Thunderstorms developed in a favorable environment to intensity during the afternoon and evening hours of the 21st. They affected mainly the western portion of the Texas Panhandle.
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 AMA wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed in a favorable environment to intensity during the afternoon and evening hours of the 21st. They affected mainly the western portion of the Texas Panhandle. Some locations, including Dalhart and Hartley, received two or more hail storms. Hail as large as two inches in diameter 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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 21, 2:35 PM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Amarillo TX 335 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 .Discussion... Thunderstorms that develop this afternoon across the western Panhandles will move east this evening with at least a marginally severe wind/hail threat persisting through late evening. Deepening moisture and increasing precipitable water values per short term guidance and trends in the upstream GPS PWAT sites, combined with relatively slow storm motions are supportive of locally heavy rainfall amounts and possibly flooding potential, particularly later this evening in the southern Texas Panhandle. For specifics on convective initiation and potential severe please see the previously issued mesoscale discussion. Updates on mesoscale evolution will be sent as needed through the afternoon and evening. There is a decent signal in some of the models of warm/moist advection process keeping convection going across the southern portion of the Texas Panhandle through the night. Most of the forecast soundings still show evidence of ridging/subsidence for most of the night, but the eastward progression of the ridge may be enough for some activity late especially in the southeast Texas Panhandle where the WAA signal is maximized. Kept low probabilities to account for this mainly focused on the southeastern Texas Panhandle. Modest ascent will overspread the area tomorrow in diffluent upper flow regime. A sharpening dryline across the western Panhandles should focus thunderstorm development during the afternoon in a moderately unstable environment with MLCAPE of 2,000-2,500 J/KG. 0-6 km bulk shear of around 30 to 40 knots should be sufficient for storm organization and supercells. Large hail and damaging winds will be the primary threat although with relatively low LCL heights generally less than 1,000m isolated tornadoes will be possible. The best chance for a tornado would be during the evening as low level jet strengthens causing low level shear to increase and before significant boundary layer stabilization occurs. Troughing to our west continues through mid-week before accelerating eastward toward the Panhandles by the end of the week. Until then mid-level momentum should allow the dryline to mix/sharpen across the far eastern Panahandles and this convection should be limited to this area. We will need to monitor trends in the short term guidance as the time nears in case models are mixing the dryline too far east as has been the case lately. This is a more synoptically active scenario with fairly decent cross-boundary mean flow, thus the reasoning for not adjusting westward at this time. If models trend slower and more amplified with approaching truogh, we will likely need to introduce at least low probabilities of convection in the east portion of the Panhandles. BRB && .Preliminary Point Temps/Pops... Amarillo TX 60 80 59 88 57 / 40 50 40 5 5 Beaver OK 62 83 62 88 60 / 30 40 50 20 20 Boise City OK 56 83 53 84 51 / 30 30 10 5 0 Borger TX 63 83 62 89 61 / 40 50 50 10 5 Boys Ranch TX 60 85 58 89 56 / 40 50 20 5 0 Canyon TX 60 81 58 88 56 / 40 50 40 5 5 Clarendon TX 62 80 63 88 62 / 30 50 50 20 20 Dalhart TX 56 84 54 87 52 / 40 30 10 0 0 Guymon OK 61 84 59 87 56 / 40 50 30 5 5 Hereford TX 59 83 57 89 55 / 40 50 20 0 0 Lipscomb TX 64 81 64 88 62 / 30 40 50 20 20 Pampa TX 59 80 62 87 60 / 30 50 50 20 10 Shamrock TX 62 80 64 88 64 / 30 40 50 30 20 Wellington TX 63 81 65 90 65 / 30 30 50 30 20 && .AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories... TX...NONE. OK...NONE. && 6/17
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 310 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-220815- CIMARRON-TEXAS-BEAVER-DALLAM-SHERMAN-HANSFORD-OCHILTREE-LIPSCOMB- HARTLEY-MOORE-HUTCHINSON-ROBERTS-HEMPHILL-OLDHAM-POTTER-CARSON- GRAY-WHEELER-DEAF SMITH-RANDALL-ARMSTRONG-DONLEY-COLLINGSWORTH- 310 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES. .DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES THIS EVENING THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY TONIGHT. SOME STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. HEAVY RAINS WILL LIKELY OCCUR...POSSIBLY LEADING TO FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES SUNDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO A POSSIBILITY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY FORM ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES MONDAY AFTERNOON AND AGAIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS PANHANDLES SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
314 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016
TXZ001-002-006-212100-
DALLAM TX-HARTLEY TX-SHERMAN TX-
314 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN HARTLEY...
SOUTHEASTERN DALLAM AND SOUTHWESTERN SHERMAN COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM
CDT...
AT 313 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5
MILES SOUTHEAST OF DALHART...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DALHART AND CONLEN.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3638 10237 3611 10199 3605 10210 3606 10216
3602 10216 3589 10243 3602 10264
TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 219DEG 27KT 3600 10244
14SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 416 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 OKZ001-002-TXZ001-002-212200- CIMARRON OK-TEXAS OK-DALLAM TX-SHERMAN TX- 416 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN CIMARRON... SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS...NORTHEASTERN DALLAM AND NORTHWESTERN SHERMAN COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 415 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF CONLEN...OR 13 MILES WEST OF STRATFORD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... STRATFORD...GRIGGS AND CONLEN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN AMARILLO. && A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE WESTERN OKLAHOMA...AND WESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLES. LAT...LON 3620 10230 3627 10244 3671 10232 3645 10178 TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 219DEG 30KT 3631 10230 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 418 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 TXZ006-011-212200- OLDHAM TX-HARTLEY TX- 418 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN HARTLEY AND NORTH CENTRAL OLDHAM COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CDT... AT 417 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ROMERO...OR 14 MILES EAST OF NARA VISA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ROMERO. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN AMARILLO. && A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE WESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE. LAT...LON 3550 10277 3562 10298 3605 10280 3577 10231 TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 219DEG 29KT 3561 10285 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
455 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016
TXZ001-006-212245-
DALLAM TX-HARTLEY TX-
455 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL HARTLEY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
DALLAM COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM CDT...
AT 454 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13
MILES SOUTHWEST OF HARTLEY...OR 19 MILES SOUTH OF DALHART...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DALHART AND HARTLEY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. THEY WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE IN AMARILLO.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
THE WESTERN TEXAS PANHANDLE.
LAT...LON 3619 10258 3594 10216 3589 10216 3568 10257
3580 10277
TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 222DEG 26KT 3579 10261
14The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:10 UTC.
32 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Mostly dime to penny size hail was falling with few ping pong size hail stones.
Mostly dime to nickel size hail fell at this location with a few stones up to quarter size.
Quarter size hail was reported 9.2 miles west of Hartley on FM 998. A fair amount of hail fell, but not enough to cover the road.
Quarter size hail occurred 4 miles southwest of Hartley.
Pea to penny size hail fell 3 miles west-southwest of Simms.
Quarter size hail fell 4 miles southwest of Hartley.
Hail dollar size hail fell 4 miles southwest of Hartley.
Half dollar to hen egg size hail fell 2 miles east of Simms.
Quarter to ping pong ball size hail fell 2 miles south of Hartley.
Dime to quarter size hail fell on US highway 385 one mile south of Hartley.
Ping pong ball size hail occurred 1 mile east-southeast of Simms.
Golf ball size hail reportedly covered the road in Hartley.
Golf ball size hail fell 3 miles south of Hartley.
Two inch diameter hail fell two miles south of Hartley.
Quarter size hail was reported in Hartley.
Ping pong to golf ball size hail fell one mile southeast of Hartley.
The largest hail stone was measured at 0.95 inches in diameter with calipers, 10 miles southeast of Simms.
Water on highway 87 in Hartley resulted in the closure of the outside lanes at the main intersection in town.
Dime to quarter size hail occurred 12 miles east of Simms.
Nickel to quarter size hail occurred 11 miles east of Simms.
Several hailstones found on the ground that measured 1.75 inches in diameter.
Golf ball size hail was reported 12 miles east of Simms.
Half dollar size hail fell 11 miles east of Simms. Road and yards were covered with hail.
Quarter size hail was reported on the south side of Dalhart.
Quarter size hail increased to golf ball size at 6th and Keeler in Dalhart.
Quarter to golf ball size hail was reported in Hartley.
Ping pong ball size hail was reported on the south side of Dalhart.
Golf ball size hail was reported on the southeast side of Dalhart.
Nickel size hail was reported 9 miles east of Simms.
Nickel to quarter size hail was measured with a ruler.
Nickel to quarter size hail occurred 8 miles northeast of Simms.
Hail at least the size of half dollars covered the road 8 miles northeast of Simms.
Two inch diameter hail was measured with a tape measure 8 miles northeast of Simms.
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, May 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: 643272, 636413, 636414, 636415, 636416, 636417, 636418, 636425, 636419, 636420, 636422, 636421, 636423, 636424, 636426, 636427, 636428, 643270, 636429, 636430, 636432, 636431, 636433, 636434, 636440, 636435, 636437, 636436, 636438, 636439, 636441, 636442, 636443.