An upper level storm system across New Mexico combined with a southward slow moving cold front in the Texas Panhandle and abundant moisture resulted in widespread and long duration rainfall across the northern Permian Basin.
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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 MAF wrote it up.
An upper level storm system across New Mexico combined with a southward slow moving cold front in the Texas Panhandle and abundant moisture resulted in widespread and long duration rainfall across the northern Permian Basin.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 13, 11:36 AM CST, 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
1236 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2015
.AVIATION...
18Z TAF issuance...
The main aviation concerns for the next 24 hours is MVFR cigs and
TSRA affecting terminals through this afternoon and into tonight as
a cold front slowly sinks south. At 13/17Z, the cold front had
already moved through HOB, CNM and will be moving through MAF
shortly. Gusty north winds can be expected behind the front, lasting
through much of the day then diminishing later tonight. Currently
have showers and thunderstorms across northern Permian Basin and
southeast NM this morning. This activity is expected to spread
southward this afternoon as the front pushes south. Thunderstorms
may produce gusty and erratic winds at time. Terminals will likely
see temporary periods of MVFR through the afternoon, becoming more
prevalent this evening. Otherwise, rain activity looks to come to
an end this evening with VFR conditions returning early Tuesday
morning.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1005 AM CDT Mon Apr 13 2015/
UPDATE...
Update sent to increase PoPs and issue a flash flood watch.
DISCUSSION...
Hi-resolution model data is convincing enough to increase PoPs,
include heavy rain, and issue a Flash Flood Watch for much of the
PB. NAM12, HRRR, etc are showing that the combination of the front
and upper low will result in additional SHRA/TSRA development into
the afternoon, eventually into the I-20 Corridor. Much of the
central PB had heavy rain last night and we expect it won't take
too much more to have flooding/flash flooding problems develop.
Watch is in effect until mid-late evening. Local amounts may near
2 inches.
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 911 AM CDT Mon Apr 13 2015/
UPDATE...
Update has been sent to increase winds.
DISCUSSION...
Surface winds across N Lea Co and just n of CWFA have increased to
sustained 20-25 mph with G30-40 mph as such have adjusted winds
upward and speed up the NE wind shift. 3hr pressure rises are not
that impressive to the n, about 3 mb/3hr, there may be some enhancement
due to presence of storms across SE NM. MAV is much more aggressive
with winds and we'll keep watch to see if they need increased further.
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 341 AM CDT Mon Apr 13 2015/
DISCUSSION...
After several dry years it is nice to finally get into a little
bit of a wet pattern here in west Texas and southeast New Mexico.
One upper low exits the area today and another forms and drops
into New Mexico keeping a chance for showers and thunderstorms in
the forecast for much of the seven day forecast.
The first upper low is currently over southern New Mexico and will
slowly move east into west Texas later today. An associated
surface cold front is near LBB this morning, but will make only
slow progress south reaching the I-20 corridor by 00Z. Most
models are showing widespread rain developing along and north of
the front this afternoon which could create some localized
flooding problems for the northern Permian Basin and southeastern
New Mexico. The focus of the precip will shift east tonight as the
low moves into central Texas but wrap around rainfall will still
be possible mainly north of I-10.
GFS and ECMWF guidance are showing very strong gap winds
developing at GDP tonight which is surprising. 850mb wind speed
and direction is not favorable for strong winds, the airmass
behind the front is not very cold as seen with Dodge City, KS
currently only 4 degrees cooler than Midland, and though (in a
rarity) the northeast flow is deep due to the presence of the
upper low it is not particularly strong. It appears that the
models are counting on a cold pool developing in heavy
precipitation south of Lubbock to reinforce the cold air in the
lee of the mountains producing the pressure gradient needed for
gap winds. Confidence in this scenario playing out is not high so
decided against a watch or warning at this time though it is
possible brief, low end warning criteria winds could be seen
mainly from 00-06Z.
Things finally calm down a little Tuesday as the low exits the
area but as stated previously, another low quickly drops south
along the NM/AZ border bringing a return of rain chances on
Wednesday. This low will move slowly like it's predecessor, moving
only from the four corners region Wednesday to Albuquerque in 48
hours. The eastern Permian Basin and lower Trans Pecos will have
the best rain chances due to better low level moisture
availability but cannot rule out moisture holding all the way up
against the mountains in southeast New Mexico giving areas farther
west a chance for rain as well. The GFS has been trying to push
dry air too far east lately and appears to be doing it again with
this system so kept PoPs back farther west than it indicates.
Models do not show much instability late in the week for severe
thunderstorms but this could quickly change.
Hennig
&&
.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NM...FLASH FLOOD WATCH until 9 PM MDT this evening FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES... Central Lea County...Northern Lea County...
Southern Lea County.
TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH until 10 PM CDT this evening FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES... Andrews...Borden...Crane...Dawson...Ector...
Gaines...Glasscock...Howard...Martin...Midland...Reagan...
Upton...Ward...Winkler.
&&
27
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http://weather.gov/midlandHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 1150 AM CDT MON APR 13 2015 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-141515- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY COUNTY-EDDY COUNTY PLAINS- NORTHERN LEA COUNTY-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY-GAINES- DAWSON-BORDEN-SCURRY-ANDREWS-MARTIN-HOWARD-MITCHELL- VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR-REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS- LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND-GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN- DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-PECOS-PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU- BIG BEND AREA-TERRELL-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS- 1010 AM CDT MON APR 13 2015 /910 AM MDT MON APR 13 2015/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS WEST TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THE MOST NUMEROUS STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ACROSS THE PERMIAN BASIN AND SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL WITH LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL THIS EVENING. SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND OR STRONG WINDS. VERY WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH GUADALUPE PASS TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE PERMIAN BASIN AND EXTREME WESTERN LOW ROLLING PLAINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MIDLAND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /LOWER CASE/ HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MIDLAND
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
811 AM CDT MON APR 13 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM TSTM WND DMG MIDLAND 32.00N 102.08W
04/12/2015 MIDLAND TX PUBLIC
LARGE TREE UPROOTED IN SOUTH MIDLAND. PICTURE FROM
FACEBOOK.
0730 PM FLASH FLOOD ODESSA 31.85N 102.37W
04/12/2015 ECTOR TX PUBLIC
WEST COUNTY ROAD/UNIVERSITY, RUNNING WATER APPROXIMATELY
10 INCHES DEEP AND UP OVER SIDEWALKS. VIDEO FROM
FACEBOOK.
&&
GREGORY.MURDOCHThe Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:54 UTC.
6 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Road closure due to flash flooding at Highway 385 and State Highway 83.
Police Department reported cars flooded on Highway 349 south of Lamesa. Estimated 1 foot of water flowing across the road.
Vehicle stalled in high water at the intersection of State Highway 350 and Farm to Market Road 820.
Six inches to one foot of wather running over roads in northern Colorado City.
Heavy rain causes high water at the intersection of St Hwy 349 and US Hwy 180, which closed the road.
Heavy rain cause flash flooding which lead to a road closure at the intersection of State Highway 83 and US Highway 385 in Seagraves.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2015
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: 568050, 568051, 568048, 568053, 568956, 568957.