High Wind in Texas, April 5, 2010

Name: High Wind in Texas, April 5, 2010
Start: 2010-04-05T14:10
End: 2010-04-05T14:11
Location: Texas

April 5, 2010 · NWS AMA · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A tight surface pressure gradient across the south central Texas Panhandle during the afternoon hours resulted in strong non-thunderstorm wind gusts. No damage or injuries were reported.

Where it happened

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.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

A tight surface pressure gradient across the south central Texas Panhandle during the afternoon hours resulted in strong non-thunderstorm wind gusts. No damage or injuries were reported.

At 1410 CST...a fifty-two knot non-thunderstorm wind gust was measured at the Amarillo ASOS station located at the Rick Husband International Airport six miles east northeast of Amarillo.

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 Apr 5, 11:45 AM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 5, 11:45 AM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1245 PM CDT MON APR 5 2010

.AVIATION...
LITTLE CHANGE TO TAFS AS WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN OVER
THE NEXT 24 HOURS. LEE SIDE TROUGH INTENSIFYING WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS
INCREASING BETWEEN 25 AND 30 KNOTS THIS AFTERNOON.. WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. WINDS DECREASE A LITTLE BIT AROUND 02Z BUT WILL REMAIN IN THE
15 TO 20 KNOT RANGE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. INTRODUCED A NEW FM
GROUP TO RAMP UP WINDS AGAIN ON TUESDAY...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS
INCREASING TO NEAR 30 KNOTS.

TAB

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 651 AM CDT MON APR 5 2010/

AVIATION...
WIND WILL BE THE MAIN WEATHER ELEMENT THIS TAF CYCLE AS SFC TROF OF
LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS...RESULTING IN A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE DAY. WINDS SHOULD BE THE STRONGEST FROM
LATE MORNING UNTIL NEAR SUNSET...THEN DIMINISH SOMEWHAT DURING THE
NIGHTTIME HOURS.

ANDRADE

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 405 AM CDT MON APR 5 2010/

DISCUSSION...
WIND REMAINS THE MAIN WEATHER STORY FOR THE REGION OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL DAYS. TODAY THE REGION WILL BE FLIRTING WITH WIND ADVISORY
CRITERIA AS A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS ON THE LEE SIDE OF THE ROCKIES AND
THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SLIDES EAST ACROSS THE ROCKIES.
HOWEVER...THE LARGEST PRESSURE GRADIENT AND THE LARGEST 700 MB HEIGHT
GRADIENT ARE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CWA...IN THE SOUTHEASTERN TX
PANHANDLE...AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE...RESPECTIVELY. IN
ADDITION...THE CENTER OF THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL LOW ONLY COMES AS
CLOSE AS WY OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. IN ADDITION...THE TRENDS OF THE
LAST FEW MODEL RUNS HAVE BEEN DECREASING WINDS AND SMALLER HEIGHT AND
PRESSURE GRADIENTS AS COMPARED TO PREVIOUS RUNS. THEREFORE DID NOT
ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY...BUT WILL WATCH CLOSELY ESPECIALLY THE 12Z
SOUNDINGS.

ON TUESDAY...THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL LOW DOES COME CLOSER AS IT
SLIDES OVER WESTERN KS. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL CONTINUE
TO BE QUITE LARGE AS THE SURFACE LOW SLOWLY LIFTS NE. THIS WILL BE A
GOOD SET UP FOR STRONG GRADIENT SW WINDS. HOWEVER...ON THE BACK SIDE
OF THIS LOW...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION...LIKELY
AFTER 18Z. BEHIND THE FRONT...THE WIND WILL BE MOSTLY
AGEOSTROPHIC...AND THUS LIGHTER THAN WIND AHEAD OF THE FRONT.
REGARDLESS OF THE TIMING OF THE FRONT...WIND ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE
NEEDED FOR AT LEAST PART OF THE REGION. HOWEVER...IF THE FRONT IS
AS SLOW AS THE GFS MOS IS SHOWING...SOME LOCATIONS MAY BE IN HIGH
WIND WARNING CRITERIA. FORECAST FAVORS THE FASTER NAM SOLUTION
BECAUSE THE MODELS ARE SHOWING A STRONG JET IN THE LOW AND MID
LEVELS ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE LOW...INSTEAD OF THE BACK SIDE OF THE
LOW. THIS WOULD SUGGEST A MORE PROGRESSIVE LOW. THE STRONG MID AND
UPPER LEVEL JET COULD LEAD TO MID AND UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENT FLOW OVER
THE REGION...ESPECIALLY THE NE PANHANDLES. THEREFORE...INCLUDED
SLIGHT CHANCE POPS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR NORTHERN
AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE SOME MODEST
INSTABILITY...HOWEVER...CONSIDERING THAT THIS PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE
OCCURRING POST-FRONTAL...HAVE KEPT THE PRECIPITATION TYPE AS RAIN
SHOWERS FOR NOW.

WIND COULD BE A FACTOR AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY DEPENDING ON HOW
PROGRESSIVE THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL LOW IS. HAVE INCLUDED GFS MOS
WINDS FOR NOW...WHICH SHOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA BETWEEN 12 AND 18Z
WEDNESDAY...BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THESE WINDS NEED TO BE
ADJUSTED DOWN IF THE LOW IS MORE PROGRESSIVE.

STAYED VERY CLOSE TO GFS MOS FOR THURSDAY AND BEYOND IN ORDER TO
SPEND MORE TIME FOCUSING ON THE NEXT 3 DAYS. COULD SEE ANOTHER NEARLY
VERTICALLY STACKED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BY NEXT MONDAY...BUT THERE IS
LITTLE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF. THEREFORE...HAVE KEPT THE
FORECAST DRY IN THE EXTENDED FOR NOW.

SJOHNSON

FIRE WEATHER...
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
TODAY...SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS
THE ENTIRE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. WITH NEAR RECORD HIGH
TEMPERATURES...MOST OF THE REGION SHOULD ALSO SEE RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES BETWEEN 5 AND 15 PERCENT. ACROSS THE FAR SE TX PANHANDLE...THE
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES MAY NOT DROP TO 15 PERCENT UNTIL MID
AFTERNOON...WHEN THE DRY LINE PUSHES EAST OF THE PANHANDLES. TONIGHT
THERE WILL BE A VERY POOR RECOVERY OF RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT. TOMORROW WILL BE
VERY SIMILAR TO TODAY...WITH ONE EXCEPTION. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED
TO PUSH THROUGH THE PANHANDLES FROM NW TO SE BEGINNING TOMORROW
AFTERNOON. THIS WILL BRING AN ABRUPT WIND SHIFT TO NORTHWESTERLY
WINDS...BUT ALSO A QUICK RECOVERY WITH RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES. FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS SHOULD DECREASE FROM WEDNESDAY ON AS COOLER
WEATHER WILL LEAD TO HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES.

SJOHNSON

&&

.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 10 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.

     FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY 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...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BEAVER...CIMARRON...TEXAS.

     FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING
     FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BEAVER...CIMARRON...TEXAS.

&&

10/08

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 5, 8:43 AM CST, 5 hours 27 minutes before

TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
943 AM CDT MON APR 5 2010

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-052100-
ARMSTRONG-BEAVER-CARSON-CIMARRON-COLLINGSWORTH-DALLAM-DEAF SMITH-
DONLEY-GRAY-HANSFORD-HARTLEY-HEMPHILL-HUTCHINSON-LIPSCOMB-MOORE-
OCHILTREE-OLDHAM-POTTER-RANDALL-ROBERTS-SHERMAN-TEXAS-WHEELER-
943 AM CDT MON APR 5 2010

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

.DAY ONE...

THE COMBINATION OF WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES...SOUTHWEST WINDS
OF 25 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS...AND FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES OF 5 TO 15 PERCENT WILL LEAD TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS TODAY ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. AS A
RESULT...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE OKLAHOMA
AND TEXAS PANHANDLES UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING.

IN ADDITION...CAUTION IS ADVISED ON AREA LAKES TODAY AND TONIGHT
DUE TO THE WINDY CONDITIONS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED AGAIN ON TUESDAY
ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO WEST WINDS OF 25 TO
35 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG WITH FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES OF 10 TO 15 PERCENT. AS A RESULT...A FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS
IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES FROM TUESDAY
MORNING THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY EVENING.

IN ADDITION...A WIND ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED ON TUESDAY AND
POSSIBLY WEDNESDAY AS WELL FOR PARTS OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS
PANHANDLES DUE TO THE EXPECTED STRONG WINDS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

TAB

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Potter

When: April 5, 2:10 PM CST to 2:11 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 35.401, -101.894 (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 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 2010

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: 222975.