Hail and High Wind in Texas, March 26, 2012

Name: Hail and High Wind in Texas, March 26, 2012
Start: 2012-03-26T18:58
End: 2012-03-26T21:49
Location: Texas

March 26, 2012 · NWS AMA · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms developed during the evening hours and produced some hail across much of the central and northern Texas Panhandle. There were a few reports of non-thunderstorm damaging wind gusts due to decaying showers.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: $87,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

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 Mar 26, 6:20 PM CST, 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 26, 6:20 PM CST, 38 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
720 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

.UPDATE...
UPDATED THE FORECAST TO BEEF THE POPS UP A LITTLE IN THE CENTRAL
SECTIONS OF THE PANHANDLES. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE GOTTEN A
LITTLE MOVE ACTIVE ALONG A SURFACE TROUGH IN THE WESTERN PANHANDLES.
TEMPERATURES HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO WARM A LITTLE MORE THAN THE REST
OF THE AREA AS CLOUDS HAVE THINNED IN THE WEST.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 632 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012/

AVIATION...
FOR THE 00Z TAFS...ISOLATED SHOWERS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE
TEXAS PANHANDLE ALTHOUGH WITH A FAIRLY STOUT MID-LEVEL CAP IN
PLACE...EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO REMAIN ISOLATED AND DIMINISH AFTER
SUNSET. HAVE RETAINED A CB REMARK AT THE KAMA TERMINAL THROUGH 02Z AS
IT LOOKS LIKE KAMA WILL STAND THE BEST CHANCE OF SEEING A STRAY STORM
ALTHOUGH CHANCES OF THIS LOOK PRETTY SLIM. OTHERWISE EXPECT GUSTY
SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS THROUGH 02Z WHICH BY THEN WINDS WILL
DIMINISH TO AROUND 15 KTS. A WEAK FRONT WILL SAG INTO THE OKLAHOMA
AND NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE TUESDAY MORNING...RESULTING IN WINDS
SHIFTING TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST. THIS FRONT WILL STALL NORTH OF THE
KAMA TERMINAL SO EXPECT SOUTHWEST WINDS FOR TUESDAY. WINDS WILL BE
LIGHTER WITH SPEEDS AROUND 10-15 KTS AS A SURFACE TROUGH SLIDES
ACROSS THE PANHANDLES.

CLK

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 506 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012/

DISCUSSION...
FOR TNGT...WEAK SHORTWAVE TROF TO TRAVERSE W TX AND SRN HIGH PLAINS.
MOSTURE RETURN IS AWFULLY SHALLOW AT THIS TIME...AND THERE IS A
REASONABLE MID LEVEL CAPPING INVERSION PRESENT AS PER KAMA 12Z
SOUNDING DATA. CU FIELD FORMING ALONG SFC TROF OR PSEUDO DRYLINE AXIS
LYING ACROSS WRN TX PNHDL SWD THRU WRN PARTS OF KMAF FCST AREA.
DECIDED TO RETAIN SLGT CHC POPS CNTRL AND ERN SECTIONS FOR THIS
EVENING IN THE EVENT ISOLD STORMS MANAGE TO GET GOING ALONG THIS SFC
FEATURE. ANY THREAT FOR TSTMS SHOULD DIMINISH RAPIDLY LATER THIS
EVENING. WINDS WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH AS WELL.

LATEST PROGS NOW SUGGEST SFC TROF OR PSEUDO DRYLINE WILL STALL OUT IN
ERN ZONES LATER TUESDAY AS OPPOSED TO MOVG INTO OK. IF THIS VERIFIES...
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL NOT BE SCOURED OUT COMPLETELY...AND WILL
RETURN QUICKER TO THE AREA. SOME THREAT EXISTS FOR PSBL TSTM
DEVELOPMENT ACROSS ERN AND SERN SECTIONS OF FCST AREA LATE TUE
AFTERNOON OR EVENING. FOR NOW...HAVE KEPT POPS IN THE SILENT CATEGORY
DUE TO UNCERTAINTY IN WHERE PSEUDO DRYLINE WILL END UP.

LATEST MODEL RUNS CONTINUE TO HINT AT A COUPLE MORE SHORTWAVE TROFS
PROGGED TO AFFECT FCST AREA WED AFTERNOON THRU FRI EVENING. SLGT CHC
POPS FOR MAINLY ERN THIRD TO ERN HALF OF FCST AREA ARE STILL
PLAUSIBLE DURG THESE TIME PERIODS...AND HAVE RETAINED THEM IN GRIDS.
DRY WEATHER SEEN FOR SAT AND SUNDAY AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE GETS
SCOURED OUT TO OUR E AND SE.

MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN DISAGREEMENT FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH
RESPECT TO HANDLING NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROF AND THE DEGREE OF PATTERN
AMPLIFICATION. GFS IS MOST AMPLIFIED WHILE ECMWF IS MUCH FLATTER.
DUE TO MODEL DISCREPANCIES...HAVE GONE WITH A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH
THIS FAR OUT...AND BROUGHT A COLD FRONT THRU THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT
WITH COOLER TEMPS FOR NEXT MONDAY...BUT DID NOT GO AS COLD AS NEW 12Z
GFS MEXMOS. KEPT POPS BELOW MENTIONABLE AS WELL.

ANDRADE

FIRE WEATHER...
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE
WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES ON WEDNESDAY
AND THURSDAY DUE TO INCREASING SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AND LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES. ELEVATED TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE SUNDAY ACROSS MOST OF THE OKLAHOMA AND
TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES.

ANDRADE

&&

.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.
OK...NONE.

&&

05/15

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 26, 6:13 PM CST, 45 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
713 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-271215-
CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB-
HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON-
GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH-
713 PM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES THROUGH THIS EVENING. A FEW MAY BE STRONG WITH GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL THE PRIMARY HAZARDS.

CAUTION IS ADVISED ON AREA LAKES THROUGH TONIGHT DUE TO THE BREEZY
TO WINDY CONDITIONS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

MARGINALLY ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS
OF THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES WEDNESDAY
AND THURSDAY DUE TO SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH ALONG
WITH FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AROUND 15 TO 20
PERCENT.

ELEVATED TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES
DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES.

IN ADDITION...THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL
AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES LATE WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...AND ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE PANHANDLES
THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...AND THEN AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
IF ANY STORMS DEVELOP DURING THESE TIME PERIODS...SOME MAY BE STRONG...
WITH GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL THE PRIMARY HAZARDS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

AREA FIRE MANAGERS AND EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AND ELEVATED
TO NEAR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS SUNDAY.

GOEHRING

The radar

The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Moore

When: March 26, 6:58 PM CST to 6:59 PM CST
Where: Moore County, 0.89 mi NE of Four Way
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 35.690, -101.960

Hail, Moore

When: March 26, 7:42 PM CST to 7:43 PM CST
Where: Moore County, 0.56 mi E of Dumas
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.850, -101.960

Hail, Moore

When: March 26, 7:45 PM CST to 7:46 PM CST
Where: Moore County, 0.56 mi E of Dumas
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.850, -101.960

Hail, Moore

When: March 26, 7:45 PM CST to 7:46 PM CST
Where: Moore County, 1.12 mi E of Dumas
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.850, -101.950

High Wind, Ochiltree

When: March 26, 8:30 PM CST to 8:32 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $45,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local law enforcement officials reported damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts fifteen miles southwest of Perryton, Texas. A barn roof had blown off into some power lines at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 376 and Farm to Market Road 759. There were several power poles that were reported down in the area. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

High Wind, Hansford

When: March 26, 8:30 PM CST to 8:32 PM CST
Where: Hansford forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.278, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local law enforcement officials reported damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts eight miles south southwest of Spearman, Texas. The south side of a cotton gin near the intersection of Texas State Highway 51 and County Road 23 was peeled off. The tin was blown one half to three quarters of a mile. There were also several power poles which were knocked down at the same location. There were no injuries or fatalities.

High Wind, Ochiltree

When: March 26, 9:47 PM CST to 9:49 PM CST
Where: Ochiltree forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $12,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.278, -100.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local law enforcement officials reported damaging non-thunderstorm wind gusts seven miles west southwest of Booker, Texas. There were eight power poles that were reported knocked down by the high winds. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, March 2012

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: 372175, 372174, 372172, 372173, 372177, 372178, 372179.