Shortly before 0800 CST, elevated thunderstorms intensified across the western South Plains and far eastern New Mexico in response to a surge of Gulf moisture ahead of a mid-level trough. Unlike the previous day when widespread morning storms contaminated the potential for severe storms later in the day, this day featured multiple rounds of severe storms from mid-morning through late afternoon…
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.
Shortly before 0800 CST, elevated thunderstorms intensified across the western South Plains and far eastern New Mexico in response to a surge of Gulf moisture ahead of a mid-level trough. Unlike the previous day when widespread morning storms contaminated the potential for severe storms later in the day, this day featured multiple rounds of severe storms from mid-morning through late afternoon rumbling over the South Plains, Rolling Plains and the far southeast Texas Panhandle. The majority of these thunderstorms were elevated with large hail and failed to become surface based thanks to a large outflow boundary that surged south from early morning storms. Despite favorable low level wind shear for tornadoes, the fast-moving outflow boundary was a saving grace of sorts in that it quickly undercut supercells and prevented them from becoming tornadic. Nonetheless, the severe storms that did develop proved costly to many residents across the region, especially in and around the cities of Plainview and Slaton where extensive damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, and wheat crops was reported.
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 8, 5:37 AM CST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 637 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 .AVIATION... LOW CIGS WITH LIGHT FOG THIS MORNING WILL LIKELY BE INTERRUPTED BY SOME TSRA AT TIMES /BEST CHANCES AT CDS/ AS RICHER MOISTURE CONTINUES SURGING INTO THE REGION. A DRYLINE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE HEADWAY TOWARD LBB AND PVW BY MIDDAY COMPLETE WITH VFR SKIES... BUT HOW MANY STORMS DEVELOP THIS MORNING AND LEAVE COOL NE WINDS IN THEIR WAKE AND ULTIMATELY DISRUPT THIS DRYLINE REMAINS TO BE SEEN. IFR CIGS MAY RETURN AT LBB AND PVW TONIGHT AS THE DRYLINE RETREATS WEST AHEAD OF A VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM - THE LEADING EDGE OF WHICH SHOULD BRING FAIR CHANCES FOR +TSRA WITH SOME HAIL AFTER MIDNIGHT AT LBB AND PVW...LIKELY AFTER 12Z AT CDS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 415 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015/ SHORT TERM... SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...TODAY/S SEVERE TSTORM THREAT APPEARS TO BE HEAVILY COMPROMISED BY AN ILL-TIMED UA DISTURBANCE POISED TO REACH THE CWA SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AT 08Z SHOWED A BONAFIDE JET STREAK SLICING NEWD ACROSS SRN NM AND NRN CHIHUAHUA. IN TANDEM WITH THIS JET CORE LIES A SUBTLE MID-LEVEL TROUGH/ENHANCED CYCLONIC CURVATURE. WHEN COMBINED WITH STOUT MOISTURE ADVECTION /INCLUDING SOME DENSE FOG/ ALREADY IN PROGRESS FROM E-W ACROSS THE AREA...THE STAGE APPEARS PRIMED FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF MORNING STORMS SPREADING SW-NE. ALL MODELS CONVECT TO VARYING DEGREES THIS MORNING AND IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THIS ACTIVITY WILL GROW UPSCALE INTO ANOTHER MCS IN/NEAR OUR NERN COUNTIES ALONG THE NOSE OF A STOUT THETA-E AXIS. PROVIDED THIS OCCURS...THEN CONVECTIVE OUTFLOWS SHOULD AGAIN SPREAD S-SW WHILE SERVING TO KEEP A LID ON HIGH TEMPS AND ANY SEVERE CONVECTIVE THREAT IN THE AFTERNOON. UNLIKE THURSDAY...THE DRYLINE SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE SOME HEADWAY INTO OUR W-SW COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE SLOWING AS IT ENCOUNTERS MESOHIGH COLD POOLS FARTHER EAST. EVEN SHOULD A LATE-MORNING MCS FAIL TO DEVELOP...BACKGROUND ASCENT WILL BE ON THE DECLINE THIS AFTERNOON IN THE WAKE OF THE MORNING IMPULSE...SO DRYLINE CONVERGENCE ALONE DOES NOT SEEM LIKELY TO OFFSET THE OVERWHELMING SUBSIDENCE ALOFT FOR SEVERE TSTORM DEVELOPMENT. SPC HAS RETAINED A HEIGHTENED /YET CONDITIONAL/ SEVERE THREAT OFF THE CAPROCK...BUT THIS COMES WITH A MAJOR DISCLAIMER FOR REASONS ALREADY DISCUSSED ABOVE. OMITTED SEVERE MENTION FOR NOW GIVEN THAT THE CONS ARE OUTWEIGHING PROS FOR THE TIME BEING. IF THIS PROVES WRONG...THEN 3500+ J/KG SBCAPE AND 50+ KNOTS OF 0-6KM SHEAR WILL MAKE FOR AN ACTIVE DAY AHEAD OF THE DRYLINE. POP-WISE...RAMPED VALUES UP THIS MORNING BEFORE SCALING THESE BACK THIS AFTERNOON AS TSTORMS SHOULD PROPAGATE MORE READILY EAST AND OUT OF THE REGION UNDER STRONGER SW FLOW. KEPT WITH THIS DRIER THEME THIS EVENING...BUT AFTER MIDNIGHT THERE IS GOOD CONSENSUS THAT AN AXIS OF HEIGHT FALLS AHEAD OF AN UPPER LOW WILL FOSTER SCATTERED- NUMEROUS TSTORMS ALONG THE DRYLINE...LIKELY TO BE POISED ALONG THE TX-NM LINE. MOST MODEL SOUNDINGS APPEAR SUPPORTIVE OF ELEVATED SVR STORMS WITH A THREAT FOR VERY LARGE HAIL...BUT OMITTED SEVERE MENTION FOR NOW AS THIS IS STILL 24 HOURS OUT AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. LONG TERM... SATURDAY MORNING WILL DEPEND HIGHLY ON HOW THINGS UNFOLD WITH CONVECTION AS MENTIONED ABOVE. WITH THE LOW KICKING OUT FROM THE FOUR CORNERS REGION INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH THE DAY...ANY STORMS WILL RAPIDLY SHIFT OFF TO THE EAST AS THE DRYLINE MIXES INTO OKLAHOMA BY SATURDAY EVENING. WESTERLY WIND WILL INCREASE IN SPEED AS THE DRYLINE MARCHES EAST AND AS THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS IN RESPONSE TO THE SURFACE LOW DEEPENING OVER EASTERN COLORADO/WESTERN KANSAS. THIS WILL ALSO MARK THE END OF PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR THE WEEKEND WITH DRIER CONDITIONS IN STORE FOR SUNDAY. LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION AND WILL RECYCLE SOME MOISTURE BACK ACROSS THE AREA IN THE POST-FRONTAL AIRMASS. ALTHOUGH THERE WILL BE SOME LIFT WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...EXPECT VERY LITTLE COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION AND ANY OF THIS WOULD BE LIMITED TO THE SOUTHERN ROLLING PLAINS. A COOL DAY WILL BE IN STORE FOR MONDAY AS THE SURFACE RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE...BUT A QUICK TRANSITION MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING ENSUES AS SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW REDEVELOPS ALOFT. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL RETURN BY TUESDAY NIGHT AS GULF MOISTURE WORKS BACK INTO THE REGION AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALLOWS A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES TO MOVE OVER THE AREA. THE DRYLINE WILL PUSH ALL THE WAY BACK INTO CENTRAL NEW MEXICO WHICH WILL KEEP MOISTURE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH POSSIBLY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. JORDAN && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 93/14/93
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 547 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 TXZ021>044-091100- PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE- FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING- YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL- 547 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AREAS OF FOG...AT TIMES LOCALLY DENSE...WILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA THIS MORNING. ADDITIONALLY...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTH PLAINS BEFORE SPREADING INTO THE FAR SOUTHEAST PANHANDLE AND EXPANDING IN COVERAGE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING COULD ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS. IN THE WAKE OF THESE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND A DEPARTING IMPULSE ALOFT...THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME STABLE AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING DRYLINE ACROSS THE SOUTH PLAINS. IF ADDITIONAL STORMS DO MANAGE TO DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... THEN THERE WILL BE AN ASSOCIATED RISK FOR VERY LARGE HAIL... DAMAGING WINDS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTH PLAINS...AND THEN SPREADING EAST INTO THE ROLLING PLAINS BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE...HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS MORNING AND AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. JORDAN
The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 46 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:11 UTC.
9 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A swath of severe hail ranging in size from quarters to golf balls was reported across northeast Hockley County. Damage was spotty and consisted of minor vehicle and wheat damage.
The same hailstorm from Hockley County continued northeast across Hale County with severe hail between quarter and golf ball size. Cars at the high school in Hale Center did suffer minor damage from mostly quarter size hail. Although damage likely occurred to area wheat crops in Hale County, no information was available.
A swath of severe hail from quarter to golf ball size fell in and south of Floydada. Damage was not known.
Widespread hail damage occurred to homes, businesses and vehicles in Plainview with the worst damage reported at newly constructed luxury homes in the southwest side of the city where every home would require new roofing. This hail was as large as golf balls at times and extended east and northeast over the remainder of the city. Preliminary damage estimates from body shops and home insurance adjusters indicate that the area sustained nearly $300M of combined damages.
Severe hail from quarter to 1.5 inches in diameter was reported from Matador to Northfield. Damage was unknown.
Tennis ball size hail caused sporadic damage to vehicles along Highway 287 about 2.5 miles east-southeast of Childress.
Quarter size hail was reported by a county official. Damage was unknown.
A supercell storm erupted near Ropesville in extreme instability and went on to produce a significant hail swath across south-central and southeast Lubbock County where giant hail to softball size occurred in Slaton. Damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, and wheat crops was common from two miles east of Woodrow to Ransom Canyon. In addition to the hail, strong rear flank downdraft winds picked up gravel in Slaton and blew out dozens of windows in cars and buildings. Combined damage estimates would likely reach $300M.
Ping pong ball size hail was reported by an emergency manager. Damage was not known.
Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet station.
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, May 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: 567028, 567031, 567034, 567048, 567049, 567051, 567052, 567053, 567058, 567059.