An upper level storm system tracked over the South Plains of West Texas during the day on the second. This disturbance and abundant low level moisture created widespread freezing drizzle across region.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 LUB wrote it up.
An upper level storm system tracked over the South Plains of West Texas during the day on the second. This disturbance and abundant low level moisture created widespread freezing drizzle across region. Light ice accumulations were quickly observed after precipitation began. A vehicle accident with a fatality occurred on Interstate 27 in Hale County south of Hale Center at 0447 CST. Texas Department of Transportation officials determined that ice accumulation on a bridge was to blame for the driver losing control of his vehicle. Later on the second and during the early morning hours of the third, isolated thunderstorms developed. After the thunderstorms ceased, temperatures dropped to near 32 degrees which created icy road conditions and contributed to several vehicle accidents in the city of Lubbock on the morning of the third. No serious injuries were reported in Lubbock. Additionally with this event, snowfall totals of less than one inch were observed across the southwestern Texas Panhandle.
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 Dec 1, 11:53 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 1153 PM CST THU DEC 1 2011 .AVIATION... CONDITIONS HAVE LOWERED TO LOW END MVFR AT BOTH TERMINALS WITH GOOD POTENTIAL TO HEAD INTO IFR TERRITORY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS ALONG WITH FCST ICING CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURE AT KLBB JUST COMING TO THE FREEZING MARK. GIVEN FORECAST LOWS...BY THE TIME SOME OF THE EARLY MORNING CARGO FLIGHT OPERATIONS BEGIN...WE COULD SEE AN ICY GLAZE FORMING ON RUNWAY SURFACES WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE AN EFFECT ON BRAKING ACTION. FREEZING DRIZZLE AND OCCASIONAL FREEZING RAIN ALONG WITH A LESSER CHANCE OF SLEET WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. KCDS WILL HAVE A SHORTER WINDOW OF FROZEN PRECIP TOWARD SUNRISE. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE SLOWLY FRIDAY MORNING YIELDING UNCERTAINTY IN THE RETURN TO LIQUID PRECIPITATION. WARM FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH IN THE AFTERNOON AND AGAIN INCREASE THE RISK OF DZ/RA ALONG WITH POTENTIAL FOR FOG INTO THE EVENING. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 919 PM CST THU DEC 1 2011/ UPDATE... CURRENT FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK FOR TONIGHT. MODEL GUIDANCE /NAM/ HAS COME IN PERHAPS A FEW DEGREES COOLER OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY WHICH IS IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS THAT CLOUD DECK WILL PREVENT MUCH IN THE WAY OF INCREASING TEMPERATURES DURING THE DAY. LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF AN ICY GLAZE REMAIN POSSIBLE TOWARD SUNRISE FRIDAY MORNING PARTICULARLY ABOVE 3000 FT ELEVATIONS. SUSPECT THAT HIGHS ACROSS THE LLANO ESTACADO WILL HOVER VERY NEAR FREEZING MUCH OF THE DAY AND THUS PROBABLY ALLOW ROADWAYS TO COLLECT NOT MUCH MORE THAN A BIT OF SLUSH. INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...SECOND AND PERHAPS MORE IMPRESSIVE ROUND OF PRECIPITATION WILL ENTER THE REGION. THERE REMAINS SOME QUESTION AS TO THE TIMING OF RETURN FLOW BECOMING ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE AREA WHICH WOULD SERVE TO INCREASE TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT SO THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FACTORED IN AS WELL. STILL...IN OUR NORTHWEST...SOUNDINGS STILL HAVE SOME INDICATION OF A SNOW SLEET MIX FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. CURRENT SET OF WATCH/ADVISORY PRODUCTS LOOK TO HAVE THINGS WELL PLACE AND WILL LEAVE THOSE AS-IS FOR NOW. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 339 PM CST THU DEC 1 2011/ SHORT TERM... A WINTER-LIKE STORM SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO INFLUENCE WEATHER ON THE SOUTH PLAINS TONIGHT. A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE DAY FRIDAY. THE COLD FRONT WHICH PUSHED THROUGH THE SOUTH PLAINS THIS MORNING HAS MOVED SOUTHWARD TO ALONG/SOUTH THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR. CURRENT VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A DEEP/CLOSED UPPER AIR LOW OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. POST FRONTAL CLOUDS ARE NOW GRADUALLY SPREADING SOUTH OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE/NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. TIGHT MSLP GRADIENTS IN WAKE OF THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSLATE SOUTHWARD THIS EVENING AND WILL LIKELY SUPPORT CONTINUED NORTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH. THIS AS SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW INCREASES ATOP THE LOW LEVEL COLD DOME. ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE/WAA PROCESSES CONTINUE TO APPEAR SUPPORTIVE OF WIDESPREAD FREEZING DRIZZLE...PERHAPS VERY LIGHT FREEZING RAIN. FORECAST PROFILES SATURATE THE LOW LEVELS WITHIN UPGLIDE ASCENT FIRST OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE/ NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS DURING THE 03-06Z TIMEFRAME...THEN SOUTH AND EASTWARD OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA BY 06-10Z. SURFACE TEMPERATURES APPEAR TO WET BULB/FALL BELOW FREEZING IN CONCERT WITH THE ONSET OF SURFACE PRECIPITATION EVERYWHERE EXCEPT OVER THE SOUTHERN ROLLING PLAINS. THE MOST PRONOUNCED ASCENT IS SEEN WITHIN THE 295-305K SURFACE BEGINNING AROUND 09-12Z...AND THIS IS REFLECTED IN SREF MEASURABLE FREEZING RAIN PROBABILITIES THAT INDICATE A 50-60 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS ALONG BROAD CORRIDOR CENTERED FROM ROUGHLY TATUM TO PLAINVIEW BETWEEN 12-18Z. THE FOCUS FOR LIFT/ASCENT WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD TOWARD THE ROLLING DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS FRIDAY...WHERE SLIGHTLY BETTER PRECIPITATION RATES MAY OCCUR IN LIQUID FORM GIVEN WARMER PROFILES. PRECIPITATION CHANCES MAY BRIEFLY SUBSIDE OVER THE WESTERN SOUTH PLAINS/EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE DURING THE AFTERNOON AS FLOW BECOMES MORE PARALLEL TO THE ISENTROPIC SURFACES AND BEFORE DYNAMICAL FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROACHING PARENT UA LOW REMAINS SPREAD EAST. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE TOP OF THE SHALLOW SATURATED LAYER NEVER EXCEEDS TEMPERATURES OF -3 TO -5 DEGREES C THROUGH FRIDAY. THIS ARGUES STRONGLY FOR DRIZZLE/VERY LIGHT RAIN AS THE DOMINANT PRECIPITATION TYPE. THE MAGNITUDE OF FORCING AND DEPTH OF SATURATION ADDITIONALLY SUGGESTS THAT PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHT. THUS ICING SHOULD BE LIMITED TO ONLY A GLAZE OR LIGHT ACCUMULATION LESS THAN ONE QUARTER INCH OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE AND NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 29-32 DEGREES F WILL BE MARGINAL FOR SURFACE ICING OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN PANHANDLE AND CENTRAL/SOUTHERN SOUTH PLAINS THROUGH ROUGHLY 18Z FRIDAY. THEREAFTER MODESTLY WARMING SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 30S MAY PRECLUDE ICING IN THOSE AREAS. LONG TERM... CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY NIGHT ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL GREATLY INCREASE IN THE 295K LAYER WITH 40 TO 50KT OF FLOW ON THE THETA SURFACE. LARGE SCALE LIFT STILL KICKS OUT EARLY SATURDAY WITH NO DEVIATION FROM THE PREVIOUSLY FORECASTED STRENGTH. THERE WILL BE NO SHORTAGE OF LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING AS THE UPPER LEVEL WAVE MOVES OVER THE AREA. MAXIMUM FORCING WILL BE FAVORED OVER AREAS ON THE CAPROCK. THERE IS A STRONG POTENTIAL FOR THE LARGE SCALE LIFT TO INTERACT WITH THE LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS EARLY SATURDAY. THE NAM IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH THE TEMPERATURE PROFILES FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY DEPICTING A COOLER SOLUTION THAN OTHER MODEL GUIDANCE. THE NAM KEEPS COOLER SURFACE TEMPERATURES UNDER LIGHT EASTERLY FLOW WHILE OTHER MODELS SHOW STRONG SSE WINDS BRINGING IN STRONG WAA. THIS FORECAST WILL CONTINUE TO SPLIT THE WARM AND COOL SOLUTIONS WITH A FAVORING TOWARDS THE WARMER SOLUTION. EXPECT A FULL CHANGE OVER TO RAIN ACROSS THE ROLLING PLAINS AND FOR AREAS ON THE CAPROCK EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE AND NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. AS THE COLUMN BECOMES SATURATED BY LATE FRIDAY...THE TEMPERATURE PROFILE WILL BECOME EVEN MORE CRITICAL WITH ONLY A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN TEMPERATURES COULD MEAN EITHER A HEAVY SNOW...HEAVY RAIN OR HEAVY FREEZING RAIN EVENT. THIS UNCERTAINTY WILL MOSTLY BE ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE. BEST PROBABILITY ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE WILL BE FREEZING RAIN ON FRIDAY EVENING CHANGING OVER TO EITHER SNOW OR RAIN BY EARLY SATURDAY. ICE ACCUMULATIONS COULD APPROACH ONE QUARTER INCH ACROSS THIS AREA WITH ONE TO TWO INCH OF SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY...A WINTER STORM WATCH WILL BE ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE AND NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS FOR FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. ADDITIONALLY...LAPSE RATES BECOME STEEP EARLY SATURDAY MORNING SUGGESTING A POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED THUNDER WITHIN THE FREEZING PRECIPITATION. BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING...STRONG DOWNGLIDE WILL SPREAD OVER THE AREA THOUGH MUCH OF THE AREA WILL STILL BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LOW STRATUS. THE LOWEST LEVELS WILL RAPIDLY DRY OUT ENDING PRECIPITATION BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY EVENING LEADING TO A COLD SUNDAY MORNING. IN FACT MUCH OF THE WEEK WILL BE COLD WITH THE REGION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SURFACE RIDGING AND EASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW. ANOTHER SHOT OF PRECIPITATION MAY OCCUR ON MONDAY AS THE UPPER LOW TO THE WEST MOVES OVER THE AREA AS A POSITIVELY TILTED TROUGH. MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE THE POTENTIAL FOR ALL SNOW ALTHOUGH ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT. JDV && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 24 29 29 33 19 / 60 60 80 50 10 TULIA 25 32 32 38 22 / 60 60 80 50 10 PLAINVIEW 27 34 33 43 23 / 60 60 80 50 10 LEVELLAND 28 34 33 46 23 / 60 60 80 30 10 LUBBOCK 29 36 34 47 24 / 60 60 80 50 10 DENVER CITY 29 35 35 53 24 / 60 60 80 30 10 BROWNFIELD 29 36 35 53 25 / 60 60 80 40 10 CHILDRESS 31 35 35 53 27 / 60 60 80 80 10 SPUR 32 34 34 56 27 / 60 60 80 80 10 ASPERMONT 34 37 37 58 28 / 60 60 80 80 10 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: TXZ021>025-027>031-033>037-039>042. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: TXZ021>024-027>029-033-034. && 99/99/26
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 1108 PM CST THU DEC 1 2011 TXZ021>044-030515- PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE- FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING- YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL- 1108 PM CST THU DEC 1 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP AND SPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTH PLAINS REGION DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS FRIDAY. A LIGHT GLAZE OF ICE WILL BE POSSIBLE ON SOME EXPOSED SURFACES...ESPECIALLY OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAPROCK AND ADJACENT ROLLING PLAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL BE ONGOING FRIDAY MORNING...AND WILL PERSIST THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE DAY... ESPECIALLY OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE AND NORTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. A LIGHT GLAZE OR ACCUMULATION OF ICE IS POSSIBLE. A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 6 PM CST. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE SOUTHWEST PANHANDLE AND NORTHWEST SOUTH PLAINS DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW AND OR ICE. LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ALSO MAY OCCUR MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... AREA LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY REPORTS OF WINTER WEATHER AND ITS IMPACTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LUBBOCK.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather, Hale | 2011-12-02 | 69 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 2011
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: 350837, 350838.