Texas, 2013Heavy Rain in Texas, July 31, 2013
July 31, 2013 · NWS AMA · 2 events in 1 county or zone
The Texas Panhandle was firmly locked in northwest flow aloft during the evening hours of the 31st. A weak shortwave trough used this northwest flow to move out of the Continental Divide and towards the Southern Plains.
Every event with a place to put it. 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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 Texas Panhandle was firmly locked in northwest flow aloft during the evening hours of the 31st. A weak shortwave trough used this northwest flow to move out of the Continental Divide and towards the Southern Plains. The large scale lift provided by this shortwave allowed scattered thunderstorms to develop across the Central Plains and Eastern Plains of New Mexico. These thunderstorms would move to the south-southeast and pass through the Southern Plains. Slow storm motions and higher values of precipitable water lead to periods of heavy rain while traversing the Texas Panhandle. Thunderstorms both diminished and moved south of the Southern Plains by midnight of August 1st.
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 Jul 31, 6:58 PM CST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 6:58 PM CST, 2 hours 2 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
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, Jul 31, 6:16 PM CST, 2 hours 44 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
716 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-011100-
CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB-
HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON-
GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH-
716 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLES.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT PORTIONS OF THE TEXAS AND
OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE HIGHEST CHANCES
WILL BE ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE...AND NORTHERN AND WESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE THROUGH
LATE THIS EVENING WITH DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 70 MPH...LARGE
HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE...AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING THE PRIMARY
HAZARDS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE OKLAHOMA
PANHANDLE AND MUCH OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE THROUGH 11 PM CDT.
.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 MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH 11 PM TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 453.
KB
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 31, 6:59 PM CST, 2 hours 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
759 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0750 PM HAIL 2 NW BOYD 36.72N 100.85W
07/31/2013 E1.00 INCH BEAVER OK EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1300733
MOULTON/SPENCERSpecial weather statement, Jul 31, 7:21 PM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
821 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
TXZ011-016-010215-
DEAF SMITH TX-OLDHAM TX-
821 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR OLDHAM AND DEAF SMITH COUNTIES
UNTIL 915 PM CDT...
AT 815 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 16 MILES SOUTH OF
ROMERO TO 6 MILES EAST OF HEREFORD...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
VEGA... HEREFORD... WILDORADO...
SIMMS... DAWN... BOYS RANCH...
BOOTLEG... ADRIAN...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 7 AND 51.
THESE STORMS 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 10218 3476 10218 3475 10290 3562 10299
TIME...MOT...LOC 0120Z 270DEG 6KT 3551 10283 3485 10228
COCKRELL
Local storm report, Jul 31, 7:27 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before
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, Jul 31, 8:15 PM CST, 45 minutes before
SPECIAL 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, Jul 31, 8:42 PM CST, 18 minutes before
SPECIAL 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
Local storm report, Jul 31, 8:47 PM CST, 13 minutes before
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
ABMHeavy Rain, Moore
- When
- July 31, 9:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Moore County, 1.64 mi NNW of Dumas to 0.61 mi SE of Dumas
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.872, -101.980
Scattered discrete thunderstorms slowly moved across Moore County during the late night hours of the 31st. These slow moving storms allowed heavy rain to accumulate across the city of Dumas (Moore County) that lead to street flooding. A motor home lost control while driving through a flooded street and ended up in a ditch. No injuries or swift water rescues were reported with this accident. The flood waters lasted for a few hours before receding by midnight of August 1st.
Heavy Rain, Moore
- When
- July 31, 9:00 PM CST to 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Moore County, 1.64 mi NNW of Dumas to 0.61 mi SE of Dumas
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 35.872, -101.980
Scattered discrete thunderstorms slowly moved across Moore County during the late night hours of the 31st. These slow moving storms allowed heavy rain to accumulate across the city of Dumas (Moore County) that lead to minor flooding. A trained storm spotter in Dumas (Moore County) reported about a foot of water in their backyard and reported that near 4 inches of rain fell in 2 hours. No injuries or swift water rescues were reported in association to this flooding. The flood waters lasted for a few hours before receding by midnight of August 1st.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Lightning Strike in Colorado, July 31, 201312 injured · 1 event
- Hail in Kansas, July 31, 2013$222,000 · 2.5 in hail · 7 events
- Flash Flood in Arkansas, July 31, 2013$200,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Winds and Heavy Rain in Arkansas, July 31, 2013$102,000 · 56 kt wind · 8 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 31, 20133 in hail · 37 events
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Georgia, July 31, 2013$33,000 · 50 kt wind · 7 events
- Tornado and Flash Flood in Florida, July 31, 2013$500 · EF0 · 10 events
- Lightning Strike in Washington, July 31, 20131 injured · $10,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Idaho, July 31, 201363 kt wind · 8 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Colorado, July 31, 20131.25 in hail · 8 events
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, July 31, 2013$3,000 · 50 kt wind · 6 events
- Hail in Nebraska, July 31, 20131.75 in hail · 6 events
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: 467143, 467146.