An upper level disturbance interacted with an unstable airmass to produce mostly hail across West Central Texas on April 22. Then on the 24th, a much stronger upper level disturbance and an unstable airmass, resulted in a more widespread severe weather outbreak across the region.
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 SJT wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance interacted with an unstable airmass to produce mostly hail across West Central Texas on April 22. Then on the 24th, a much stronger upper level disturbance and an unstable airmass, resulted in a more widespread severe weather outbreak across the region. These supercell thunderstorms produced plenty of hail and damaging thunderstorm winds across the area. As a thunderstorm was developing in northwest Nolan County, it produced a landspout tornado.
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 Apr 22, 11:51 AM CST, 2 hours 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 1251 PM CDT Wed Apr 22 2015 .AVIATION... /18Z TAFS/ CIGS have lifted at KABI and KSJT early this afternoon, while remaining in the MVFR category at KSOA, KJCT, and KBBD. These low clouds should scatter out during the afternoon hours at the southern sites, leaving either VFR SCT clouds or just the upper level clouds. There is a chance for TSRA mainly near KABI late this afternoon and evening. Have inserted a VCTS to cover this possibility. Some of these thunderstorms will be strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds possible. These storms should end before 06Z. Later tonight, MVFR CIGS are expected to move back into the southern three sites by 06Z or shortly after. Less confidence in these CIGS at KSJT, and KABI, so will start with a TEMPO at these sites. 20 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 650 AM CDT Wed Apr 22 2015/ AVIATION... /12Z TAFS/ Low cloud cover (with mostly MVFR ceilings) encompasses the area south of Interstate 20 early this morning, and should overspread KABI prior to 13Z. This low cloud field is expected to persist into the early afternoon hours, with ceilings gradually climbing to between 2000ft and 3000ft. A breakup of low clouds is expected at KABI, KSJT and KSOA early this afternoon. Farther east at KBBD and KJCT, some cloud cover will remain this afternoon, but with VFR bases/ceilings (above 3000ft). Thunderstorm probability and coverage for late this afternoon and tonight look low enough at this time to preclude a mention at the TAF sites. However, this will bear monitoring with a conditional severe weather threat. Mainly south winds will increase this morning and become somewhat gusty. Winds may veer to southwest at KST later this afternoon. A weak cold frontal boundary should sag south into the northern Big Country this evening and tonight, but should remain north of KABI. A return of low clouds with MVFR ceilings is anticipated overnight, across at least the far northern and southeastern parts of west central Texas. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 416 AM CDT Wed Apr 22 2015/ SHORT TERM... (Today and Tonight) .Enhanced Risk for Severe Storms across Haskell and Throckmorton Counties Late this Afternoon and Tonight... The main concern with this forecast is with severe weather potential late this afternoon into tonight across our northern and eastern counties. In addition, somewhat elevated fire weather conditions are possible behind the dryline in some of our western counties during the middle to late part of this afternoon. An upper low over the southern part of California will move little today and tonight, while an upper trough deepens to its southwest. With southwest flow aloft out ahead of this system, may have an embedded impulse moving northeast and reaching the southern High Plains this afternoon. At the surface, convective development over Oklahoma today should help to drive a cold front just south of the Red River. Have some uncertainty on where the effective front will be by this evening, but appears the west-northwest to east-southeast oriented boundary may sag south to near the northern border of our forecast area, into northern Haskell and Throckmorton Counties by this evening. The 00Z GFS is more aggressive than the NAM with a dryline bulge eastward across parts of our area this afternoon. At this time, leaning toward a compromise solution which has the dryline extending from just east of Sweetwater to Coleman to just west of Eden to Sonora by 5 PM. With the aforementioned incoming disturbance aloft, could have scattered thunderstorm development by mid to late this afternoon near the triple point, which should initially be just north or northeast of Lubbock. Additional scattered thunderstorm development is expected along the aforementioned frontal boundary. As the cap erodes, could have isolated to scattered thunderstorm development late this afternoon and evening along and just ahead of the dryline. At this time, we are carrying 30 PoP across some of our northern and eastern counties, with 20 PoP extending back across the Concho Valley and northern Edwards Plateau. With MLCAPE progged to reach 1500-2500 J/KG by late afternoon with 0-6km shear values of 40-50 knots, severe storms will be possible with large hail and damaging winds. Will also have an isolated tornado threat near the frontal boundary and with any sustained supercells farther south across some of our eastern counties. Very warm and much drier conditions are expected behind the dryline this afternoon, leading to somewhat elevated fire weather conditions. However, winds will not be strong and this should help mitigate the threat. The dryline will gradually retreat west tonight. May have a weak surface low track east-southeast along the frontal boundary and into our northern counties tonight. Continuing with low PoPs across our northern and eastern counties tonight. LONG TERM... (Thursday through Wednesday) Upper level low over Southern California early this morning will move only slowly east as it weakens over the next several days. Extensive high clouds with the subtropical jet means that the dryline will likely not move very far into the western counties on Thursday, keeping low level moisture in place. Meanwhile, weak cold front will sag into the Big Country north of Abilene. With the frontal boundary across the northern areas and the dryline to the west, this places much of West Central Texas in a prime spot for convection. The already mentioned subtropical jet and extensive cloud cover may limit instability and thus the severe threat, at least compared to what we may see today along the Red River Valley. Latest TTU WRF model shows an area of showers and storms developing across the area by afternoon, spreading off to the northeast. With this in mind, have boosted PoPs slightly for Thursday and Thursday night. Models suggest that whats left of the trough axis exits by Friday, so have kept the rain chances for the area mainly east of an Abilene to San Angelo line for early Friday. Friday Night into early Sunday look drier, with westerly winds scouring out most of the low level moisture. Warm though, with highs well into the 80s on downslope winds. New upper level trough axis digs down into the Southwest US by Sunday, placing West Central Texas again into southwest flow aloft. Surface axis will develop to the west and low level winds will shift to the south and bring the moisture back into the area. Weak ill-timed shortwaves will move across the area in the flow aloft and bring another chance for showers and storms for late Sunday and Sunday Night. Both the GFS and ECMWF close off the system over the Panhandle, but the GFS is faster pushing it off to the northeast and is drier. The ECMWF is slower and wetter. With these model differences, have kept the forecast dry for now and wait for better agreement. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Abilene 85 63 86 65 85 / 30 20 20 30 20 San Angelo 89 63 88 64 86 / 20 10 20 30 20 Junction 85 66 89 67 86 / 20 10 20 40 30 && .SJT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 557 AM CDT WED APR 22 2015 TXZ049-054-064>066-071>073-076>078-098-099-113-114-127-128-139- 140-154-155-168>170-231100- 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- 557 AM CDT WED APR 22 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... MAINLY ACROSS THE AREA NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM SWEETWATER TO BALLINGER TO MASON. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREATS INCLUDE LARGE HAIL... DAMAGING WINDS AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND THURSDAY NIGHT...MAINLY EAST OF A LINE FROM HAMLIN TO MERKEL TO SONORA. A FEW SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND DEADLY LIGHTNING THE MAIN THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT... AND AGAIN LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY NIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX 246 PM CDT WED APR 22 2015 TXZ139-222015- COLEMAN TX- 246 PM CDT WED APR 22 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY EFFECTIVE UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR COLEMAN COUNTY... POTENTIAL STORM HAZARDS INCLUDE... GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL AT 243 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF VOSS...OR ABOUT 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COLEMAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. POTENTIAL STORM IMPACTS INCLUDE... LIGHT LOOSE OBJECTS TOPPLED... DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS... MINOR SHINGLE DAMAGE... ISOLATED SMALL DENTS TO VEHICLES... THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... TALPA BY 250 PM CDT VALERA BY 255 PM CDT HORDS CREEK RESERVOIR AND GLEN COVE BY 305 PM CDT COLEMAN BY 310 PM CDT SILVER VALLEY AND NOVICE BY 315 PM CDT LAT...LON 3157 9959 3163 9972 3208 9971 3208 9919 TIME...MOT...LOC 1946Z 206DEG 27KT 3170 9963
The Dyess AFB radar (KDYX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:19 UTC.
18 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 6 funnel cloud, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The Texas Department of Transportation reported pea to nickel size hail.
A person living near the four corners, in northwest Nolan County, videotaped a picturesque landspout tornado for a few minutes.
Law enforcement reported a funnel cloud 1 mile southeast of Gannon.
The public reported a funnel cloud 7 miles north northwest of Nolan.
A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud 2 miles northwest of Weinert.
A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud 3 miles northwest of Weinert.
The fire department reported residential roofs were damaged by the strong winds.
The public reported that hail busted numerous vehicle windows.
The public estimated a wind gust to 60 mph 5 miles northwest of Tennyson.
Law enforcement estimated 60 mph winds.
A National Weather Survey team found damage from an EF1 tornado that tracked across rural areas of northeast Runnels County into northwest Coleman County. The tornado began about 11 miles east northeast of Winters. The storm crossed the Runnels and Coleman County Line at approximately 5 miles west southwest of Novice and ended about 2 miles north of Novice. The most significant damage was at |FM 1770 and FM 382 where the team observed snapped oak and mesquite tree trunks. This tornado became rain wrapped and was also videotaped by a storm chaser located near Novice.
A National Weather Survey team found damage from an EF1 tornado that tracked across rural areas of northeast Runnels County into northwest Coleman County. The tornado began about 11 miles east northeast of Winters. The storm crossed the Runnels and Coleman County Line at approximately 5 miles west southwest of Novice and ended about 2 miles north of Novice. The most significant damage was at |FM 1770 and FM 382 where the team observed snapped oak and mesquite tree trunks. This tornado became rain wrapped and was also videotaped by a storm chaser located near Novice.
A trained spotter estimated 70 mph winds 5 miles west of Novice.
The sheriff's office reported four trees down of 21 inch diameter at FM 382 and FM 2647. In addition, large tree limbs were reported down on FM 382.
A National Weather Service employee reported tree limbs down along FM 382.
A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud 5 miles south of Oplin.
ASOS measured a wind gust to 61 mph.
A coop observer reported a carport blown 100 feet and severely damaged. Also, large tree branches were blown down and a slide was damaged. The strong winds also produced damage to tree limbs near Lake Coleman.
A trained spotter estimated a 70 mph wind gust 3 miles northeast of Wall.
A trained spotter reported numerous trees down across the City of Cross Plains. Some of the trees fell on cars.
A trained spotter estimated 60 mph winds in Paint Rock.
The Coleman Fire Department estimated 60 mph winds in Coleman.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2015Warnings 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: 570812, 570813, 571486, 570814, 570817, 570818, 570819, 570822, 570823, 570824, 570831, 570832, 570833, 570834, 570835, 570836, 570837, 570838, 570839, 570840, 570841, 570843, 571410, 571804, 570844, 570845, 570846, 570847, 570848, 570852, 570858, 570859, 570860, 570861, 570862, 570863, 570864, 570865, 570866.