just north of Farm to Market Road 2473. The wildfire consumed seventeen thousand acres which was measured using the Global Positioning System from a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 AMA wrote it up.
The Magic City Wildfire began around 1135 CST about four miles east of Kellerville in Wheeler County...just north of Farm to Market Road 2473. The wildfire consumed seventeen thousand acres which was measured using the Global Positioning System from a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter. A total of forty-four various fire departments and other agencies responded to the wildfire including the Texas Forest Service. The wildfire was determined to have been caused by transmission lines. Four firefighters were injured due to smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion and fifteen head of cattle were lost. Three hundred and fifty homes and sixty businesses were saved. However...twenty-six outbuildings and eight residential structures were lost. Of those eight residential structures...five were occupied and three were unoccupied. Twelve residential structures were reported to have been damaged. None of the residents were injured. The wildfire was fully contained by 0900 CST on 04/12/09.
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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 4, 10:52 AM CST, 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1152 AM CDT SAT APR 4 2009
.UPDATE...
UPDATED THE FORECAST TO EXPAND THE HIGH WIND WARNING TO COVER ALL OF
THE AMA CWA. LATEST OBS FROM PAMPA AND CANADIAN SHOW NEAR OR ABOVE
HIGH WIND CRITERIA. ALSO UPDATED DEW POINTS FOR CURRENT TRENDS AS
DRIER AIR THAN EXPECTED IS FILTERING INTO THE REGION.
SJOHNSON
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 646 AM CDT SAT APR 4 2009/
AVIATION...
STRONG SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN
THROUGH THE 12Z TAF PERIOD. WHAT APPEARS TO BE A PRE FRONTAL TROF
WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE PANHANDLES THIS MORNING...SHIFTING WINDS TO
THE WEST AT 25 TO 35 KTS...WITH GUSTS ABOVE 40 KTS. BY THIS
AFTERNOON...SUSTAINED WINDS SHOULD RANGE FROM 30 TO 35 KTS AREAWIDE
AND GUSTS MAY APPROACH 50 KTS AT THE TERMINALS. THESE STRONG WINDS
MAY RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WHICH MAY TEMPORARILY REDUCE
VSBYS TO MVFR CATEGORY DURING THE AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY AT KAMA. A
COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT KGUY AROUND 00Z...KDHT AT 01Z
AND AT KAMA AROUND 03Z. THIS WILL SHIFTING WINDS TO THE NORTH AT 25
TO 30 KTS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR 40 KT GUSTS CONTINUING THROUGH
06Z. THE CURRENT AVIATION WEATHER WARNING FOR KAMA AND TRADEWIND
AIRPORTS RUNS FROM 12Z THIS MORNING THROUGH 00Z THIS EVENING BUT MAY
NEED TO BE EXTENDED IN TIME THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. OTHER THAN
THE POTENTIAL VSBY RESTRICTIONS FROM BLOWING DUST...VFR CONDITIONS
ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE PERIOD.
JOHNSON
DISCUSSION...
INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS WILL LEAD
TO VERY WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS TODAY. WIND
SPEEDS SHOULD EASILY EXCEED THE 40 MPH THRESHOLD FOR SEVERAL
HOURS...ESPECIALLY ON THE CAPROCK. A HIGH WIND WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR
THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND FOR ALL OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE EXCEPT THE
EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARTS OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. A WIND
ADVISORY WAS ISSUED FOR AREAS OUTSIDE THE HIGH WIND WARNING. BY
MIDDAY...BLOWING DUST IS LIKELY TO DEVELOP. VISIBILITIES SHOULD
REMAIN WELL ABOVE ONE MILE DUE TO THE RECENT WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION
EVENTS. HOWEVER...WE WOULD NOT RULE OUT ISOLATED AREAS EXPERIENCING
LOW VISIBILITIES...ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLES
WHERE WINDS WILL BE STRONG FOR A LONGER PERIOD.
STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...BUT NOT WITH
THE SAME INTENSITY EXPECTED TODAY. WINDS ARE LIKELY TO MEET WIND
ADVISORY CRITERIA AND TO STAY JUST BELOW THE WARNING THRESHOLD. FOR
SIMPLICITY THOUGH...NWS AMARILLO DECIDED TO EXTEND THE WARNING TO
05/06Z WITH ANTICIPATION OF DOWNGRADING TO A WIND ADVISORY ONCE WIND
SPEEDS STARTED TO TAPER DOWN DURING THE EVENING.
COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE IN STORE FOR SUNDAY AS THE CANADIAN AIRMASS
SETTLES OVER THE AREA. THIS COOL TREND WILL PERSIST INTO MONDAY WHILE
NORTHWEST FLOW REMAINS ALOFT. THE TRANSITION WILL BE TUESDAY WHEN AN
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS OVERHEAD AND SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNS AT THE
SURFACE.
MODELS STILL POINT AT WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY FOR THE NEXT
WEATHER SYSTEM TO AFFECT THE PANHANDLES. WHILE STRONG WINDS WILL BE
THE PRIMARY CONCERN...WE WILL MAINTAIN THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN FOR
THE NORTH AND EAST AS THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SPLITS THE AREA.
ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM COULD TARGET THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND FOR
PRECIPITATION. BASED ON THE RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY OF THE ECMWF...THE
GRIDS FOR NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT LEANED TOWARDS THE
ECMWF GUIDANCE. SUNDAY MAY GIVE US THE BEST CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
FOR THIS FORECAST PACKAGE...STARTING OFF AS RAIN WITH THE POSSIBILITY
OF SNOW DURING THE LATTER PHASE OF THE EVENT. IT DEFINITELY BEARS
WATCHING.
NUNEZ
FIRE WEATHER...
VERY STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL CREATE VERY CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. THEREFORE...A RED
FLAG WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. ELEVATED FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE WHERE
SLIGHTLY HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITIES SHOULD EXIST THIS AFTERNOON.
A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE PANHANDLES THIS EVENING...USHERING
COOLER AIR ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. AS A RESULT...FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS WILL BECOME LOW TO MODERATE ON SUNDAY AND SHOULD PERSIST
INTO MONDAY.
NUNEZ
&&
.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DALLAM...DEAF SMITH...
DONLEY...GRAY...HANSFORD...HARTLEY...HEMPHILL...
HUTCHINSON...LIPSCOMB...MOORE...OCHILTREE...OLDHAM...
POTTER...RANDALL...ROBERTS...SHERMAN...WHEELER.
RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DALLAM...DEAF
SMITH...DONLEY...GRAY...HANSFORD...HARTLEY...HEMPHILL...
HUTCHINSON...LIPSCOMB...MOORE...OCHILTREE...OLDHAM...
POTTER...RANDALL...ROBERTS...SHERMAN...WHEELER.
OK...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BEAVER...CIMARRON...TEXAS.
&&
03/16TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 1221 PM CDT SAT APR 4 2009 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-051100- ARMSTRONG-BEAVER-CARSON-CIMARRON-COLLINGSWORTH-DALLAM-DEAF SMITH- DONLEY-GRAY-HANSFORD-HARTLEY-HEMPHILL-HUTCHINSON-LIPSCOMB-MOORE- OCHILTREE-OLDHAM-POTTER-RANDALL-ROBERTS-SHERMAN-TEXAS-WHEELER- 1221 PM CDT SAT APR 4 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE... VERY STRONG WINDS WILL IMPACT THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES TODAY AND TONIGHT. A HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND ALL OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE 1 AM SUNDAY MORNING. WIND GUSTS ABOVE 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES ACROSS ALL OF THE PANHANDLES THIS AFTERNOON...RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. A DUST STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN...SOUTH CENTRAL... AND CENTRAL PARTS OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE UNTIL 1 AM. THE STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES TO CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING FOR ALL OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES...WHERE A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS ALL OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES AS DRY SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASE AGAIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. COCKRELL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1059 AM CDT SAT APR 04 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1034 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SW DALHART 36.03N 102.55W
04/04/2009 M59 MPH HARTLEY TX ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA0901170
SFJPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1112 AM CDT SAT APR 04 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1030 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 NW HEREFORD 34.84N 102.42W
04/04/2009 M59 MPH DEAF SMITH TX MESONET
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA0901171
JCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1133 AM CDT SAT APR 04 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1120 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 ENE HEREFORD 34.86N 102.33W
04/04/2009 M58 MPH DEAF SMITH TX AWOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA0901172
JCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1154 AM CDT SAT APR 04 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1145 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 6 ENE AMARILLO 35.22N 101.72W
04/04/2009 M63 MPH POTTER TX ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA0901173
JCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1159 AM CDT SAT APR 04 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1140 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 ENE HEREFORD 34.86N 102.33W
04/04/2009 M59 MPH DEAF SMITH TX AWOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA0901174
JCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1200 PM CDT SAT APR 04 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1112 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 N BORGER 35.70N 101.40W
04/04/2009 M61 MPH HUTCHINSON TX ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA0901175
JCThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2009
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: 155726.