Several widespread precipitation events during the month of August provided continued relief in drought conditions across the Texas Panhandle. 44 inch below normal).
Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 AMA wrote it up.
Several widespread precipitation events during the month of August provided continued relief in drought conditions across the Texas Panhandle. Amarillo recorded 1.42 inches of precipitation for the month (1.49 inches below normal), Dalhart recorded 1.64 inches of precipitation (0.01 inch below normal), and Borger recorded 2.73 inches of precipitation (0.44 inch below normal). This August ranked as the 39th warmest and the 49th wettest August for the Texas High Plains region. The vast majority of the Texas Panhandle showed a one category improvement during the month of August with only Moore County remaining in Exceptional (D4) Drought rating. Extreme (D3) drought rating persists across the northwest Panhandle while Severe Drought rating affects the majority of the Texas Panhandle. The extreme southwestern Counties and eastern counties have dropped below Severe Drought rating for the month of August.
The widespread and frequent precipitation chances through the month of August have helped to both provided short-term relief and has helped to counteract some long-term drought impacts. The upper zone soil moisture across the majority of the Texas Panhandle has improved to greater than 40 percent full. For the second month in a row the increased moisture provided relief to farmers during a period of higher water demand by crops. The Palmer Drought Severity Index showed improvement during the month of August with the Texas Panhandle now rated as Severe Drought. Rangeland and Pastures continued to improve after the rains and cattle were in good condition as observed by the Texas Crop and Weather Report. Countywide burn bans were supported in Moore, Potter, and Armstrong Counties.
Reservoirs and stream flows across the Panhandle have improved to normal or much above normal levels. The reservoirs of Palo Duro and Greenbelt Lake are both below 15 percent capacity with Lake Meredith at zero percent capacity. On the 7th, Lake Meredith reached a record low depth of 26.14 feet. Water watches for several public water systems persisted through August while voluntary to mandatory mild water restrictions have been enacted.
Economic losses due to the drought through August were estimated near $5 million (D2)/$10 million (D3)/$15 million (D4) a county, and were predominately the result of delayed growth of corn and cotton, marginal supplemental watering, reduction of cattle herd sizes, and supplemental feed for cattle in pastures and rangeland.
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 Jul 31, 10:49 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 1149 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 .AVIATION... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF OUR TERMINALS FOR THE NEXT 2 OR 3 HOURS...BUT IT APPEARS UNLIKELY THAT ANY OF THESE WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT TO THE TERMINALS. LIGHT SURFACE WINDS AND MOIST LOWER LEVELS SHOULD PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF MVFR BR BEGINNING AROUND 08Z OR 09Z THURSDAY...WHICH SHOULD DISSIPATE AROUND 14Z THURSDAY. SOUTHERLY SURFACE WINDS PREVAIL DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY...WITH SPEEDS BELOW 20 KT. BY 21Z THURSDAY...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AGAIN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...WITH ACTIVITY LINGERING WELL INTO THE EVENING. COCKRELL && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1117 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013/ UPDATE... ALLOWED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TO EXPIRE AT 11 PM. WILL SEE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT...BUT THE SEVERE THREAT HAS WANED. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND SMALL HAIL WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE WITH A FEW STRONGER STORMS. COULD ALSO SEE SOME FOG DEVELOP OVERNIGHT GIVEN THE MOIST LOW-LEVEL AIRMASS IN PLACE...LIGHT WINDS...AND RAINFALL IN SPOTS. KB PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 758 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013/ UPDATE... EXPANDED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH SLIGHTLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHEAST TX PANHANDLE TO COVER STRONG TO SEVERE CONVECTION CURRENTLY PROPAGATING SOUTH/SOUTHEAST OUT OF SOUTHWEST KS AND THE EASTERN OK PANHANDLE. INSTABILITY STARTS TO DROP OFF PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY SOUTH OF ROBERTS AND HEMPHILL COUNTIES...WHICH SHOULD LIMIT THE SOUTHWARD EXTENT OF THE SEVERE THREAT. KB PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 703 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013/ UPDATE... QUICK UPDATE TO INCREASE EVENING PRECIP CHANCES ACROSS THE EASTERN OK PANHANDLE AND PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST TX PANHANDLE BASED ON RADAR TRENDS. KB PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 622 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013/ AVIATION... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG NORTHERN AND WESTERN PERIPHERIES OF FORECAST AREA WILL MOVE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST...POTENTIALLY IMPACTING ALL TERMINALS THIS EVENING. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR RADAR TRENDS BEFORE ADDING THUNDER AS PREVAILING WEATHER. THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE...WITH GUSTS ABOVE 50 KT...HAIL...AND BRIEF IFR VISIBILITIES IN VERY HEAVY RAIN. AMENDMENTS MAY BE FORTHCOMING. SOME EARLY MORNING BR WILL LIKELY DEVELOP IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE RAIN. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON. COCKRELL PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 406 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013/ DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON CURRENTLY UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. CURRENTLY KEEPING AN EYE ON THE STORMS IN COLORADO AND KANSAS AS STORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING SOUTH/SOUTHWEST SO THOSE STORMS HAVE THE BEST CHANCE AT MAKING IT TO THE PANHANDLES....BUT NEW STORMS COULD ALSO FORM OVER ANY REMNANT BOUNDARIES IN THE AREA. VERY SLOW STORM MOTIONS WILL LEAD TO POTENTIAL FLOODING ISSUES WHEREVER STORMS DECIDE TO PARK AND TAP INTO PWATS OVER 1 INCH. VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS ABOVE US MEANS THAT ANY STORMS THAT DO DECIDE TO BREAK THROUGH AND TAP INTO INSTABILITY WILL HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GOING SEVER QUICKLY. THIS COMBINED WITH RELATIVELY LOW CLOUD BASES MEANS WE CANT COMPLETELY RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO...EVEN THOUGH THE THREAT IS VERY LOW. ANY STORMS THAT ARE IN THE AREA SHOULD EITHER DISSIPATE OR MOVE ON OUT OVERNIGHT...BRINGING A BRIEF LULL IN POPS TOMORROW MORNING. THEN NORTHWEST FLOW BRINGS YET ANOTHER CHANCE FOR ISOLATED STORMS TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING MOSTLY TO THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE NORTHWESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. ABM LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT AS FOR THE OVERALL PATTERN THROUGH MID NEXT WEEK...UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER NEW MEXICO STILL EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD AND BUILD OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE BY THIS WEEKEND. IT SHOULD THEN BUILD FURTHER EAST OVER NORTH TEXAS BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. SHORTWAVE TROUGHS RIDING AROUND THE RIDGE WILL PROVIDE THE TRIGGER FOR THUNDERSTORMS MOST AFTERNOONS. A SURFACE TROUGH WILL BE STRETCHED FROM NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO INTO SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS THROUGH THE WEEKEND...SERVING AS A FOCUS FOR THESE THUNDERSTORMS. FAVORED THE GFS/NAM SCENARIO OF A FURTHER SOUTH PUSH OF THIS TROUGH AND ITS POPS. A SURFACE LOW THEN FORMS AND EDGES INTO THE NORTHERN PANHANDLES...EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL KEEP PRECIP CHANCES MAINLY CONFINED TO THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE FORECAST PACKAGE. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE ABOVE NORMAL...WITH TEMPERATURES RISING INTO THE UPPER 90S TO LOW 100S POSSIBLE BEFORE THE WEEKEND. SEVERE CHANCES WILL BE LOW AFTER TONIGHT...WITH CAPE VALUES ONLY EXPECTED TO TOP OUT AROUND 700 TO 800 J/KG DURING THE AFTERNOONS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS ARE MORE INDICATIVE OF EFFECTIVE RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE SURFACE TROUGH...WHERE PWATS NEAR 1.5 INCHES MOST OF THE PERIOD. NF FIRE WEATHER... 20 FOOT WIND SPEEDS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW 20 MPH AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ABOVE 20 PERCENT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. NO ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS PERIOD. NF HYDROLOGY... WITH SLOW AND ALMOST STATIONARY STORM MOTIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...COUPLED WITH A RELATIVELY MOIST ATMOSPHERE...THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL BE A CONCERN. AFTER RECENT RAINFALL...FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING MAY BE ISSUES TONIGHT AND THROUGH THE NEXT WEEK. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLES. NF && .AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && 03/08
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 1118 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-011130- CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB- HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON- GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH- 1118 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER ACROSS THE PANHANDLES OVERNIGHT. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...BUT A COUPLE OF STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLY LEADING TO LOCALIZED FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT ACROSS MOST OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS MAINLY THE OKLAHOMA AND THE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLES. A FEW STORMS THAT DEVELOP MAY BECOME STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS LEADING TO POSSIBLE FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. KB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
827 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0750 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 N FLORIS 36.91N 100.70W
07/31/2013 BEAVER OK EMERGENCY MNGR
WIND BLOWN HAIL BROKE WINDOWS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300734
ABMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
915 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
TXZ011-010300-
OLDHAM TX-
915 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN OLDHAM COUNTY UNTIL 1000
PM CDT...
AT 914 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF VEGA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
VEGA... WILDORADO... BOYS RANCH...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 27 AND 51.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV
STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3561 10259 3562 10217 3518 10218 3518 10257
3519 10262
TIME...MOT...LOC 0215Z 270DEG 14KT 3533 10239
COCKRELLSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 942 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 TXZ002-003-010345- HANSFORD TX-SHERMAN TX- 942 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SHERMAN AND WESTERN HANSFORD COUNTIES UNTIL 1045 PM CDT... AT 937 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES WEST OF TEXHOMA TO 3 MILES WEST OF GRUVER...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... STRATFORD... GRUVER... TEXHOMA... IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN. LAT...LON 3650 10131 3606 10125 3614 10209 3650 10206 TIME...MOT...LOC 0242Z 320DEG 12KT 3648 10193 3623 10145 COCKRELL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
947 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0905 PM HAIL 7 N HEREFORD 34.92N 102.40W
07/31/2013 E1.75 INCH DEAF SMITH TX PUBLIC
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300735
ABMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1023 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1018 PM TSTM WND GST 6 WSW HEREFORD 34.79N 102.50W
07/31/2013 E60 MPH DEAF SMITH TX TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATED WINDS TO BE AT LEAST 60 MPH
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300736
MOULTON/SPENCERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
1119 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0710 PM HAIL 4 N FLORIS 36.93N 100.70W
07/31/2013 E1.75 INCH BEAVER OK EMERGENCY MNGR
0750 PM HAIL 2 NW BOYD 36.72N 100.85W
07/31/2013 E1.00 INCH BEAVER OK EMERGENCY MNGR
0750 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 N FLORIS 36.91N 100.70W
07/31/2013 BEAVER OK EMERGENCY MNGR
WIND BLOWN HAIL BROKE WINDOWS
0905 PM HAIL 7 N HEREFORD 34.92N 102.40W
07/31/2013 E1.75 INCH DEAF SMITH TX PUBLIC
1018 PM TSTM WND GST 6 WSW HEREFORD 34.79N 102.50W
07/31/2013 E60 MPH DEAF SMITH TX TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATED WINDS TO BE AT LEAST 60 MPH
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300732 AMA1300733 AMA1300734 AMA1300735 AMA1300736
COCKRELLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Exceptional Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Extreme Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Extreme Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Extreme Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
Severe Drought as shown by the US Drought Monitor.
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, August 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: 474382, 474383, 474384, 474385, 474388, 474389, 474390, 474391, 474392, 474393, 474394, 474395, 474396.