Moisture was moving over the region ahead of an upper trough that transitioned into a closed low and moved over the Northern Plains. An area of increased upper level winds as well as an upper level disturbance was over the area as a result of this upper pattern, and a surface trough was across West Texas.
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 MAF wrote it up.
Moisture was moving over the region ahead of an upper trough that transitioned into a closed low and moved over the Northern Plains. An area of increased upper level winds as well as an upper level disturbance was over the area as a result of this upper pattern, and a surface trough was across West Texas. This good lift and moisture combined with good instability to produce thunderstorms with heavy rain across the area. The heavy rain lead to flash flooding across the Western Low Rolling Plains.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 17, 4:59 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 559 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016 .DISCUSSION... See 00z aviation discussion below. && .AVIATION... Severe thunderstorms with gusty winds and large hail are possible across all terminals through this evening. Possible MVFR ceilings and visibilities for HOB; otherwise, VFR conditions. Winds will be light out of a generally southerly direction. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 307 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016/ UPDATE... Update to include Severe Thunderstorm Watch number 480 for southeast New Mexico and much of west Texas until 1000 pm CDT. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 207 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016/ One more punch from the passing 3h jet today is expected to result/aid in the development of tstms, some severe with heavy rain. Today tstm initiation is favored to be in SE NM and the Trans Pecos Mtns/Wrn PB in closer proximity to said jet/where mid level lapse rates are steepest and where there are less clouds/more insolation, respectively. A surface boundary is still around too and looks to have lifted back n of I-20 (winds are back to the SE at MAF). Meanwhile a second boundary assocd with tstms to the N-NE of CWFA earlier was moving SW and may merge with said boundary. Finally a 3rd boundary is moving w into the SE PB. 12Z MAF sounding reveals deep mstr and plenty of available energy. A 21Z forecast of the MAF sounding does reveal ML CAPE of 2800 J/KG and 45kts of 0-6km bulk shear with no CINH (89/66) supportive of at least a few severe storms. As storms develop in the said favored areas around 21Z they are likely to track E, possibly SE (in the eventual form an MCS?) into the low level moist axis within a region of upper divergence (RRQ of 3h 70-80kt jet). Forecast has chance/scattered PoPs across most of the area and seems reasonable. Based on latest high resolution model data will opt to increase PoPs from INVOF Davis Mtns into at least the wrn PB and expand the mention of severe wording too. Some of the data (GFS) holds precip after 06Z, but we tend to prefer scenario of lower PoPs after 06Z like that of the NAM12. Mid level ridge starts to build in Sunday, but while doing so mid level flow will briefly become NW and there could be an isold pocket of convection across the PB late Sunday PM as SB instability may focus within a small area of high theta-e air at the surface. Isold-sct tstms INVOF Davis Mtns is more likely. All of the MOS guidance is eager to increase high temps starting Sunday thru Monday, especially from I-20 swd with highs back into the M90s. The ridge will be strongest Monday/Tuesday but models still show a SE mid level wind advecting in cooler mid level temps, so Sunday/Monday will probably be the hottest days, but Tuesday will still be above normal with the possibility of a cold front next weekend. Otherwise forecast will be mostly dry. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 70 93 71 95 / 40 10 10 0 Carlsbad 65 91 64 93 / 30 10 0 0 Dryden 72 95 72 96 / 10 10 0 0 Fort Stockton 70 94 71 95 / 30 10 0 0 Guadalupe Pass 64 85 66 87 / 30 10 10 0 Hobbs 64 88 64 90 / 40 10 0 0 Marfa 62 87 62 87 / 30 20 10 10 Midland Intl Airport 69 94 70 96 / 40 10 10 0 Odessa 69 94 70 95 / 40 10 10 0 Wink 69 95 69 97 / 40 10 0 0 && .MAF Watches/Warnings/Advisories... NM...None. TX...None. && 99/99/
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 144 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-181845- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY COUNTY-EDDY COUNTY PLAINS- NORTHERN LEA COUNTY-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY-GAINES- DAWSON-BORDEN-SCURRY-ANDREWS-MARTIN-HOWARD-MITCHELL- VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR-REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS- LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND-GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN- DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-PECOS-PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU- BIG BEND AREA-TERRELL-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS- 144 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016 /1244 PM MDT SAT SEP 17 2016/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WESTERN TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN THIS AFTERNOON, THEN SPREAD NORTH AND EAST ACROSS THE REST OF THE AREA TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH STRONG WINDS, LARGE HAIL, DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL THE MAIN THREATS. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE, INCLUDING ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO AND THE PERMIAN BASIN. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MIDLAND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /LOWER CASE/ HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MIDLAND
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
608 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM HAIL 13 SW MIDLAND 31.87N 102.24W
09/17/2016 E1.00 INCH MIDLAND TX NWS EMPLOYEE
70-80 MPH WINDS FROM DOWNBURST.
&&
CMRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
618 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016
TXZ057-180015-
VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR TX-
618 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN CULBERSON COUNTY
UNTIL 715 PM CDT...
AT 618 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
LOBO...OR 12 MILES SOUTH OF VAN HORN...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LOBO.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3084 10491 3099 10490 3092 10446 3075 10478
3081 10492 3083 10492
TIME...MOT...LOC 2318Z 281DEG 11KT 3086 10485
67PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
633 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0623 PM HAIL LEES 32.08N 101.49W
09/17/2016 E1.25 INCH GLASSCOCK TX PUBLIC
&&
CMRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
651 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0642 PM HAIL 5 S BIG SPRING 32.18N 101.48W
09/17/2016 E1.75 INCH HOWARD TX TRAINED SPOTTER
GOLF BALL HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RANCH ROAD
33 AND HIGHWAY 87 SOUTH OF BIG SPRING.
&&
AKLSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX 705 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016 TXZ074-075-180100- PECOS TX-DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA TX- 705 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTH CENTRAL BREWSTER...EAST CENTRAL JEFF DAVIS AND WEST CENTRAL PECOS COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM CDT... AT 705 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF HOVEY...OR 27 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALPINE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... HOVEY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS. LAT...LON 3063 10357 3082 10348 3077 10306 3044 10316 TIME...MOT...LOC 0005Z 282DEG 15KT 3071 10343 80
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
718 PM CDT SAT SEP 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 PM TORNADO 8 NW GOLDSMITH 32.06N 102.71W
09/17/2016 ECTOR TX TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
MSCHULDTThe San Angelo radar (KSJT), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:31 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain fell across Mitchell County and produced flash flooding along Highway 208 and Highway 139.
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, September 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: 659648.