High based thunderstorms were able to develop atop a deeply mixed and very hot boundary layer. Development of this activity was due to surface convergence along a weak surface trough that stretched from Denver City (Yoakum County) to Childress (Childress County).
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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 LUB wrote it up.
High based thunderstorms were able to develop atop a deeply mixed and very hot boundary layer. Development of this activity was due to surface convergence along a weak surface trough that stretched from Denver City (Yoakum County) to Childress (Childress County). Higher instability over the extreme southeastern Texas Panhandle allowed for stronger storms in this area. One of these storms became severe southeast of Turkey causing severe wind gusts. Additionally, lightning started wildfires in Motley County burned approximately 3000 acres before being contained.
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 Jul 13, 5:24 PM CST, 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 624 PM CDT WED JUL 13 2016 .AVIATION... Although VFR is anticipated, isolated thunderstorms will likely affect one or more TAF sites this evening. KLBB was currently experiencing thunder and will continue for another hour or so until storms move east or dissipate. Chances of storms are increased near KCDS this evening with a more favorable environment for thunderstorm development. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 311 PM CDT WED JUL 13 2016/ SHORT TERM... Another hot day across the region today with mostly sunny skies. Finally starting to see elevated cumulus developing on top of the deeply mixed boundary layer over the southern South Plains, with some hints of additional development along a weak boundary that stretched southwest to northeast from near Denver City to Childress. Now that model data have finally arrived after all of the comms issues this morning, all models generate some convection near or along this weak boundary. As usual...coverage remains highly variable but if the past few days are any indication, most convection will be isolated. Deep layer shear is sufficient enough that any storms that do develop will have a chance to organize and enough CAPE is present, generally around 1000 J/kg) that a few pulse severe storms cannot be ruled out. Did expand coverage of isolated storms further southwest to include area of developing cumulus and to keep PoPs in place on both sides of the surface boundary. Temperatures overnight will depend on what outflow storms can generate but another fairly strong low-level jet will develop that will help keep the boundary layer mixed and keep minimum temperatures within a degree or two of lows recorded this morning. Tomorrow brings a bit more uncertainty as the models bring a fairly strong shortwave across the northern Texas Panhandle into southern Kansas. This will suppress the ridge a bit and help to push a weak front into the southern Texas Panhandle. Model time series show that thickness values do not change much and tendency has been for temperatures to go above guidance, especially along and south of frontal boundaries likely due to a combination of compressional warming and surface wind veering to the southwest ahead of the front. MOS guidance came in 3-4 degrees cooler than the forecast currently has and feel this trend may be in error. This will keep highs in the 102-105 degree range and depending on what overnight lows do, we may need another heat advisory for tomorrow. Will let the midnight shift decide and see if guidance temperatures continue to fall or if temps will hold closer to where we have been the past week or so. Jordan LONG TERM... Hot weather to continue but some subtle changes in the pattern over the next few days. Late Thursday, we may see some isolated thunderstorms along deeper moisture gradient/weak front from NE to SW across the area. Activity could be aided by weakness in upper ridge along with weak forcing. kept pops in overnight Thur night with some weak upper support and boundary possibly fed by low level jet late. Weak front/boundary may wash out with a return to S/SE BL flow by late Friday. Looking a little less likely for rain then as aid from front/upr forcing may be more lacking than previous thinking. Kept slight chance pops in across a large part of the forecast area as subsident inversion may be less prominent with some marginal CAPE available. Beyond Friday, it looks like its back to hot and dry. Heights begin to build in again Saturday. Models have been consistent in building expansive broad upper high northward into Central Plains and mid Miss Valley toward Monday. This high will amplify farther northward by Tuesday with mid level easterly flow developing Mon/Tue on south side of high across West Texas. Despite some cooler temperatures than our neighbors to the north, heights/thicknesses still suggest upper 90s to near 100, although may begin to pick up a shallow cumulus field with some increase in mean RH. Although monsoon southerly flow may result in increasing convective coverage over the higher terrain in New Mexico midweek, 500 mb heights will remain around 594-596 dm which should allow above average temperatures to continue with only a faint glimmer of a chance for some cooling rain showers and thunder under this stagnant and subsident high. James && .LUB Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for TXZ022>024-028>030- 033>036-039>041. && 01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 321 AM CDT WED JUL 13 2016 TXZ021>044-140830- PARMER-CASTRO-SWISHER-BRISCOE-HALL-CHILDRESS-BAILEY-LAMB-HALE- FLOYD-MOTLEY-COTTLE-COCHRAN-HOCKLEY-LUBBOCK-CROSBY-DICKENS-KING- YOAKUM-TERRY-LYNN-GARZA-KENT-STONEWALL- 321 AM CDT WED JUL 13 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE SOUTH PLAINS...ROLLING PLAINS AND THE FAR SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH PLAINS AND EXTREME SOUTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE WHERE AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL TOP OUT AROUND 105. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. THE BEST CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE ALONG A LINE FROM LUBBOCK TO MEMPHIS FAVORING THE MORE NORTHERN LOCATIONS. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS AND 70 MPH WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WILL BE BETWEEN 103 AND 106 DEGREES ON THE CAPROCK, AND THEREFORE, A HEAT ADVISORY MAY NEED TO BE ISSUED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:16 UTC.
2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
A NWS cooperative weather observer reported a swath of wind blown hail that damaged a 12 mile long stretch of cotton in Motley and Hall Counties between Northfield and Turkey.
A NWS cooperative weather observer reported a swath of wind blown hail that damaged a 12 mile long stretch of cotton in Motley and Hall Counties between Northfield and Turkey.
Law enforcement in Turkey reported several power lines downed by high winds as well as a portion of a roof blown off of a house. Several minutes later, the Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet station observed a wind gust to 60 mph.
Local broadcast media reported that lightning ignited several large wildfires in Motley County around 1830 CST. Although no structures were damaged and there were no injuries, nearly 3000 acres were burned before the wildfires were contained on the 14th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, July 2016
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: 636447, 636448, 636445, 636455.