Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, December 23 to 26, 2011

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, December 23 to 26, 2011
Start: 2011-12-23T22:00
End: 2011-12-26T02:00
Location: Texas

December 23 to 26, 2011 · NWS LUB · 19 events in 19 counties and zones

S. into West Texas on the 24th.

Where it happened

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.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 19

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 LUB wrote it up.

A strong slow moving upper level closed low pressure system moved out of the southwest U.S. into West Texas on the 24th. This system persisted and remained nearly stationary throughout the day on the 24th and 25th bringing significant accumulating snowfall to the region. Generally light to moderate snow fell across much of the South Plains and western Rolling Plains beginning late on the 23rd and ending early in the morning on the 26th. The western Rolling Plains saw mostly rain as temperatures were too warm for accumulating snowfall. From the late morning hours to the mid afternoon on the 24th, a band of heavy snow developed extending from Cochran County into southern Hale County. This band of snowfall quickly dumped between four to ten inches of snow.

Snowfall reports from NWS Cooperative Weather Observers, emergency managers, law enforcement and NWS storm spotters are as follows:

Cotton Center (Hale County)...10.0 inches, Spade (Lamb County)...10.0 inches, Littlefield (Lamb County)...9.5 inches, Levelland (Hockley County)...6.5 inches, Morton (Cochran County)...6.5 inches, Hale Center (Hale county)...6.0 inches, Anton (Lamb County)...6.0 inches, Abernathy (Hale County)...5.0 inches, Tulia (Swisher County)...5.0 inches, Olton (Lamb County)...5.0 inches, Lockney (Floyd County)...5.0 inches, Denver City (Yoakum County)...4.5 inches, Plains (Yoakum County)...4.0 inches, Tokio (Terry County)...4.0 inches, Friona (Parmer County)...4.0 inches, Plainview (Hale County)...4.0 inches, Silverton (Briscoe County)...4.0 inches, Vigo Park (Briscoe County)...3.5 inches, Ropesville (Hockley County)...3.0 inches, Northfield (Motley County)...3.0 inches, Shallowater (Lubbock County)...3.0 inches, Lubbock (Lubbock County)...3.0 inches, Crosbyton (Crosby County)...2.5 inches, Flomot (Motley County)...2.0 inches, Matador (Motley County)...2.0 inches, Turkey (Hall County)...2.0 inches, Lake Alan Henry (Garza County)...2.0 inches, Tahoka (Lynn County)...2.0 inches, Brownfield (Terry County)...2.0 inches, Muleshoe (Bailey County)...2.0 inches, Slaton (Lubbock County)...1.5 inches, Floydada (Floyd County)...1.5 inches, Hart (Castro County)...1.0 inch, Dimmitt (Castro County)...1.0 inch, Roaring Springs (Motley County)...1.0 inch, Jayton (Kent County)...1.0 inch, and Memphis (Hall County)...1.0 inch.

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 Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 23, 9:53 PM CST, 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 23, 9:53 PM CST, 7 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
953 PM CST FRI DEC 23 2011

.UPDATE...
UPDATED HAZARDS/POPS/TEMPS ACCORDINGLY THROUGH THE NIGHT.

HAVE UPGRADED COCHRAN AND YOAKUM COUNTIES TO A WINTER STORM
WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH CHRISTMAS EVE. DYNAMIC SCENARIO UNFOLDING
AT THIS TIME AS HEAVY SNOW BANDS HAVE TAKEN AIM ON OUR FAR SWRN
COUNTIES DUE MOSTLY TO A STEADY 700MB WARM CONVEYOR AS SAMPLED BY
THE 00Z MAF RAOB. BANDED SEGMENTS PER REGIONAL 88D DATA IMPLY THE
PRESENCE OF SOME INSTABILITY /PERHAPS CSI/ AND EARLIER CALLS FOR
GROUND TRUTH REVEALED HEAVY SNOW FALLING IN YOAKUM COUNTY WITH
AROUND TWO INCHES HAVING ALREADY ACCUMULATED. ADD TO THIS DISTINCT
CLOUD TOP COOLING AND A MARKED INCREASE IN STRATIFORM SNOWFALL
OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE TRANS-PECOS /ASSOCIATED WITH AN AMPLIFYING
UPPER JET CORE/ AND WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WIDESPREAD FOUR INCH OR
GREATER TOTALS WILL BE DEALT TO YOAKUM AND COCHRAN COUNTIES. OPTED
TO LEAVE TERRY COUNTY OUT OF THE WARNING FOR NOW AS THE HEAVY SNOW
BANDING IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN TO THEIR WEST TONIGHT GREATLY
LIMITING THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD FOUR INCH TOTALS. WE WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS OVERNIGHT FOR ANY POSSIBLE CHANGES.

OTHERWISE...A QUICK INSPECTION OF THE NEW NAM REVEALS A FAIR
LEVEL OF CREDIBILITY FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS DRY NORTHERLY LOW-
LEVEL FLOW WILL GREATLY IMPEDE THE NORTHWARD PROGRESS OF SNOW. WE
STILL EXPECT SNOW TO EXPAND EAST AROUND 09Z TONIGHT ACROSS OUR FAR
SOUTHERN ZONES...BUT THIS APPEARS TO REMAIN MORE STRATIFORM AND
LIGHTER IN NATURE COMPARED TO THE BANDED/HEAVY SNOW STRUCTURES
PRESENTLY IN PLACE FROM LEA THROUGH YOAKUM COUNTIES.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
FRIONA        21  38  22  46  19 /  20  10  10  10  10
TULIA         22  39  25  42  21 /  10  10  20  20  10
PLAINVIEW     23  38  25  40  22 /  10  20  30  20  10
LEVELLAND     26  33  25  39  21 /  60  40  30  20  10
LUBBOCK       27  35  25  38  23 /  20  50  40  30  10
DENVER CITY   26  30  25  40  20 / 100  60  40  20  10
BROWNFIELD    26  30  25  39  21 /  80  60  50  20  10
CHILDRESS     25  45  28  39  26 /   0  10  20  30  20
SPUR          27  38  28  40  25 /  10  40  40  30  10
ASPERMONT     27  40  28  43  26 /  10  40  30  20  10

&&

.LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST SATURDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: TXZ027-034-040-041.

WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: TXZ033-039.

&&

93

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 23, 9:01 PM CST, 59 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
901 PM CST FRI DEC 23 2011

TXZ021>044-250300-
PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE-
FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING-
YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL-
901 PM CST FRI DEC 23 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

WINTER WEATHER

SNOW CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD FROM EASTERN NEW MEXICO INTO
THE SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS LATE THIS EVENING. LOCATIONS ALONG
AND WEST OF A MULESHOE TO LEVELLAND TO TAHOKA LINE COULD RECEIVE
LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. A WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH THE DAY
SATURDAY FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. HEAVIER SNOWFALL WILL
BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH PLAINS WHERE
ACCUMULATIONS COULD REACH NEAR 4 INCHES. THEREFORE...A WINTER
STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE FAR SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH
PLAINS GENERALLY WEST OF A WHITEFACE TO SEAGRAVES LINE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

SNOW WILL SLOWLY EXPAND ACROSS THE REST OF THE SOUTH PLAINS INTO
THE ROLLING PLAINS DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...AND POSSIBLY LAST
THROUGH SUNDAY. ACCUMULATIONS WILL MOSTLY BE AROUND AN INCH OR
TWO...EXCEPT WEST OF A MORTON TO SEAGRAVES LINE WHERE TWO TO FOUR
INCH ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE. WINTER WEATHER PRODUCTS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY. THE CHANCES FOR SNOW WILL
EVENTUALLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST LATE ON SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY REPORTS OF SNOWFALL TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LUBBOCK.

JORDAN

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 winter weather, 6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Hale

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Hale forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.071, -101.827 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lamb

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Lamb forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.069, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Cochran

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Cochran forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.604, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hockley

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Hockley forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.608, -102.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yoakum

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Yoakum forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.173, -102.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Terry

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Terry forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.174, -102.335 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Parmer

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Parmer forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.530, -102.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Castro

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Castro forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.530, -102.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Swisher

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Swisher forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Briscoe

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Briscoe forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Hall

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.531, -100.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Motley

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Motley forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.074, -100.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Floyd

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Floyd forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.072, -101.303 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Bailey

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Bailey forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.069, -102.830 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Lubbock

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Lubbock forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Crosby

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Crosby forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.615, -101.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Kent

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Kent forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.181, -100.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Garza

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Garza forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.180, -101.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Lynn

When: December 23, 10:00 PM CST to December 26, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Lynn forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.177, -101.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, December 2011

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: 353268, 353269, 353270, 353271, 353272, 353273, 353274, 353275, 353276, 353277, 353278, 353279, 353280, 353281, 353282, 353283, 353284, 353285, 353286.