High Wind in Texas, March 30, 2009

Name: High Wind in Texas, March 30, 2009
Start: 2009-03-30T13:42
End: 2009-03-30T15:33
Location: Texas

March 30, 2009 · NWS AMA · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

Strong gradient winds developed during the afternoon hours across the western and central Texas Panhandle. No damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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 AMA wrote it up.

Strong gradient winds developed during the afternoon hours across the western and central Texas Panhandle. No damage or injuries were reported.

The broadcast media measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty-four knots at the Oasis RV Resort located three miles east of Bushland.

The ASOS station located three miles southwest of Dalhart measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty-three knots.

The West Texas Mesonet station located two miles northwest of Hereford measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty knots.

The broadcast media measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty-two knots at the Administrative Building located in Hereford.

The AWOS station located three miles west of Dumas measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty-one knots.

The ASOS station located six miles east northeast of Amarillo measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty-five knots.

The broadcast media measured a non-thunderstorm wind gust of fifty-four knots in Groom.

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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 30, 10:36 AM CST, 3 hours 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 10:36 AM CST, 3 hours 6 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1136 AM CDT MON MAR 30 2009

.AVIATION...
COLD FRONT IS JUST ABOUT READY TO MOVE THROUGH DHT AND THEN SHOULD IT
SHOULD MAKE IT DOWN TO AMA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL
DECREASE SOME BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AND WILL BE NORTH TO NORTHEAST.
WINDS SHOULD COME BACK DOWN INTO THE 10 TO 15 KNOT RANGE OVERNIGHT AS
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN TO OUR WEST. WINDS MAY PICK UP CLOSE
TO 20 KNOTS AT THE GUY TAF SITE BEFORE NOON ON TUESDAY AS PRESSURE
GRADIENT REMAINS TIGHT IN THIS AREA. SKIES WILL REMAIN VFR WITH THE
BEST CHANCE OF ANY MID LEVEL CLOUDS AT THE GUY TAF SITE.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1059 AM CDT MON MAR 30 2009/

UPDATE...
UPDATED FORECAST TO INCREASE TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE TEXAS PANHANDLE.
BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONS...THINK MAX TEMPS CAN
INCREASE TO AROUND 70 DEGREES ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE BEFORE THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. WILL LEAVE CURRENT
WIND ADVISORY AS IS FOR NOW.

TAB

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 643 AM CDT MON MAR 30 2009/

AVIATION...
MAIN WX PROBLEM TODAY WILL BE THE WIND. STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM AND THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
REGION TODAY. SFC WINDS TO RAMP UP BY MID MORNING AND CONTINUE THRU
AFTERNOON HOURS. AVIATION WEATHER WARNING HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR
THE KAMA SITE FOR GUSTS APCHG OR EXCEEDING 40KT AT TIMES FROM 15Z
UNTIL 02Z. PERIODS OF CLOUDINESS TODAY AS STORM SYSTEM PASSES BY TO
OUR NORTH. NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED AT ANY OF THE TAF SITES AT THIS
TIME OTHER THAN PERHAPS A FEW SPRINKLES AT KGUY AND KDHT.

ANDRADE

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 342 AM CDT MON MAR 30 2009/

DISCUSSION...
CENTER OF THE LOW HAS ALREADY DUG INTO EASTERN CO/WESTERN KS.
THEREFORE THE FASTER NAM SOLUTION...BRINGING THE COLD FRONT
COMPLETELY THROUGH THE REGION BY 00Z LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK. THEREFORE
HAVE TRENDED MAX TEMPS DOWN...IN LINE WITH THE MET GUIDANCE...AND
HAVE REFLECTED AN EARLY FROPA IN THE WIND GRIDS. IN ADDITION...MODELS
ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A SMALL AREAL OF MID LEVEL
FORTOGENESIS COULD DEVELOP BEHIND THE SURFACE FRONT THIS
AFTERNOON...MAINLY OVER THE NORTHWESTERN ZONES. CONSIDERING HOW DRY
THE AIR MASS IS...EXPECT LITTLE MORE THAN SPRINKLES...HOWEVER ENOUGH
UNCERTAINTY TO INCLUDE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR WESTERN OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLE.

AHEAD OF THE FRONT...EXPECT THE CENTER OF THE LOW TO BE OVER THE AMA
CWA...RESULTING IN SLIGHTLY LIGHTER WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT THAN
PREVIOUSLY EXPECTED...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE. HOWEVER...WITH THE COLD FRONT ARRIVING DURING MAXIMUM
DIURNAL MIXING...THE REGION SHOULD SEE AN ABRUPT INCREASE AND SHIFT
IN WINDS WITH THE FRONT. FOR THIS REASON HAVE CONTINUED THE WIND
ADVISORY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...AND HAVE EXTENDED IT
TO BEGIN AT 15Z...TO ACCOUNT FOR THE EARLIER ARRIVAL.

IN THE LATEST MODEL RUNS...THE GFS SHOWS A MUCH MORE SOUTHERLY TRACK
FOR THE MID WEEK LOW...PUTTING THE PANHANDLES IN A MUCH BETTER
POSITION FOR PRECIPITATION. THEREFORE...INCREASED POPS TO CHANCE. THE
MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE STILL SOMEWHAT INCONCLUSIVE ON PRECIPITATION
TYPE...BUT CONSIDERING THE TIMING OF THE PRECIP...BETWEEN 00Z AND
12Z...HAVE GONE WITH RAIN CHANGING OVER TO A RAIN AND SNOW MIX.

JUST AS THE GFS SHOWED A DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT SOLUTION FOR THE MID
WEEK SYSTEM...IT SHOWS AN EQUALLY DIFFERENT SOLUTION FOR THE SATURDAY
SYSTEM. THE 00Z RUN OF THE GFS SHOWS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ON
SATURDAY NOW TRACKING ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE...LEAVING MUCH OF
THE REGION IN THE DRY SLOT. HOWEVER...CONSIDERING THE JUMPINESS OF
THE MODELS...HAVE KEPT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS IN THE FORECAST FOR
SATURDAY.

SJOHNSON

FIRE WEATHER...
FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL INCREASE TODAY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE...SPECIFICALLY DONLEY AND COLLINGSWORTH COUNTIES...AS
STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AND
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL DROP TO NEAR 15 PERCENT. THE REST OF
THE REGION WILL LIKELY SEE WIND SPEEDS NEAR OR BELOW 20 MPH AHEAD OF
THE FRONT. THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH THROUGH THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON...BRINGING AN ABRUPT INCREASE AND SHIFT IN THE WINDS.
BEHIND THE FRONT...NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER THE FRONT HAS PASSED.
THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK...COOLER WEATHER AND CHANCES OF
PRECIPITATION WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...WILL KEEP FIRE WEATHER
CONCERNS LOW.

SJOHNSON

&&

.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DEAF SMITH...
     DONLEY...GRAY...OLDHAM...POTTER...RANDALL...WHEELER.

OK...NONE.

&&

15/10

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 30, 12:09 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
109 PM CDT MON MAR 30 2009

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-311100-
ARMSTRONG-BEAVER-CARSON-CIMARRON-COLLINGSWORTH-DALLAM-DEAF SMITH-
DONLEY-GRAY-HANSFORD-HARTLEY-HEMPHILL-HUTCHINSON-LIPSCOMB-MOORE-
OCHILTREE-OLDHAM-POTTER-RANDALL-ROBERTS-SHERMAN-TEXAS-WHEELER-
109 PM CDT MON MAR 30 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES.

.DAY ONE...

A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN LOW PRESSURE TO OUR NORTH AND HIGH
PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL CAUSE WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35
MILES AN HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. THEREFORE...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT
FOR THE SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING.

ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE FOUND ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
TEXAS PANHANDLE DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS COMBINED WITH LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES.

IN ADDITION...CAUTION IS ADVISED ON AREA LAKES ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLES THROUGH THIS EVENING DUE TO NORTH WINDS
OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

GOEHRING

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Potter

When: March 30, 1:42 PM CST to 1:43 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hartley

When: March 30, 2:00 PM CST to 2:01 PM CST
Where: Hartley forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 35.840, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Deaf Smith

When: March 30, 2:00 PM CST to 2:01 PM CST
Where: Deaf Smith forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 34.966, -102.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Deaf Smith

When: March 30, 2:05 PM CST to 2:06 PM CST
Where: Deaf Smith forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 34.966, -102.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Moore

When: March 30, 2:25 PM CST to 2:26 PM CST
Where: Moore forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 35.838, -101.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Potter

When: March 30, 3:16 PM CST to 3:17 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Carson

When: March 30, 3:32 PM CST to 3:33 PM CST
Where: Carson forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.404, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, March 2009

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: 155733, 155782, 155783, 155784, 155785, 155734, 155786.