A line of thunderstorms developed across the western South Plains and slowly moved east early in the morning hours of the 8th. A portion of the line generated a wind gust to 58 mph in Memphis (Hall County).
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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.
A line of thunderstorms developed across the western South Plains and slowly moved east early in the morning hours of the 8th. A portion of the line generated a wind gust to 58 mph in Memphis (Hall County).
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 Oct 8, 3:43 AM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 443 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 .SHORT TERM... LARGE SCALE LIFT WAS FINALLY SPREADING OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING AS A CLOSED LOW WAS PUSHING NORTHEAST INTO COLORADO. THE ONGOING CONVECTION WAS FOLLOWING CLOSELY TO FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING IN THE 800-750MB LAYER ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THIS LAYER IS PROGGED TO SLOWLY WEAKEN THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING. THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST THIS MORNING...EVENTUALLY OFF THE CAPROCK BY THE AFTERNOON AND RETREAT THIS EVENING AS A DRYLINE. STRONGER UPPER LEVEL LIFT WILL IMPINGE ON THE AREA ON SUNDAY MORNING AS A TROUGH AXIS DIGS MUCH FURTHER SOUTH. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WILL CONTINUE TO BE HIGH TODAY WITH VALUES AROUND 1.4 INCHES OFF THE CAPROCK AND DRIER ON THE CAPROCK BEHIND THE DRYLINE. HOWEVER...PW WILL INCREASE AGAIN TONIGHT ON THE CAPROCK AS THE DRYLINE RETREATS SUPPORTIVE OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN THREATS. MODEL SOUNDINGS OFF THE CAPROCK REMAIN SATURATED THROUGH THE SHORT TERM WITH A SLOWER PROGRESSION ON THE CAPROCK TONIGHT. STORMS WILL BE MOVING QUICKLY AGAIN TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING BUT WILL BE TRAINING CREATING THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT. SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY WILL BE BETWEEN 500 AND 1000 J/KG TODAY AND TONIGHT BUT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED OVER A LARGE DEPTH OF THE SOUNDING. MOST ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO BE OFF THE CAPROCK THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING TRANSITIONING TO AREAS FURTHER WEST BY SUNDAY MORNING. JDV && .LONG TERM... MODERATELY AMPLIFIED UPPER LEVEL TROUGH STILL EXPECTED TO SWING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY WITH THE GFS CLOSER TO BULK OF SOLUTIONS AND PREFERRED. SLIGHTLY WEAKER CYCLOGENESIS WITHIN THE INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH SHOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE RETURN BACK TO THE WEST...SO WE HAVE TRIMMED PRECIPITATION CHANCES OVER WESTERN ZONES SUNDAY WHICH AGREES PRETTY WELL WITH LATEST HPC OUTPUT. THIS ALSO MAKES IT LESS CERTAIN FOR THE AXIS OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN THREAT TO LINGER LONG ENOUGH OVER OUR EASTERN ZONES FOR A SUBSTANTIAL FLOODING THREAT TO EXIST. THE BURN SCARS MENTIONED BY YESTERDAYS DAY-SHIFT WOULD NEED LESS RAIN FOR BOTH FLOODING AND MUD SLIDE CONCERNS...BUT WILL HANDLE WITHIN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NOW. DRIER AIR WILL FOLLOW EARLY MONDAY AS SHOWER CHANCES DIMINISH WEST TO EAST. A FLAT UPPER TROUGH EXPECTED TO PASS LATE TUESDAY. STILL MIXED SUPPORT FOR LIGHT SHOWER CHANCES AND WE WILL PASS ON THIS ISSUE UNTIL WE HAVE A BETTER IDEA WHAT THE WEEKEND SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE. GRADUAL WARMING MUCH OF THE WEEK TEMPERED SLIGHTLY BY A WEAK FRONTAL PUSH EARLY WEDNESDAY. PACIFIC TROPICAL MOISTURE MAY FLIRT WITH OUR AREA AGAIN IN ABOUT A WEEK...TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD TO LATCH ONTO ANY CONSISTENT TRENDS. MINOR CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS FORECAST MONDAY AND BEYOND. RMCQUEEN && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 70 44 66 42 74 / 20 30 40 10 10 TULIA 71 49 67 45 74 / 50 40 50 10 10 PLAINVIEW 71 55 67 46 74 / 50 50 60 10 10 LEVELLAND 73 53 69 47 75 / 30 50 50 10 10 LUBBOCK 74 57 69 49 75 / 50 60 60 20 10 DENVER CITY 74 56 71 49 75 / 30 60 50 10 10 BROWNFIELD 75 58 70 49 75 / 30 70 60 20 10 CHILDRESS 76 60 70 51 77 / 80 70 80 50 10 SPUR 73 61 69 50 76 / 80 70 80 40 10 ASPERMONT 76 64 73 53 77 / 80 80 80 50 10 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 01/05
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 455 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 TXZ021>044-091000- PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE- FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING- YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL- 455 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT CONVECTIVE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE AREA THIS MORNING IN RESPONSE TO A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALIZED FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGHOUT THE DAY. DURING THE MORNING HOURS...THESE STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP EARLY SUNDAY...MAINLY EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 27 AND HIGHWAY 87 CORRIDOR. THESE STORMS MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING CONCERNS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE AREAS BURNED OVER FROM WILD-FIRES EARLIER THIS YEAR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TODAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 130 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 TXZ027-080700- BAILEY- 130 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO BAILEY COUNTY... AT 124 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM LOCATED NEAR THE TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO STATE LINE...ABOUT 31 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MULESHOE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 55 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE BLOWING DUST...SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. MRC LAT...LON 3430 10304 3430 10262 3383 10297 3383 10304 TIME...MOT...LOC 0629Z 220DEG 44KT 3395 10305
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
202 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011
TXZ021-022-027-028-033-034-039-040-080745-
BAILEY-CASTRO-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LAMB-PARMER-TERRY-YOAKUM-
202 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR
YOAKUM...TERRY...COCHRAN...HOCKLEY...LAMB...BAILEY...CASTRO AND
PARMER COUNTIES...
AT 158 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 16 MILES NORTHEAST
OF FRIONA TO 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF PLAINS...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...CONTINUOUS CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS
TREES. ADDITIONALLY...THE STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING
DUST AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE
UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
23
LAT...LON 3475 10199 3451 10200 3298 10262 3296 10305
3474 10303
TIME...MOT...LOC 0700Z 271DEG 41KT 3474 10245 3333 10307SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 245 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 TXZ022-023-027>029-033>035-039>041-080830- BAILEY-CASTRO-COCHRAN-HALE-HOCKLEY-LAMB-LUBBOCK-LYNN-SWISHER-TERRY- YOAKUM- 245 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS YOAKUM...TERRY...COCHRAN...HOCKLEY...LUBBOCK...LAMB...BAILEY.. .HALE...SWISHER AND CASTRO COUNTIES... AT 240 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF DIMMITT TO 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PLAINS. INDIVIDUAL STORM CELLS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH WHILE THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE BLOWING DUST...SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED. MRC LAT...LON 3473 10149 3297 10214 3298 10300 3473 10236 TIME...MOT...LOC 0741Z 275DEG 32KT 3472 10221 3298 10296
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
330 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011
TXZ023-024-028>030-034>036-039>041-080930-
BRISCOE-CROSBY-FLOYD-HALE-HOCKLEY-LAMB-LUBBOCK-LYNN-SWISHER-TERRY-
YOAKUM-
330 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS
YOAKUM...TERRY...LYNN...HOCKLEY...LUBBOCK...CROSBY...LAMB...HALE
...FLOYD...BRISCOE AND SWISHER COUNTIES...
AT 326 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF
TULIA TO 26 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BROWNFIELD...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS
TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE
PASSED.
JDV
LAT...LON 3296 10276 3431 10206 3431 10199 3442 10200
3470 10185 3471 10102 3299 10176 3295 10234
TIME...MOT...LOC 0830Z 268DEG 38KT 3463 10165 3301 10262SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
458 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011
TXZ023>025-029>031-035>037-041>043-081100-
BRISCOE-CROSBY-DICKENS-FLOYD-GARZA-HALE-HALL-KENT-LUBBOCK-LYNN-
MOTLEY-SWISHER-
458 AM CDT SAT OCT 8 2011
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS
LYNN...GARZA...KENT...LUBBOCK...CROSBY...DICKENS...HALE...FLOYD
...MOTLEY...HALL...BRISCOE AND SWISHER COUNTIES...
AT 455 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 12 MILES NORTHWEST
OF SILVERTON TO 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TAHOKA...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS
TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE
PASSED.
JDV
LAT...LON 3304 10207 3473 10164 3471 10047 3298 10074
3298 10207
TIME...MOT...LOC 0958Z 273DEG 36KT 3462 10137 3306 10194The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:11 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site in Memphis measured a wind gust to 58 mph. No damage was reported.
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, October 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: 346386.