Ice Storm in Texas, November 26 to 28, 2015

Name: Ice Storm in Texas, November 26 to 28, 2015
Start: 2015-11-26T21:00
End: 2015-11-28T22:00
Location: Texas

November 26 to 28, 2015 · NWS LUB · 16 events in 15 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 16
Property damage: $2.4 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LUB wrote it up.

Following a sharp cold front which ignited a few strong thunderstorms during the late afternoon hours on Thanksgiving Day, brisk northerly winds and freezing temperatures overspread the region and remained in place for nearly 48 hours. Atop this shallow layer of cold air, anomalously moist air from the Gulf of Mexico combined with a strong subtropical upper jet to produce periodic rounds of mostly freezing rain from Thanksgiving night through the morning hours on the 28th. A few periods of sleet and even very light snow accompanied this multi-day storm; however, all significant impacts were the direct result of icing from freezing rain. As the brunt of the freezing rain fell on the 27th, many dubbed this as the Black Friday ice storm. With the exception of the western South Plains and parts of the southern Rolling Plains, most locations received ice amounts of around 0.25. A pronounced swath of 0.50 to nearly 1 fell from just east of Crosbyton, northeast to Matador, Paducah, and Childress. The core of this heavy icing was the result of elevated thunderstorms during the evening on the 27th that trained across the northern Rolling Plains for nearly two hours. Thousands of people in Motley, Dickens, Cottle, and Childress Counties were without power for up to three days as power lines suffered extensive damage spanning long distances. Additionally, vehicle accidents peaked by Friday night as road temperatures finally cooled to the freezing point. In Lubbock, some overpasses were closed periodically through the night due to recurring accidents. From about 1920 CST until 2300 CST, Lubbock DPS was unable to keep pace with the rate of vehicle accidents, some of which involved minor injuries. Fortunately, Lubbock International Airport reported very few delays and no cancellations that were directly attributable to the storm. This multi-day storm dealt a heavy economic blow to the city of Lubbock in the form of lost business revenue (estimated as high as $5M) as thousands of holiday shoppers wisely chose to stay home on Friday and Saturday instead of travel in such hazardous weather conditions. Dozens of weekend school athletic games and functions were either rescheduled or cancelled. Regional utility providers reported a combined loss of just over 90 utility poles with around 100 miles worth of damaged power lines - much of which occurred in Motley, Cottle, Childress, and Dickens Counties. Combined with property damage from fallen limbs and trees (many that still had leaves) and scores of vehicle accidents, total damages throughout the region could approach several million USD.

What forecasters said that day

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 Nov 26, 6:50 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 26, 6:50 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
650 PM CST THU NOV 26 2015

.UPDATE...
00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. UPDATED TO ADD KING AND STONEWALL
COUNTIES TO ICE STORM WARNING FROM THE EARLIER WINTER STORM WATCH.
UNCERTAINTIES OVER CRITICAL SURFACE TEMPS IN THE ROLLING PLAINS
ARE NO LONGER AS MANY AS BEFORE GIVEN FREEZING TEMPS ALREADY
UPSTREAM IN THE EASTERN TX PANHANDLE...FASTER FROPA AND
CONSISTENT MOS GUIDANCE INDICATING FALLING TEMPS TO AOB FREEZING
IN THE ROLLING PLAINS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

FARTHER WEST ON THE CAPROCK...THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT THE
FREEZING RAIN AMOUNTS MAY BE TEMPERED BY A DEEPER SUB-FREEZING
COLUMN AS SHOWN BY RECENT RUNS OF THE RAP AND NAM - EFFECTIVELY
SUPPORTING MORE ICE PELLETS /SLEET/ THAN FREEZING RAIN. THESE
MODELS BOTH HAVE FREEZING DEPTHS OF 2000 TO 2500 FEET THICK AT
LUBBOCK WHICH ARE WELL ABOVE THE 1500 FEET OR SHALLOWER WINDOW
IDEAL FOR FREEZING RAIN...HOWEVER OTHER MODELS ARE MORE SHALLOW
WITH THIS CRITICAL LAYER AND SUPPORTIVE OF HEAVY ICING. SEE NO
REASON YET TO DEVIATE FROM THE CURRENT FORECAST AS THIS IS ONLY A
SMALL SAMPLING OF MODELS WITH VARIOUS ENSEMBLES OFFERING NO
CLEARER SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. AIRCRAFT SOUNDING /ACARS/ DATA AT
LBB WILL PROVE CRITICAL IN THE DAYS AHEAD FOR DETERMINING ANY ONE
PREFERENCE OF PRECIP TYPE IN THE NEAR TERM.

.AVIATION...
POOR FLYING CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH FRI AND SATURDAY UNDER
LOW CIGS AND ACCUMULATING FROZEN PRECIP...MOSTLY ICE. MVFR CIGS
ARE QUICKLY FALLING TO IFR JUST N OF LBB AND WILL REMAIN AT THESE
LEVELS THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. AT LBB...AN AIRPORT WEATHER
WARNING AT FOR ACCUMULATING ICE WILL BE ISSUED ONCE CONFIDENCE IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF FREEZING RAIN BECOMES MORE CERTAIN. CURRENT
FEELING IS THIS SHOULD BE UNDERWAY FROM 09Z-12Z...THOUGH WITH
FREEZING TEMPS ALREADY NOTED SOUTH OF AMA...THIS COULD BE TOO
LATE. EXPECT BREEZY N WINDS OF 15-25 KNOTS THROUGH FRIDAY.

&&

.LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ICE STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST SATURDAY FOR
TXZ021>044.

&&

93/26

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 26, 6:59 PM CST, 2 hours 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
659 PM CST THU NOV 26 2015

TXZ021>044-280100-
PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE-
FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING-
YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL-
659 PM CST THU NOV 26 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS
PANHANDLE...SOUTH PLAINS AND ROLLING PLAINS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A REGIONAL ICE STORM IS LIKELY TO DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT AND
CONTINUE ON AND OFF THROUGH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. AN ICE STORM
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT UNTIL 6 PM SATURDAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

AS COLD AIR INTENSIFIES OVER THE REGION ON FRIDAY...A DEEP LAYER
OF MOISTURE ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TO FEED WAVES OF FREEZING RAIN.
ICE ACCUMULATIONS FROM FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SHOULD REACH
1/4 INCH...WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 1/2 INCH.
REGIONAL TRAVEL AND COMMERCE COULD BE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THIS
STORM UNTIL TEMPERATURES RISE TO ABOVE FREEZING BY SATURDAY
AFTERNOON. POWER OUTAGES ARE ALSO LIKELY TO DEVELOP. ENSURE BACKUP
POWER GENERATORS ARE IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Parmer

When: November 26, 9:00 PM CST to November 28, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Parmer forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.530, -102.784 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Castro

When: November 26, 11:00 PM CST to November 28, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Castro forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.530, -102.262 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Swisher

When: November 27, 12:00 AM CST to November 28, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Swisher forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Briscoe

When: November 27, 12:20 AM CST to November 28, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Briscoe forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.530, -101.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Floyd

When: November 27, 12:30 AM CST to November 28, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Floyd forecast zone
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.072, -101.303 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Motley

When: November 27, 2:55 AM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Motley forecast zone
Property damage: $420,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.074, -100.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Childress

When: November 27, 4:15 AM CST to November 28, 10:00 PM CST
Where: Childress forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.529, -100.208 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dickens

When: November 27, 4:40 AM CST to November 28, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Dickens forecast zone
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.617, -100.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Crosby

When: November 27, 4:40 AM CST to November 28, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Crosby forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 7 indirect
Property damage: $650,000
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 33.615, -101.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Hall

When: November 27, 5:50 AM CST to November 28, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Hall forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.531, -100.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Cottle

When: November 27, 7:05 AM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Cottle forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Property damage: $350,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.078, -100.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Lubbock

When: November 27, 7:14 AM CST to November 28, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Lubbock forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 7 indirect
Property damage: $650,000
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 33.610, -101.820 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, King

When: November 27, 7:20 AM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: King forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 33.617, -100.256 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dickens

When: November 27, 7:45 AM CST to November 28, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Dickens forecast zone
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 33.617, -100.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Lynn

When: November 27, 7:45 AM CST to November 28, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Lynn forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.177, -101.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Garza

When: November 27, 8:05 AM CST to November 28, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Garza forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 33.180, -101.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, November 2015

Sources

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: 603550, 603551, 603552, 603553, 603561, 603557, 603555, 603560, 603565, 603554, 603556, 603564, 603558, 603559, 603563, 603562.