A slow moving large upper level low pressure center approached West Central Texas through the period. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms developed across the area and resulted in damaging winds, hail, and flash flooding.
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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 SJT wrote it up.
A slow moving large upper level low pressure center approached West Central Texas through the period. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms developed across the area and resulted in damaging winds, hail, and flash flooding.
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 San Angelo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 10:43 PM CST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 1143 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2014 .AVIATION... /06Z TAFS/ Quiet weather currently exists across West Central TX with showers and thunderstorms to the north and to the south of the CWA. We may see a few cells develop across the area overnight, but coverage should be limited so no precipitation was carried through 12z. However, after 12z, showers were added (vicinity) with VCTS groups included at KABI and KSJT during the afternoon hours. Confidence was not high enough to include at the other forecast terminals. Precip could last well into the evening hours but the forecast was left dry after sunset since the best chance at precipitation would be during the daytime hours. Low clouds are expected tonight, but copius mid/high level cloud cover may retard the development of stratus. The onset and duration of these low clouds was generally unchanged from the previous package. Expect south winds around 10 kts overnight, increasing slightly tomorrow with occasional gusts to near 20 kts at times. Johnson && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 623 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2014/ AVIATION... /00Z TAFS/ A scattered to broken cu field between 5-6 kft will persist through the evening with scattered showers, and a few thunderstorms, developing across the Concho Valley, mainly between KSJT and KSWW. This convection will move north-northwest at around 20 mph but impacts will be minimal at the forecast terminals. Will have to monitor radar trends to see if thunder is needed later this evening. Otherwise, low clouds (ceilings between 1500 and 2500 ft) will redevelop again tonight, overspreading the terminals after 06z. This stratus will continue through late morning but is expected to lift to above 3000 ft by early afternoon. Isolated showers are expected Friday morning, with showers and thunderstorms increasing in areal coverage during the afternoon. No thunder will be carried for hours 18-24 but showers were included with this package. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2014/ SHORT TERM... Upper low centered to the east northeast of San Diego continues to dig slowly to the south southeast, and this trend will continue through the evening before it starts to make the eastward turn during the morning. This places West Central Texas in an area of good upper-level divergence. Water vapor imagery suggests a pair of embedded shortwaves ejecting northeast from the base of associated trough. Moisture will continue to advect into the area through tomorrow in the low levels from the Gulf of Mexico, with precipitable water values increasing from 1.1 inches (currently) to near 1.5 inches by tomorrow morning. Mesoanlysis also shows 850 mb dewpoints in the 14-16 C range. Additionally, mid and upper- level moisture continues to stream into the region from Baja California. For tonight, showers and thunderstorms will develop to the west and northwest of our area along the dryline, in an area of increased low-level convergence, aided by both up-slope flow and increasing ascent from the approaching upper low. Another area of showers and thunderstorms will develop over the mountains of Mexico, as the aforementioned shortwaves approach that area this evening, crossing much of West Central Texas overnight and through the first half of tomorrow. Low-level jet development will also be aligned along the Rio Grande Valley and across western sections of the forecast area, helping to sustain any convection which migrates into the area from the dryline, and from Mexico ahead of the shortwave. Showers and thunderstorms should increase in coverage after 06z across western and southwestern areas, expanding to the northeast as we head through the morning hours. Severe weather tonight looks to remain isolated. MUCAPEs tonight will generally be 1000-1500 J/KG, mainly over the southern and western areas. Also, mid-level lapse rates averaging near 6.5 deg C/KM and 0-6km shear values less than 25 kts will keep any severe threat minimal. Overall, the main hazard will be dangerous cloud to ground lightning, and locally heavy rainfall. Generally the same conditions are expected for tomorrow. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to be ongoing early Friday morning, expanding north and east through mid afternoon. Subsidence will follow the departing shortwave, allowing skies to become partly sunny by afternoon. After a cloudy and wet start to the day, have lowered highs tomorrow to the lower 80s. LONG TERM... Not much has changed in the forecast, with the main focus still on the upper level low moving over the Great Basin. The NAM, GFS, and ECMWF are all in very good agreement with the location of the low, and with the water vapor imagery and 12Z soundings. The models remain in good agreement through the weekend, and continues to increase confidence in the forecast. Towards the beginning of next week the GFS and ECMWF start to diverge, with the GFS taking a more southeasterly track through the Ark-La-Tex region, while the EC moves the low off quicker into the Central Plains. For the holiday weekend, as the low moves over the Rockies and into Southern Plains. Several shortwaves will move through West Central Texas, which will give the area several chances for rain. As the area will remain in south to southeasterly flow, with a continued influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, precipitable water values will to remain 1 to 2 standard deviations above normal. Most of surface forcing will be from the dryline that will remain west of the area. While this means there is a general lack of synoptic scale forcing, it is favorable for thunderstorms west of the area that can then track east across our area. Some of these thunderstorms could be strong to severe as there is sufficient low-level instability and deep layer shear, but given the lack of low-level forcing it is not likely they will be well organized and the main concern will be damaging winds and large hail. More likely the main hazard will be locally heavy rainfall, that may produce mainly some urban flooding. Much of the area will see 1 to 2 inches, with locally higher amounts possible. In the extended, the forecast confidence is lower, and will mainly hinge on which models handles the low pressure system better. The GFS solution is a slower and wetter forecast with much of the area still seeing rain into mid week, while the EC is a bit drier as the low moves into the central US. Given the solutions are still fairly divergent, have not really changed pops for next week much. Otherwise, temperatures will remain near normal through the forecasts. Highs will generally be in the mid to upper 80s, with lows slightly above normal in the mid 60s. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 68 80 66 82 66 / 20 50 30 40 30 San Angelo 69 82 66 84 66 / 30 40 30 30 30 Junction 67 81 67 83 68 / 30 40 20 20 30 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 25
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 308 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2014 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-232015- FISHER-NOLAN-STERLING-COKE-RUNNELS-IRION-TOM GREEN-CONCHO- CROCKETT-SCHLEICHER-SUTTON-HASKELL-THROCKMORTON-JONES-SHACKELFORD- TAYLOR-CALLAHAN-COLEMAN-BROWN-MCCULLOCH-SAN SABA-MENARD-KIMBLE- MASON- 308 PM CDT THU MAY 22 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY THIS EVENING ACROSS WESTERN CROCKETT COUNTY. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. OVERNIGHT...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY THROUGH MEMORIAL DAY. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE...WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
The San Angelo radar (KSJT), 6 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:26 UTC.
26 hail, 15 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 3 funnel cloud, 2 tornado, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A National Weather Service employee reported 2.5 feet of water flowing across Southwest Boulevard, near Loop 306. This resulted in the road being closed.
The Texas Department of Transportation reported large tree limbs down. The limbs were 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet long.
The Rotan Fire Department estimated a wind gust of 60 mph.
The public reported several large tree limbs down. Several of the limbs were at least 10 feet in length.
A resident in close proximity saw the tornado as it briefly touched down on top of a nearby ridge.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer reported 6 inch diameter limbs down.
Law enforcement reported golf ball size hail on Ranch Road 2469.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer reported large tree limbs down. Several limbs were at least 10 feet long.
The public reported Jackson Street was becoming impassable.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer reported several hail dents on vehicles and one window was shattered by golf ball size hail.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer estimated a 60 mph wind gust.
City street flooding and road closures were reported in San Saba.
A storm chaser videotaped this tornado. He was located at the intersection of State Highway 163 and FM 2139 as he was looking to the west southwest. He said it only lasted for 90 seconds before it transitioned into the rope stage.
A trained spotter estimated a 60 mph wind gust.
Law enforcement reported State Highway 163 was flooded about 4 to 6 miles south of Sterling City.
The public estimated a 70 mph wind gust.
The broadcast media in Ballinger estimated a 60 mph wind gust.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer estimated a wind gust to 60 mph.
Golf ball size hail was reported on the north side of San Angelo on Bradford Street.
Quarter size hail was reported near Fort Concho.
A National Weather Service employee estimated a wind gust of 65 mph.
The Wall Mesonet reported a wind gust to 61 mph.
A trained spotter reported large tree limbs of 5 to 10 feet in length were downed by the damaging thunderstorm winds.
An amateur radio operator reported 1 to 2 feet of water in several locations along FM 584 and west of U.S. Highway 277.
A National Weather Service Cooperative Observer reported numerous large tree limbs of 40 feet in length were downed by the damaging winds. The strong winds also ripped up some metal from a building.
A storm chaser reported a photo of a funnel cloud.
Law enforcement reported baseball size hail on State Highway 16.
The public reported a photo of a funnel cloud.
A game warden reported golf ball size hail near Harmony Ridge.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2014Warnings in Texas, May 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: 519883, 519894, 519895, 519896, 519897, 519908, 519909, 521869, 519912, 519913, 519914, 519918, 519920, 519925, 519926, 519928, 519931, 521580, 519941, 519943, 519944, 519945, 519946, 519947, 519949, 519952, 519953, 519954, 519955, 519956, 519957, 519958, 519962, 519963, 519964, 519965, 519966, 519967, 519969, 519970, and more.