices were closed on the 12th due to the flooding impact. At least one displaced Lubbock resident accepted sheltering in the United Spirit Arena - which was prepared to accept Gulf Coast evacuees in advance of Hurricane Ike. The city of Lubbock sought up to $4.5 million in assistance from state and federal officials as a result of the flood and associated response.

Heavy rainfall and flooding additionally resulted in closed roads and public impacts in a number of other South Plains counties. Farm to Market Road 1585 was reportedly inundated in southern Hockley County, and a home was threatened by a swollen playa in Levelland. A number of flooded secondary roadways also were reported in Lynn County, where at least two sink-holes developed and threatened a structure in Tahoka after more than 5.00 inches of rain fell there. Roads, farm land, and farm equipment were reportedly inundated by flood waters over portions of Hale and Floyd Counties, including along Texas Highway 54 between Petersburg and Abernathy (Hale County). A number of structures in Floydada (Floyd County) where threatened, but not damaged. However, unofficial rainfall measurements of 12.00 inches were recorded in Dougherty (Floyd County).

During the heavy rainfall, 8.79 inches of rain was measured at White River Lake (Crosby County). The rain and resultant runoff caused the lake level to rise eleven feet. The lake, which was as much as thirty-two feet lower than its full-depth mark through much of the summer, quadrupled its water capacity during the event.

Lubbock's previous twenty-four hour record rain total of 5.82 inches was set in October of 1983 when the area was impacted by the remnants of Pacific Hurricane Tico.

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 Sep 11, 2:43 PM CST, 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 11, 2:43 PM CST, 17 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
343 PM CDT THU SEP 11 2008

.SHORT TERM...
BAND OF RAIN SHOWERS ORIENTED SW-NE ACROSS THE FA TODAY HAS BEEN
VERY SLOWLY LIFTING NORTHWARD AND EXPANDING WESTWARD. THE SHOWERS HAVE BEEN
VERY EFFICIENT RAINFALL PRODUCERS DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF DEEP
MOISTURE AT THE SFC AND ALOFT...AND A WEAK BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS
THE FA. RAINFALL IN THIS PERSISTENT BAND HAS RANGED FROM ABOUT AN
1.0 TO 2.0 INCHES ACROSS LUBBOCK COUNTY TO MORE THAN 3 INCHES ACROSS
PORTIONS OF MOTLEY...HALL AND CHILDRESS COUNTIES. THIS HAS CAUSED
SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING ISSUES ACROSS THIS AREA.

CURRENT FCST TRENDS INDICATE A GENERAL WEST-NORTHWEST SHIFT TO THE
MOST PERSISTENT/HEAVY RAIN AREAS TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY TOMORROW.
THIS WILL BE DUE TO THE RICH SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE /INCLUDING FROM
TROPICAL DEPRESSION LOWELL IN THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA/ BEING ENTRAINED
INTO THE SW FLOW ACROSS NEW MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS AHEAD OF A TROUGH
IN THE DESERT SOUTHWEST INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THE TRACK OF THE
DEEP MOISTURE PLUME/TROUGH SHOULD FAVOR OUR WESTERN COUNTIES.

GIVEN THE RICH MOISTURE...LOW-LVL BOUNDARY AND SOME LARGE-SCALE
ASCENT FROM THE APPROACHING TROUGH...RAIN CHANCES WILL CONTINUE TO
BE HIGH FOR MOST OF THE AREA THOUGH FRIDAY...WITH HIGHEST CHANCES
WEST AND THE LOWEST SE. RADAR/SAT TRENDS ALSO INDICATE A LARGE AREA
OF LIFT/SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS SRN NM/FAR WEST TEXAS...HEADING N-NE.
HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A FLOOD WATCH FOR ROUGHLY THE WEST HALF OF THE
FA DUE TO THESE FACTORS AND THE ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT OF HEAVY
RAINFALL TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. IT APPEARS THAT THE GREATEST
CONCENTRATION OF ACTIVITY WILL BE ACROSS THE WESTERN
ZONES...BYPASSING THE AREAS HIT HARDEST TODAY. BUT EXPECTED RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS THE WEST WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SOME
AREAS OF FLOODING.

HAVE CONTINUED TREND OF UNDERCUTTING TEMP GUIDANCE AND A SMALL
DIURNAL TEMP RANGE. HIGH TEMPS MAY NOT MAKE IT OUT OF THE 60S ACROSS
FAR SW PANHANDLE ON FRIDAY WHILE WE MAY SEE LOWER 80S ACROSS THE SRN
ROLLING PLAINS.

&&

.LONG TERM...
MODELS AGREE THAT A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO PUSH THROUGH THE SOUTH
PLAINS FRIDAY NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING...AS AN UPPER TROUGH STRETCHES
FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS TO THE NORTHERN BAJA OF CALIFORNIA...
PROGRESSING SLOWLY EASTWARD. THERE IS ALSO A WEAK LOW ACROSS THE
NORTHERN BAJA...WITH MODELS HINTING AT THIS FEATURE BEING
STATIONARY. THIS WEAK LOW COULD AID IN CONTINUALLY INDUCING THE
STREAM OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE TO PUSH NORTH ACROSS THE SOUTH
PLAINS. HOWEVER...THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS BEGIN TO DIVERGE A BIT.

THE DISAGREEMENT IS IN REGARDS TO HURRICANE IKE. THE ECMWF AND THE
GFS ARE MORE SIMILAR TO EACH OTHER VERSUS THE NAM. THE NAM HAS IKE
STAYING FAR SOUTH MAKING LANDFALL AROUND CORPUS CHRISTI...WITH A TRACK
TAKING IT TO THE NORTHEAST CLOSING IN TO OUR EASTERN ZONES. THE
GFS AND ECMWF TRACKS IT FURTHER NORTH NEAR GALVESTON TOWARDS
HOUSTON. THEY BOTH TRACK IT TO THE NORTHEAST AS WELL...BUT WITH
THIS SOLUTION...IT MAY NOT HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR CWA. WILL
CONTINUE TO TREND TOWARDS AN AVERAGE OF THE ECMWF AND GFS
SOLUTION. AS A RESULT...POPS WILL WILL DECREASE AS WE HEAD INTO
MONDAY.

THE REST OF THE PERIOD LOOKS DRY...AS AN UPPER HIGH BUILDS OFF TO
OUR NORTHWEST.

&&

.AVIATION...
PREVAILING MVFR CIGS AT KLBB AND KCDS WILL BECOME IFR THIS
EVE...THEN RISE SLOWLY AGAIN LATE FRIDAY MORNING. AREAS OF DRIZZLE
AND FOG OVERNIGHT WILL RESULT IN PERIODS OF LIFR CEILINGS/IFR-LIFR
VSBYS. HEAVIER SHOWERS MAY ALSO BRING ON TEMPORARY IFR/LIFR VSBYS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FRIONA        63  72  60  76  57 /  80  80  50  30  20
TULIA         64  75  62  76  61 /  80  70  50  40  30
PLAINVIEW     65  76  64  76  62 /  70  70  50  40  30
LEVELLAND     64  77  65  78  60 /  70  70  50  40  30
LUBBOCK       66  78  65  77  62 /  70  60  50  40  40
DENVER CITY   65  80  65  80  59 /  70  60  50  40  40
BROWNFIELD    66  80  65  80  61 /  70  60  50  40  40
CHILDRESS     68  82  68  78  67 /  80  60  50  50  40
SPUR          67  81  65  81  66 /  70  50  50  50  50
ASPERMONT     69  84  67  82  70 /  60  30  40  50  50

&&

.LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: TXZ021>023-027>029-033>035-039-040.

&&

33/29/33

The radar

The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 33 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Lubbock

When: September 11, 3:00 PM CST to September 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lubbock County, 5.68 mi W of Wolfforth to 2.9 mi E of Slaton
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $4.5 million
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 33.491, -102.118

Flood, Hockley

When: September 11, 3:00 PM CST to September 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hockley County, 1.95 mi NNW of Clauene to 1.01 mi NE of Clauene
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 33.496, -102.393

Flood, Floyd

When: September 11, 3:00 PM CST to September 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Floyd County, 1.74 mi S of Floydada to 1.57 mi N of Floydada Muni Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 33.955, -101.330

Flood, Hale

When: September 11, 3:00 PM CST to September 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hale County, 0.59 mi WSW of Abernathy to 1.86 mi SW of Alley
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 33.827, -101.860

Flood, Lynn

When: September 11, 3:00 PM CST to September 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lynn County, 1.54 mi N of Skeen to 8.54 mi WSW of Wilson
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 33.142, -101.777

Flood, Crosby

When: September 11, 3:00 PM CST to September 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Crosby County, 5.71 mi NNE of Canyon Vly to 6.3 mi S of Crosbyton Muni Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 33.473, -101.283

Flash Flood, Garza

When: September 12, 9:25 AM CST to 10:45 AM CST
Where: Garza County, 1.25 mi WSW of Southland to 1.81 mi W of Pleasant Vly
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $80,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.343, -101.570

The Garza County Sheriff's Office reported that persistent heavy rainfall resulted in rapidly flowing water over portions of U.S. Highway 84 between Post and Southland. Authorities conducted high water rescues when at least eight vehicles were swept off of the highway. No injuries were reported. In addition, a number of other roadways across Garza County were reportedly flooded.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, September 2008

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: 134536, 134537, 134539, 134540, 134541, 134542, 134535.