A vigorous upper level disturbance ejected out of New Mexico during the early morning hours. The system aided in developing isolated storms in a highly sheared environment across portions of the far southwestern Texas Panhandle and northern South Plains.
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.
A vigorous upper level disturbance ejected out of New Mexico during the early morning hours. The system aided in developing isolated storms in a highly sheared environment across portions of the far southwestern Texas Panhandle and northern South Plains. Some of these storms 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 Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 21, 5:38 AM CST, 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 638 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 .UPDATE... HAVE INCREASED POPS ACROSS THE NORTH GIVEN CONVECTIVE TREND AHEAD OF SMALL BUT INTENSE UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM ACROSS NEW MEXICO. && .AVIATION... PERIOD OF MVFR THIS MORNING WILL GIVE WAY TO VFR CONDITIONS AFTER STORM SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH AN INTENSE BUT SMALL UPPER LEVEL LOW ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO. THERE EXISTS A SMALL OPPORTUNITY FOR TSTMS TO AFFECT KLBB /FM 12-15Z/ AND CDS /13-16Z/ THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS INSUFFICIENT TO INSERT IN TAF ATTM. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL DIMINISH AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM PASSES. FINALLY...BR/FG MAY BE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT AT BOTH TERMINALS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 445 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013/ SHORT TERM... PRIMARY WEATHER FEATURE AFFECTING THE COUNTRY/S SENSIBLE WEATHER CONTINUES TO BE THE MATURE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. A TROUGH AXIS EXTENDS FROM THIS LOW INTO EASTERN NEW MEXICO EARLY THIS MORNING WHICH HAS RESULTED IN SOME HIGH BASED RADAR ECHOES TO OUR NORTH. AS THE TROUGH SWINGS THROUGH WEST TEXAS AROUND MID DAY...UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL QUICKLY TRANSITION TO NORTHWESTERLY AS LARGE SCALE RIDGE BEGINS TO DEVELOP FROM THE DESERT SOUTHWEST INTO CANADA. THIS WILL BECOME AN INCREASINGLY SIGNIFICANT PLAYER IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST AS YET ANOTHER STRONG LOW COMES ASHORE THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY DEPICTS AN AREA OF ENHANCED LIFT ACROSS NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO AS THE AFOREMENTIONED TROUGH AXIS MAKES ITS ATTEMPT TO DEEPEN. AS MODEL GUIDANCE AND ACARS PLOTS CONTINUE TO SHOW ENHANCED WIND FIELD ON THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THIS TROUGH...ALL INDICATIONS CONTINUE TO POINT TOWARD A STRENGTHENING TREND AS IT SWINGS ACROSS THE REGION BECOMING MORE NEGATIVELY TILTED WITH TIME. THIS IN TURN HAS ALREADY DRIVEN A SURFACE COLD FRONT THROUGH THE ENTIRE CWFA WITH INCREASING MOISTURE IN ITS WAKE. THIS WILL PLACE MUCH OF THE AREA WITHIN LIFT REGION AROUND SUNRISE. THE REAL QUESTION WILL BE IF CONVECTIVE INITIATION WILL OCCUR LATER THIS MORNING. THERE APPEARS TO BE A NEARLY STATION MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE VORTEX ACROSS WESTERN QUAY COUNTY NM WITH ENHANCEMENT IN THE VICINITY. AS THIS BEGINS TO KICK OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...SOME TSTM ACTIVITY WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE REGION. AT PRESENT NLDN DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO AN OUTAGE AND NO SFERIC ACTIVITY HAS BEEN DETECTED BY THE TTU LMA. IF IT CAN BECOME ESTABLISHED...WOULD EXPECT ACTIVITY TO REMAIN ELEVATED WITH THE COOLER/MORE MOIST AIR BEHIND THE FRONT HELPING TO MITIGATE THE DOWNBURST THREAT. WE MAY SEE SOME LIGHT ACTIVITY ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST LATER THIS MORNING AS A LEAD IMPULSE OVERSPREADS REGION OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE. OTHERWISE...DESPITE SOME RESIDUAL CLOUDINESS...IT WILL BE REFRESHINGLY COOL TODAY AS COMPARED TO MUCH OF THE LAST WEEK. LONG TERM... BLOCKING RIDGE WILL SET UP ACROSS THE NATION/S MIDSECTION WITH UPPER LOWS LOCATED ACROSS EITHER COAST. AFTER DEEP MIXING BEHIND A ROLLING PLAINS/BIG COUNTRY DESTINED DRYLINE WEDNESDAY...MOISTURE WILL RETURN TO THE SOUTH PLAINS AS AN INFLUX OF GULF MOISTURE BACKS THE DRYLINE UP IN VICINITY OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE LINE FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEGINNING THURSDAY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF STORMS WILL EXIST ACROSS NORTHEAST ZONES WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS A 30-40 KNOT LOW LEVEL JET BEGINS USHERING MOISTURE INTO THE SOUTH PLAINS AND A SHORTWAVE TROUGH ROUNDS THE CREST OF THE AFOREMENTIONED DEVELOPING RIDGE. THURSDAY APPEARS TO PRESENT THE BEST CHANCES FOR ORGANIZED CONVECTION WITH THE DRYLINE LOCATED ACROSS THE AREA IN CONJUNCTION WITH A WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH INTENSIFYING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE ROCKIES. BEST AREA FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION APPEARS TO BE NEAR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PANHANDLE INTO THE NORTHERN SOUTH/ROLLING PLAINS AREA. CAPPING WILL ERODE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS HEIGHTS FALL ALOFT AND LOW-MID LEVEL COOLING INCREASES INSTABILITY ATOP A WARMING AND DEEPENING BOUNDARY LAYER. STORM CHANCES WILL LAST INTO THE NIGHT AS THE FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND CLOUD BASES BECOME ELEVATED. BETTER CHANCES FOR STORMS WILL MOVE WESTWARD FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS THE DRYLINE STAYS PULLED BACK INTO NEW MEXICO OWING TO LEE TROUGHING INTENSIFYING ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE. A STRENGTHENING EML MAY PRECLUDE STORM COVERAGE TO THE EAST INTO FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND...FOCUSING DEVELOPMENT TO RIGHT ALONG THE DRYLINE. QUESTIONS ARISE HEADING INTO SUNDAY AND EARLY NEXT WEEK AS TO WHEN THE DRYLINE WILL START MIXING FARTHER EAST AGAIN AS TROUGHING ENTERING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST BEGINS TO SLIDE THE RIDGE EAST. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FRIONA 80 51 88 57 87 / 50 0 0 10 20 TULIA 79 52 90 59 87 / 40 0 0 10 30 PLAINVIEW 80 54 90 61 88 / 40 0 0 10 30 LEVELLAND 81 56 90 63 90 / 20 0 0 10 20 LUBBOCK 80 56 91 64 90 / 20 0 0 10 20 DENVER CITY 81 57 90 64 94 / 10 0 0 10 20 BROWNFIELD 80 57 90 65 91 / 10 0 0 10 20 CHILDRESS 78 56 92 63 89 / 20 10 10 20 30 SPUR 77 59 93 63 91 / 10 0 10 10 30 ASPERMONT 76 60 95 67 93 / 10 10 10 10 30 && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 99/99/26
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 502 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 TXZ021>044-221015- PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE- FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING- YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL- 502 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE THREAT OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
531 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
TXZ021-211045-
PARMER-
531 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PARMER COUNTY...
AT 529 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER EXTREME WEST CENTRAL PARMER COUNTY...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS SPEEDS UP TO 40 MPH...ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS
PASSED.
LAT...LON 3449 10260 3431 10302 3433 10304 3474 10303
3475 10286
TIME...MOT...LOC 1031Z 220DEG 16KT 3444 10303SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
546 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
TXZ021-211130-
PARMER-
546 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PARMER COUNTY...
AT 544 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FRIONA...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 30 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE
OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS
TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS
PASSED.
LAT...LON 3444 10254 3440 10293 3452 10304 3457 10303
3475 10279
TIME...MOT...LOC 1046Z 235DEG 25KT 3452 10284
GUSEMANSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
642 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
TXZ021-022-211215-
CASTRO-PARMER-
642 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CASTRO AND PARMER COUNTIES...
AT 640 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF DIMMITT...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 25 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS SPEEDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...BRIEF MODERATE DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 3475 10219 3454 10232 3455 10255 3472 10264
3475 10256 3475 10225
TIME...MOT...LOC 1142Z 241DEG 23KT 3463 10242
GUSEMANThe Amarillo radar (KAMA), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:02 UTC.
2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The West Texas Mesonet station in Dimmitt recorded a 65 mph wind gust from the outflow of a nearby thunderstorm.
A citizen reported golf ball size hail at a golf course north of Littlefield.
A citizen reported golf ball size hail near Cotton Center.
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, May 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: 441202, 441203, 441204.