A strong upper level trough moved over the four corners region of the United States which provided strong lift across portions of west Texas. A cold front moved into the Pecos River valley early that morning.
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 MAF wrote it up.
A strong upper level trough moved over the four corners region of the United States which provided strong lift across portions of west Texas. A cold front moved into the Pecos River valley early that morning. Ahead of the approaching cold front a dryline was able to set up over central Texas. Unstable conditions developed across the Davis Mountains and the Stockton Plateau as strong daytime heating was present. Thunderstorms developed early in the afternoon and moved east and became severe.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 2, 2:13 PM CST, 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 313 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013 .DISCUSSION... THE PESKY COLD FRONT THAT THE FCST MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH HAS MOVED ALL THE WAY TO THE I-10 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON. LOW CLOUDS AND FOG HAVE KEPT TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S AND 40S ALL DAY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PERMIAN BASIN AND SE NM. SUNNY SKIES AND SOUTHEAST WINDS ARE ALLOWING TEMPS TO CLIMB INTO THE 70S AND 80S SOUTH OF THE FRONT ACROSS THE LOWER TRANS PECOS AND ALONG THE RIO GRANDE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO DEVELOPING ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE FRONT AND WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. STRONG MID AND LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR NEAR 40 KTS RESIDE ACROSS THE LOWER TRANS PECOS AND BIG BEND REGIONS. STRONG SFC HEATING IS LEADING TO UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WITH SBCAPE VALUES NEAR 3000 J/KG. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY MOVE EAST THROUGH THE EVENING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE PERMIAN BASIN...THE STOCKTON PLATEAU...THE BIG BEND REGION AND THE LOWER TRANS PECOS. A THUNDERSTORM OR TWO MAY SNEAK INTO SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE PERMIAN BASIN BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...HOWEVER THESE STORMS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. FARTHER NORTH THE COLD AIR IS DEEPER AND ONLY SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. MORE SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY AS THE ASSOCIATED UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. THE LOW WILL MOVE EAST OF THE AREA THURSDAY WITH CLEARING SKIES BY AFTERNOON. THE UPPER PATTERN THEN BECOMES MORE ZONAL LATE IN THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND WITH CONDITIONS DRYING OUT AND TEMPERATURES WARMING BACK ABOVE NORMAL. LONG RANGE MODELS THEN SHOW A LARGE UPPER TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE WESTERN U.S. EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SYSTEM MAY BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ANDREWS TX 39 56 38 72 / 60 30 10 0 BIG SPRING TX 38 52 37 68 / 60 40 10 0 CARLSBAD NM 43 63 39 78 / 30 20 0 0 DRYDEN TX 53 67 46 74 / 60 20 10 0 FORT STOCKTON TX 46 63 45 78 / 60 20 0 0 GUADALUPE PASS TX 39 63 43 74 / 20 10 0 0 HOBBS NM 38 55 36 73 / 50 20 0 0 MARFA TX 42 66 30 72 / 50 10 0 0 MIDLAND INTL AIRPORT TX 40 56 38 72 / 60 30 10 0 ODESSA TX 39 57 39 74 / 60 30 10 0 WINK TX 43 64 39 80 / 50 20 10 0 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && 10/29
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 201 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-031915- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY COUNTY-EDDY COUNTY PLAINS- NORTHERN LEA COUNTY-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY-GAINES- DAWSON-BORDEN-SCURRY-ANDREWS-MARTIN-HOWARD-MITCHELL- VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR-REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS- LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND-GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN- DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-PECOS-PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU- BIG BEND AREA-TERRELL-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS- 201 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013 /101 PM MDT TUE APR 2 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED SOUTH OF I-20 THROUGH TONIGHT. THE GREATEST AREAL COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE FROM THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS EAST TO THE LOWER TRANS PECOS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT IN PECOS AND TERRELL COUNTIES. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THERE IS A 60 PERCENT CHANCE OF SPOTTER ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING ACROSS THE PERMIAN BASIN. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MIDLAND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /LOWER CASE/ HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MIDLAND
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 212 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013 TXZ074-081-021945- BIG BEND AREA-DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA- 212 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING NORTHWESTERN BREWSTER COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM CDT... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ALPINE ON STATE HIGHWAY 118 AT 211 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LAT...LON 3023 10329 2995 10353 3016 10374 3034 10359 TIME...MOT...LOC 1911Z 301DEG 7KT 3018 10357
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
251 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013
TXZ074-080-081-022015-
BIG BEND AREA-DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-MARFA PLATEAU-
251 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS
AFFECTING EAST CENTRAL PRESIDIO AND NORTHWESTERN BREWSTER COUNTIES
UNTIL 315 PM CDT...
A THUNDERSTORM WITH NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WAS LOCATED 5
MILES SOUTH OF ALTUDA AT 251 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.
&&
LAT...LON 3048 10323 3023 10309 2999 10319 2996 10386
3027 10384
TIME...MOT...LOC 1951Z 250DEG 18KT 3024 10342SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
315 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013
TXZ080-081-022045-
BIG BEND AREA-MARFA PLATEAU-
315 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING
CENTRAL BREWSTER AND SOUTHEASTERN PRESIDIO COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM
CDT...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 24 MILES WEST OF TERLINGUA RANCH
LODGE AT 314 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF TERLINGUA RANCH LODGE
AT 314 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH AND WILL CROSS STATE HIGHWAY
118.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...NICKEL HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.
&&
LAT...LON 2996 10386 2999 10319 2979 10313 2953 10315
2936 10351 2938 10378 2948 10391 2959 10394
TIME...MOT...LOC 2014Z 237DEG 10KT 2951 10378SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
324 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013
TXZ081-022115-
BIG BEND AREA-
324 PM CDT TUE APR 2 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING
CENTRAL BREWSTER COUNTY UNTIL 415 PM CDT...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER CENTRAL BREWSTER COUNTY AT 324
PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH...NICKEL HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT
TUESDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.
&&
LAT...LON 3018 10291 2994 10286 2990 10308 2999 10328
3016 10328
TIME...MOT...LOC 2024Z 278DEG 16KT 3006 10317The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm moved over Brewster County and produced golfball sized hail 22 miles south southeast of Alpine. The hail covered the road.
A thunderstorm moved over Terrell County and produced half dollar sized hail 22 miles north northeast of Sanderson.
A severe thunderstorm developed 29 miles east of Marathon and produced quarter sized hail.
A thunderstorm moved over Brewster County and produced quarter sized hail at Terlingua Ranch Lodge. The hail lasted fifteen minutes.
A thunderstorm moved over Terrell County and produced nickel sized hail ten miles southeast of Dryden.
A thunderstorm moved over Terrell County and produced a 60 mph wind gust ten miles southeast of Dryden.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2013
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: 439166, 439175, 433246, 439168, 439259, 439260.