Thunderstorms developed early this evening near Hobbs, NM near a residual outflow boundary embedded within a very unstable and strongly sheared enivornment. A few of these storms became supercells and quickly split into left and right movers.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Thunderstorms developed early this evening near Hobbs, NM near a residual outflow boundary embedded within a very unstable and strongly sheared enivornment. A few of these storms became supercells and quickly split into left and right movers. One of these left-moving supercells tracked north-northeast from southwest Yoakum County into southeast Lamb County accompanied by hail as large as baseballs at times.
By early this night, a large and slow-moving squall line erupted in the southwest Texas Panhandle and proceeded to move south-southeast into the northern South Plains before weakening shortly before dawn on the 13th. Scattered instances of downburst winds accompanied this line over the northern South Plains in addition to very heavy rains that resulted in numerous streets being flooded in Tulia and also in Memphis. Scattered heavy rains did help alleviate drought conditions particularly in portions of the extreme southwest Panhandle where heavy spring rains had earlier proved elusive.
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 Jun 12, 5:45 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 645 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 2012 .AVIATION... POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS TOPS THIS FCST. BEST CHANCES LOOK TO BE INITIALLY AT KLBB PERHAPS AS EARLY AS 03Z-05Z BUT PERHAPS A BIT LATER AS REFLECTED IN THE OFFICIAL FORECAST AT PRESENT. CURRENT ACTIVITY SOUTHWEST OF KLBB SOME 100NM OR SO THOUGH WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO CAREFULLY WATCH A CONVECTIVE SYSTEM OUT OF THE NW PANHANDLE WHICH MAY AFFECT BOTH KLBB AND KCDS LATE TONIGHT. OUTSIDE OF STORMS..CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN VFR. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 417 PM CDT TUE JUN 12 2012/ SHORT TERM... PRETTY MUCH IN A HOLDING PATTERN TO SEE HOW THINGS EVOLVE THIS AFTERNOON. TTU AND OUN WRF RUNS ARE ALL SHOWING CONVECTION DEVELOPING ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO/PERMIAN BASIN WITH FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE SOUTH PLAINS. THESE AREAS GRADUALLY CONGEAL INTO A COUPLE OF MCS CLUSTERS...FIRST ONE THE MODELS HINT AT IS ACTIVITY ACROSS THE PERMIAN BASIN MOVING EAST WITH THE SECOND ONE DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND SLIDING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PANHANDLE AND DOWN INTO THE NORTHERN SOUTH PLAINS/ROLLING PLAINS. UNFORTUNATELY THESE SCENARIOS DO NOT BODE TOO WELL FOR THE HUB CITY BUT THERE STILL IS A CHANCE THAT WE COULD SEE SOME ACTIVITY LATER THIS AFTERNOON. LATEST SOUNDING INFORMATION FROM THE TEXAS TECH MESONET INDICATES THAT THERE IS STILL A POST-OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AIRMASS ACROSS THE REGION WITH DEEP BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE UP TO AROUND 700 MB AND A FAIRLY HIGH FREEZING LEVEL. THERE ALSO IS A FAIRLY STRONG CAP OVER THE REGION IN THE TTU SOUNDING THAT WILL NEED SOME HELP ERODING EITHER BY WEAK SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT... COOLING/DRYING ALOFT...OR CONTINUED MIXING OF THE BOUNDARY LAYER AS TEMPERATURES WARM UP. SHEAR PROFILES ARE STILL SUFFICIENT FOR SEVERE WEATHER ALTHOUGH THE HAIL THREAT MAY BE MITIGATED SOMEWHAT BY THE HIGH FREEZING LEVELS. WILL ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THE AMPLE BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE AND INITIAL SLOW STORM MOTION BEFORE STORMS ORGANIZE INTO SOME FORM OF A COMPLEX/SYSTEM. BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A SERIES OF STORM COMPLEXES AFFECTING THE AREA LATE THIS EVENING AND AGAIN POSSIBLY OVERNIGHT...OPTED TO KEEP POPS FAIRLY GENERALIZED TONIGHT THEN TAPER THEM OFF FOR TOMORROW MORNING. CHANCES ONCE AGAIN INCREASE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AS THE NAM HINTS AT ANOTHER COMPLEX TRYING TO DEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND SLIDES TOWARDS THE AREA THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON. JORDAN LONG TERM... BRIEF UL RIDGING WILL EXIST TOMORROW EVENING THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...AS FORECAST MODELS HINT AT AN EMBEDDED DISTURBANCE THAT MAY BE THE SYNOPTIC SPARK TO INITIATE STORMS ALONG THE DRYLINE ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO. ADEQUATE SOUTHWESTERLY MEAN FLOW MAY ALLOW STORMS TO FILTER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TOMORROW NIGHT. LLJ INCREASING TO AOA 30 KTS COMBINED WITH PWATS EXCEEDING 1.00 INCH...LITTLE TO NO CONVECTIVE INHIBITION...AND BEING ABLE TO TAP INTO THE PROGGED SFC-BASED CAPE VALUES OF 1.5-2.5 KG/KG SUGGESTS THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH MODERATE RAINFALL...HAIL AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS THE PRIMARY THREATS. HOWEVER TONIGHTS ANTICIPATED CONVECTION COULD WRECK HAVOC ON TOMORROW NIGHTS SUPPOSED CONVECTION...AS THE DISPLACEMENT OF LINGERING BOUNDARIES COULD SERVE AS /1/ THE FOCUS FOR BEST PRECIP AND /2/ POSSIBLY INDUCE LOWERED DEWPOINTS THAN EXPECTED. WILL OPT TO MAINTAIN MENTIONABLE POPS WITH BEST CHANCES ACROSS THE WEST NEAREST TO THE DRYLINE. STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG THE DRYLINE MAY OCCUR ONCE AGAIN LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON...AS AN UL TROUGH DIGS ESE ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS WHICH WILL PROMOTE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. AS A RESULT...THE DRYLINE WILL MOVE CLOSER TO THE TEXAS/NEW MEXICO STATE LINE AS SOUTHEASTERLY SFC WINDS EAST OF THE DRYLINE SURGES IN DEWPOINTS IN THE 50S AND 60S. SEVERE INDICES MAY BE SIMILAR TO TOMORROW NIGHT /SFC-BASED CAPE AOA 2.5 KJ/KG...LITTLE TO NO CIN AND INVERTED-V SOUNDING PROFILES/...AND THEREFORE POSE A THREAT FOR HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. THEREAFTER...THE AFOREMENTIONED SOUTHWESTERN CONUS UL DISTURBANCE WILL RETROGRADE WEST ACROSS THE PACIFIC OCEAN...AND UA RIDGING WILL COMMENCE ACROSS THE EASTERN CONUS. THIS SYNOPTIC SETUP WILL ALLOW DEWPOINTS TO BE IN THE 50S AND 60S ACROSS THE CWA...AND ALSO CAUSE THE DRYLINE TO LINGER NEAR THE TEXAS/NEW MEXICO LINE FRIDAY-SUNDAY. LONG TERM SOLUTIONS FIRE STORMS ALONG THE DRYLINE AND ADEQUATE SOUTH TO SOUTHWESTERLY MEAN FLOW SUGGESTS THE POTENTIAL FOR STORMS TO FILTER ACROSS THE WESTERN ZONES EACH AFTERNOON/EVENING DURING THE SAID PERIOD. EARLY NEXT...THE GFS AND TO A LESSER EXTENT THE ECMWF DISPLAY A BROAD UA LOW DIGGING ESE ACROSS THE CENTRAL/HIGH PLAINS...WITH ITS SOUTHERN PERIPHERY MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS MONDAY...AND THUS ENCOURAGING FLOW ALOFT TO EVOLVE TO A SLIGHT NORTHWEST FLOW. WEST TO NORTHWEST SFC WINDS WILL SHIFT THE DRYLINE TO OFF THE CAPROCK MONDAY NIGHT...AND REMAINING THERE THROUGH THE END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. AN INCOMING COLD FRONT MAY PROVIDE ANOTHER FOCUS FOR STORMS ESPECIALLY IF IT IS CAPABLE OF INTERACTING WITH THE LINGERING DRYLINE. WILL HOWEVER MAINTAIN SILENT POPS BEYOND SUNDAY NIGHT...GIVEN THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN COULD DIFFER BY DAY 7. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 61 89 64 92 63 / 60 30 30 20 20 TULIA 64 88 64 91 64 / 60 30 20 20 20 PLAINVIEW 65 88 65 91 66 / 60 30 20 20 20 LEVELLAND 68 90 67 94 66 / 60 30 20 20 20 LUBBOCK 67 89 69 93 68 / 60 30 20 20 20 DENVER CITY 69 94 70 94 67 / 60 30 30 20 20 BROWNFIELD 69 92 70 94 67 / 60 30 20 20 20 CHILDRESS 68 89 70 92 69 / 60 30 20 20 20 SPUR 69 91 69 93 69 / 60 20 20 20 20 ASPERMONT 71 93 72 95 73 / 60 20 20 20 20 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 99/99/26
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 1132 AM CDT TUE JUN 12 2012 TXZ021>044-131645- PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE- FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING- YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL- 1132 AM CDT TUE JUN 12 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT CONVECTIVE THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...BUT WILL BE GREATEST ACROSS THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN PANHANDLE AND THE WESTERN SOUTH PLAINS. STRONG AND COOL EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS EMANATING FROM THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED ACROSS THE PANHANDLE EARLY THIS MORNING HAVE STABILIZED THE AIR MASS ACROSS THE AREA AND HAVE SHIFTED THE CONVERGENCE ZONE ALONG THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WELL WEST AND SOUTH OF THE AREA. THIS BOUNDARY IS UNLIKELY TO SHIFT TOO FAR TO THE NORTH THIS AFTERNOON DESPITE SOME HEATING DURING THE AFTERNOON. THUS... THE MAIN FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM INITIATION IS LIKELY TO BE OUTSIDE THE OUTLOOK AREA. THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM TO THE WEST OF THE AREA ON THE HIGH TERRAIN OF NEW MEXICO WILL MOVE TO THE EAST AND ARE EXPECTED TO ENTER THE WESTERN SOUTH PLAINS AREA THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...HEATING THAT OCCURS THIS AFTERNOON WILL CAUSE SOME DESTABILIZATION OF THE AIR MASS IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA...AND UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FROM AN UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK AND DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS MAY RESULT IN SOME THUNDERSTORM INITIATION WELL NORTH AND EAST OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AS WELL. IN BOTH OF THESE SCENARIOS ENOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE PRESENT AND WINDS IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE PARTS OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR SOME STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE WITH HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. ISOLATED TORNADOES AND MINOR FLOODING WILL BE A LESSER RISK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE PRIMARY THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:58 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A swath of quarter size hail west and northwest of Plains. No damage was reported.
An intense anticyclonic supercell produced a hailswath up to baseball size as it moved north-northeast across eastern Cochran County. In some locations such as Whiteface, no rain, but only large hail accompanied the supercell's passage. Although sporadic property and crop damage likely occurred in eastern Cochran County, no reports were received.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
A storm spotter estimated wind gusts to 60 mph with torrential rain and near zero visibility.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Law enforcement estimated hail up to quarter size with winds of 45-50 mph and zero visibility in torrential rain.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Very heavy rain flooded many side roads and intersections in Tulia. The Highway 87 underpass just southwest of town was temporarily closed after being inundated with up to two feet of water.
Measured by the Plainview AWOS. Also, a storm chaser nearby estimated a gust to 70 mph at the same time.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet.
Repeated heavy rains resulted in areas of flooding on Highway 287 in Memphis. Farther west, mud flows were observed spreading over Highway 256 just west of Lesley and also near Lakeview in northern Hall County. No evidence of damage to any roads was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, June 2012
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: 377114, 377116, 377120, 377121, 377122, 377123, 377124, 377125, 377126, 377127, 377128, 377129, 377130, 377131, 377132.