A cold front moved through the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle during the late afternoon hours of the 15th. The strong winds behind the front caused blowing dust to lower visibility into the quarter mile to near zero range.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
A cold front moved through the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle during the late afternoon hours of the 15th. The strong winds behind the front caused blowing dust to lower visibility into the quarter mile to near zero range. Many reports of near zero visibility were received from the southwest side of Dumas (Moore County), Perryton (Ochiltree County), Gruver (Hansford County), Pantex (Carson County), and on the north-northwest side of Amarillo (Potter County). These lowered visibilities also caused numerous traffic issues including the closure of State Highway 354 between US Highways 87 and 385 (Moore County), and caused multiple vehicle accidents along Farm to Market Road 1061 near Vega (Oldham County). Visibility improved shortly after 10 PM CST as strong surface winds subsided.
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 15, 6:09 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
709 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2014
.UPDATE...
COLD FRONT HAS PLOWED THROUGH THE AREA...WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY OVER
THE FAR SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. AS ADVERTISED...STRONG NORTHERLY
WINDS HAVE DEVELOPED BEHIND THIS FRONT. CALLS MADE TO CIMARRON COUNTY
REVEALED BLOWING DUST REDUCING VISIBILITY TO AROUND 1 MILE. OKLAHOMA
MESONET OBS INDICATE WINDS GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH IN THIS AREA. SINCE
WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TONIGHT AS PRESSURES RISE BEHIND THE
FRONT...HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING AND BLOWING DUST
ADVISORY FOR THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND THE
NORTHWEST TEXAS PANHANDLE UNTIL 1 AM. THE PREVIOUSLY ISSUED WIND
ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA UNTIL 4 PM
SUNDAY. MAY HAVE TO EXPAND THE HIGH WIND WARNING AND BLOWING DUST
ADVISORY THIS EVENING...ALTHOUGH WINDS MAY REMAIN SHY OF WARNING
CRITERIA ONCE THE SUN SETS. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE
SUNDAY BUT WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH DURING THE DAY.
OUTSIDE OF THE WIND CONCERN...SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS CONTINUE
TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER FAIRLY DRY AIR REMAINS ACROSS THE
AREA...SO ONLY EXPECTING A FEW SPRINKLES WITH PRECIP AMOUNTS AROUND A
TENTH TO A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH.
CLK
&&
.AVIATION...
/00Z TAFS/ STRONG WINDS ARE THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN THROUGH THE 24
HOUR PERIOD.
A STRONG COLD FRONT HAS PLOWED SOUTH OF THE TERMINALS...WHERE STRONG
NORTHERLY WINDS HAVE DEVELOPED IN ITS WAKE. STRONG PRESSURE RISES
BEHIND THE FRONT WILL EXACERBATE WINDS TONIGHT WHERE WIND GUSTS AOA
40 KTS ARE LIKELY AT ALL THREE TERMINALS. WILL CONTINUE THE
AVIATION WARNING FOR KAMA UNTIL 17Z SUNDAY...ALTHOUGH EXPECT THE
PERIOD OF STRONGEST WINDS TO OCCUR OVERNIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING.
THESE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE AREAS OF BLDU WHERE KDHT
HAS RECENTLY REPORTED VISBYS DOWN TO 1/2 MILE. WINDS WILL SLOWLY
DIMINISH SUNDAY...ALTHOUGH STILL EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS 20-25 KTS
BETWEEN 15-00Z SUN.
HAVE CONTINUED TO CARRY VCSH MENTION AT KAMA THROUGH 02Z THIS EVENING
AS LIGHT SHOWERS CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE. ANY RAIN WILL BE LIGHT AND NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON CIGS OR
VISBYS AND WILL MOVE SOUTH OF KAMA THIS EVENING. HOWEVER LOW CLOUDS ARE
EXPECTED TO FILL IN AT THE TERMINALS OVERNIGHT...REDUCING CIGS TO
MVFR.
CLK
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 526 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2014/
DISCUSSION...
UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROF CURRENTLY DIGGING SWD ALONG ERN SLOPES OF
CNTRL AND SRN ROCKIES WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO THIS EVENING. CHANCES
FOR SHOWERS AND PERHAPS AN ISOLD TSTM WILL BE GRATEST ACROSS SRN TX
PNHDL AND LOWEST ACROSS OK PNHDL AND NW TX PNHDL. NO POPS AFTER 06Z
TONIGHT. WIND AND DUST WILL BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY ACROSS THE
REGION THRU SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS OPPOSED TO PRECIPITATION. A WIND
ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE TX AND OK PNHDLS THRU 4 PM
SUNDAY. SOME LOCATIONS MAY VERY WELL EXPERIENCE VSBYS NEAR OR PSBLY
BELOW ONE MILE ALONG WITH HIGH WIND CRITERIA BEING MET AS WELL. LATER
SHIFTS MAY NEED TO ISSUE THESE APPROPRIATE HIGHLIGHTS IF NECESSARY.
COOLER TEMPS SUNDAY. DRY WEATHER FROM SUNDAY THRU SATURDAY OF THE
UPCOMING WEEK. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATE MONDAY
NIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY...WITH ANOTHER COLD FRONTAL PASASGE EXPECTED
LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY. MAJOR MODELS SUCH AS THE GFS
AND ECMWF ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THIS SCENARIO AND WERE
ACCEPTED.
ANDRADE
FIRE WEATHER...
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN SECTIONS
OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON DUE TO NORTH
WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG WITH FORECAST MINIMUM
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES NEAR 20 PERCENT. ELEVATED TO POSSIBLY CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY OCCUR ON MONDAY ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA
AND TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH
WITH HIGHER GSUTS ALONG WITH FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY
VALUES OF 10 TO 15 PERCENT.
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND
THURSDAY AFTERNOONS ACROSS MOST OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES
DUE TO WIND SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG WITH
FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES OF 15 TO 20 PERCENT.
ANDRADE
&&
.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
ARMSTRONG...CARSON...COLLINGSWORTH...DEAF SMITH...DONLEY...
GRAY...HANSFORD...HEMPHILL...HUTCHINSON...LIPSCOMB...
MOORE...OCHILTREE...OLDHAM...POTTER...RANDALL...ROBERTS...
WHEELER.
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: DALLAM...HARTLEY...SHERMAN.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
DALLAM...HARTLEY...SHERMAN.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 4 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: DALLAM...HARTLEY...SHERMAN.
OK...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BEAVER.
BLOWING DUST ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CIMARRON...TEXAS.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 AM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
CIMARRON...TEXAS.
WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 4 PM CDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CIMARRON...TEXAS.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 605 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2014 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-161100- CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB- HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON- GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH- 605 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS AT THIS TIME. A HIGH WIND WARNING AND A BLOWING DUST ADVISORY ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM SUNDAY MORNING FOR THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS THE FAR NORTHWEST TEXAS PANHANDLE DUE TO NORTH WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH ALONG WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES TO AROUND ONE MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO NORTH WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 TO 55 MPH. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING DUST TONIGHT...WHICH MAY RESULT IN SHARPLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES UNTIL 4 PM SUNDAY DUE TO NORTH WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 TO 55 MPH. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF BLOWING DUST...WHICH MAY RESULT IN REDUCED VISIBILITIES. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO NORTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG WITH FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES NEAR 20 PERCENT. ELEVATED TO POSSIBLY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY OCCUR ON MONDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG WITH FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES OF 10 TO 15 PERCENT. ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS ACROSS MOST OF THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES DUE TO WIND SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS ALONG WITH FORECAST MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES OF 15 TO 20 PERCENT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. AREA FIRE MANAGERS AND EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR ELEVATED OR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON SUNDAY...MONDAY...TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS. ANDRADE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
644 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0632 PM HIGH SUST WINDS 3 SW DALHART 36.03N 102.55W
03/15/2014 M43 MPH HARTLEY TX ASOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1400209
LGPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
801 PM CDT SAT MAR 15 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 W DUMAS 35.86N 102.01W
03/15/2014 M58 MPH MOORE TX AWOS
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1400210
LGThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Near zero visibility across the county. Highway 354 between Highway 87 and 385 was closed for several hours until visibility improved.
Near zero visibility across the county.
Quarter mile visibility reported in spots across the county.
Quarter mile visibility reported near Pantex.
Quarter mile visibility reported on the northwest side of Amarillo.
Quarter mile visibility led to multiple vehicle accidents along Farm to Market Road 1061 near Vega.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2014
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: 505256, 505257, 505258, 505260, 505261, 505262.