A vigorous low pressure system in the upper atmosphere moved just south of the Texas Panhandle and produced blizzard conditions across all but the extreme southeast Texas Panhandle. As much as two feet of snow fell across the northeast Texas Panhandle with generally four to twelve inches of snow elsewhere.
Every event with a place to put it; 19 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.
A vigorous low pressure system in the upper atmosphere moved just south of the Texas Panhandle and produced blizzard conditions across all but the extreme southeast Texas Panhandle. As much as two feet of snow fell across the northeast Texas Panhandle with generally four to twelve inches of snow elsewhere. Approximately thirteen hundred residents in southeast Amarillo lost power along with twelve hundred residents in the Darrouzett...Follett...and Higgins areas...and six hundred residents in the Pringle area north of Stinnett. There were one hundred and thirty-six stranded motorists rescued in the Dalhart area and Amarillo police officers worked sixty-seven vehicular accidents due to the blizzard. Preliminary estimates are that about thirty-four hundred cattle were killed in the blizzard. No injuries or fatalities were reported.
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 Mar 26, 6:00 PM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
700 PM CDT THU MAR 26 2009
.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS...STRONG COLD FRONT CURRENTLY ACROSS CENTRAL KS AND SOUTHEAST
CO CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE SOUTH THIS EVENING...RESULTING IN WINDS
SWITCHING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. UPPER TROUGH OVER THE FOUR CORNERS
REGION DIGS FURTHER SOUTHEAST TONIGHT WHILE ITS SFC REFLECTION LOW
IN DIGS SOUTHEAST...AND MOVES INTO EASTERN NM TONIGHT. CURRENT RADAR
LOOPS SHOW LIGHT SNOW SPREADING SOUTHEAST FROM SOUTHERN CO WITH THIS
AREA OF PRECIP MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PANHANDLES BY AROUND 04Z.
POSSIBLE FOR SOME LIGHT RAIN TO AFFECT THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS
EVENING BEFORE STRONG COLD ADVECTION BEHIND FRONT RESULTS IN TEMPS
DROPPING BELOW FREEZING. STRONG UPPER DIVERGENCE WILL AID IN HEAVY SNOWFALL
RATES AND CONTINUED MENTION OF VLIFR/LIFR VISIBILITIES THROUGH MUCH
OF FRIDAY WITH STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS IN PLACE. SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF
AFTER 00Z SAT SO CONTINUED MENTION OF SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS TO
VISIBILITIES THROUGH THEN. CLK
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 354 PM CDT THU MAR 26 2009/
DISCUSSION...
MAJOR WINTER STORM STILL ON SCHEDULE TO BEGIN AFFECTING THE
PANHANDLES THIS EVENINGS. STRONGLY WORDED BLIZZARD AND WINTER STORM
WARNINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED.
IN THE SHORT TERM...SLIGHT CHANCE POPS HAVE BEEN ADDED FOR
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EASTERN PANHANDLE TODAY DUE TO GREATER MOISTURE
AVAILABLE JUST OFF THE CAPROCK. FINALLY STARTING TO SEE SOME CUMULUS
DEVELOP IN THIS AREA NOW AND THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED THIS
EVENING FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. DO NOT ANTICIPATE SEVERE
WEATHER AT THIS TIME DUE TO LIMITED INSTABILITY AND MARGINAL SHEER.
COLD FRONT ALREADY PLUNGING SOUTH THROUGH COLORADO AND KANSAS...WITH
HEAVY SNOW AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OBSERVED IN SOME AREAS BEHIND THE
FRONT...PRIMARILY IN TERRAIN FAVORED LOCATIONS.
MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT ON THE TRACK OF THIS
SYSTEM...BRINGING THE UPPER LOW ACROSS WEST TEXAS JUST SOUTH OF THE
AMARILLO CWA. THIS PUTS OUR AREA IN A VERY FAVORABLE POSITION FOR
HEAVY SNOW. WITH THE ABUNDANT MOISTURE AVAILABLE NEARBY FOR THIS
SYSTEM TO TAP INTO...HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY.
PRECIPITATION MAY BEGIN AS LIGHT RAIN TONIGHT AS DIFFLUENCE ALOFT
GENERATES SOME PRECIPITATION IN AIR WHICH MAY NOT YET BE COLD ENOUGH
FOR SNOW. BUT THIS WILL NOT LAST LONG...AND SNOW WILL BEGIN IN THE
NORTHERN PARTS OF THE AREA WITHIN A FEW HOURS...AND MAKE ITS WAY
SOUTH AND EAST TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE PANHANDLES BY DAYBREAK.
ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT WILL BE HEAVIEST IN TERRAIN FAVORED AREAS
ESPECIALLY ACROSS WESTERN CIMARRON COUNTY IN OKLAHOMA AND ON THE
CAPROCK IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. WINDS IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE AREA
WILL BE IN THE 30 TO 40 MPH RANGE WITH GUSTS OVER 50...LEADING TO
WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES.
BY FRIDAY MORNING...THE LOW WILL BE TURNING THE CORNER AND TRACKING
ACROSS WEST TEXAS...BRINGING THE HEAVIEST SNOW TO THE CENTRAL TEXAS
PANHANDLE AND PROGRESSING EAST AND NORTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY. STRONG
WINDS WILL GRADUALLY LIGHTEN UP THROUGH THE DAY BUT STILL REMAIN HIGH
ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD FOR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. WILL NOT BE
SURPRISED TO SEE REPORTS OF SNOW DRIFTS IN EXCESS OF 10 FEET WHEN ALL
IS SAID AND DONE. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS THEMSELVES WILL RANGE FROM 6
TO 12 INCHES WITH WIDESPREAD AMOUNTS GREATER THAN 12 INCHES. CANNOT
RULE OUT ISOLATED 18 INCH AMOUNTS EITHER. AS THE LOW TRACKS EAST
DURING THE DAY FRIDAY...SOME PERIODS OF NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL
BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES WHERE
THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE
MONITORED AND AN UPGRADE TO A BLIZZARD WARNING FOR THIS AREA MAY BE
NEEDED AS THE SYSTEM DRAWS CLOSER. FOR NOW...CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
TO REMAIN JUST BELOW BLIZZARD CRITERIA...BUT STILL BE EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS. WINTER STORM WARNING ALSO LASTS LONGER UNTIL MIDDAY
SATURDAY TO ACCOUNT FOR A POTENTIALLY SLOWER MOVING STORM AND
CONTINUED BLOWING SNOW. EVEN THOUGH SNOW MAY END EARLY ON
SATURDAY...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW THE SNOW ESPECIALLY IN
THE EASTERN PANHANDLES.
TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN COOL ON SATURDAY BEHIND THE SYSTEM AS AN
EXPECTED DEEP SNOW PACK WILL BE SLOW TO MELT. ALSO UNDERCUT GUIDANCE
TEMPERATURES FOR SUNDAY DUE TO CONTINUED SNOW COVER.
LATER IN THE WEEK WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER
SYSTEM TO BRING RAIN OR SNOW TO THE PANHANDLES ON THE WEDNESDAY OR
THURSDAY TIME FRAME. FOR NOW HAVE CONTINUED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS AND
MENTIONED RAIN OR SNOW IN THE FORECAST...BUT AT THIS TIME MODEL
CONSISTENCY IS NOT VERY GOOD...AND THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM IS NOT
NEAR AS FAVORABLE FOR A MAJOR WINTER EVENT AS THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS.
EVEN SO...THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED.
BLIZZARD AND WINTER STORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN WORDED VERY STRONGLY DUE
TO THE POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING NATURE OF THIS WINTER STORM.
PERSONS CAUGHT OUTSIDE COULD EASILY GET DISORIENTED AND NOT BE ABLE
TO FIND ADEQUATE SHELTER. EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE...AND TRAVEL WILL BE DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. ALL OF
THESE THREATS ARE MENTIONED IN THE WARNING PRODUCTS.
KIMBLE
FIRE WEATHER...
AFTER THE RED FLAG WARNING ENDS TODAY AND THE COLD FRONT BLASTS
THROUGH...HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE AND PRECIPITATION WILL PRECLUDE
FIRE DANGER CONDITIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST.
KIMBLE
&&
.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 1 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: COLLINGSWORTH...DONLEY...GRAY...HEMPHILL...
LIPSCOMB...OCHILTREE...ROBERTS...WHEELER.
BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 7 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...DALLAM...DEAF SMITH...
HANSFORD...HARTLEY...HUTCHINSON...MOORE...OLDHAM...POTTER...
RANDALL...SHERMAN.
OK...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 1 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: BEAVER.
BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 7 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CIMARRON...TEXAS.
&&
05/15TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 600 PM CDT THU MAR 26 2009 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-271100- ARMSTRONG-BEAVER-CARSON-CIMARRON-COLLINGSWORTH-DALLAM-DEAF SMITH- DONLEY-GRAY-HANSFORD-HARTLEY-HEMPHILL-HUTCHINSON-LIPSCOMB-MOORE- OCHILTREE-OLDHAM-POTTER-RANDALL-ROBERTS-SHERMAN-TEXAS-WHEELER- 600 PM CDT THU MAR 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE... THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE EXTREME EASTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE THIS AFTERNOON. ANY THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS AT THIS TIME. WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH ARE EXPECTED TODAY...INCREASING TO 25 TO 35 MPH THIS EVENING. THEREFORE...CAUTION IS ADVISED ON ALL AREA LAKES. A BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT OVER THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PARTS OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES BEGINNING AT 7 PM TONIGHT. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN PARTS OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES BEGINNING AT 7 PM TONIGHT. RAIN THAT WILL SPREAD OVER THE REGION TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING WILL CHANGE TO A RAIN AND SNOW MIX...BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL SNOW LATE TONIGHT. IN ADDITION STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW... REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES...AND CAUSE CONSIDERABLE DRIFTING SNOW. TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE BEGINNING TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... THE BLIZZARD WARNING CONTINUES THROUGH 7 AM SATURDAY MORNING...AND THE WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES THROUGH 1 PM SATURDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES...AND STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS GUSTING TO 50 MPH WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD BLOWING SNOW...WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY AND INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS THE REGION ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 6 TO 12 INCHES WITH AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 12 INCHES COMMON ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO END SATURDAY MORNING BUT BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES MAY LAST THROUGH MIDDAY SATURDAY ESPECIALLY IN THE EASTERN PANHANDLES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOW AMOUNTS AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AMARILLO. KRAUSE
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
19 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotters in both Texline and Dalhart reported fourteen inches of snow along with snow drifts of six to fourteen feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of thirty to forty knots with gusts to fifty-two knots.
A county official in Gruver reported ten inches of snow along with visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of twenty-six to thirty knots with gusts to forty knots.
A trained spotter in Stratford reported eight to ten inches of snow along with snow drifts of eight to twelve feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of thirty to forty knots with gusts to forty-three knots.
A trained spotter in Dalhart reported fourteen inches of snow along with snow drifts to fourteen feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of thirty to forty knots with gusts to fifty-two knots.
The Moore County Emergency Manager's Office reported four to six inches of snow in Dumas along with snow drifts of five to six feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of thirty to forty knots with gusts to forty-eight knots.
The Hutchinson County Emergency Manager's Office reported ten inches of snow in Pringle along with visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...three to four foot snow drifts...and wind gusts of forty knots. The northern part of Hutchinson County was reported to be without power.
Law enforcement in Vega reported twelve to fourteen inches of snow along with snow drifts of five to six feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of thirty to forty knots with gusts to forty-eight knots.
Off-duty National Weather Service meteorologists in Amarillo reported ten to twelve inches of snow along with snow drifts over two feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of twenty-five to thirty knots with gusts to forty knots.
The fire department in Panhandle reported six to eight inches of snow along with snow drifts of two to three feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of twenty-two to thirty knots with gusts to forty knots.
A trained spotter nine miles east northeast of Simms reported twelve inches of snow along with snow drifts of six feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of thirty to forty knots with gusts to forty-three knots.
Off-duty National Weather Service meteorologists in southwest Amarillo reported eleven to fourteen inches of snow along with snow drifts of three to five feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of twenty-six to thirty knots with gusts to forty knots.
The Armstrong County Emergency Manager's Office reported six to eight inches of snow in Claude along with snow drifts of three to four feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and winds of twenty-two to thirty knots with gusts to forty knots.
The broadcast media reported twelve inches of snow along with snow drifts of six to eight feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts of thirty-five knots.
The fire department in Booker reported twelve to eighteen inches of snow along with snow drifts to five feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts to thirty-five knots.
The public in Miami reported eight to ten inches of snow along with visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts to thirty-five knots.
Law enforcement in Canadian reported fifteen inches of snow along with snow drifts of seven feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts to thirty knots.
A cooperative observer in Pampa reported twelve inches of snow along with visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts to forty knots.
A county official in Wheeler reported eleven inches of snow along with snow drifts of four to six feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts to thirty-five knots.
Law enforcement in Clarendon reported four inches of snow along with snow drifts of one to two feet...visibilities of less than one quarter of a mile...and wind gusts to forty knots.
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, March 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: 158842, 158843, 158844, 158845, 158846, 158847, 158848, 158850, 158851, 158852, 158853, 158854, 158855, 158856, 158857, 158858, 158859, 158860, 158861.