The first round of weather early in the morning on the 10th produced flash flooding reports in Armstrong and Randall counties. With PWAT values in the 75th percentile based off climatology upper air obs, the atmosphere was very moist to support heavy rainfall.
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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 AMA wrote it up.
The first round of weather early in the morning on the 10th produced flash flooding reports in Armstrong and Randall counties. With PWAT values in the 75th percentile based off climatology upper air obs, the atmosphere was very moist to support heavy rainfall. Residual outflow boundaries across the western TX Panhandle generated storms later in the afternoon on the 10th with SBCAPE of around 1500 J/kg and MUCAPE of 2000 J/kg with effective shear of 30-35 kts. This allowed some storms to develop with one report of half dollar size hail along with nickel size hail 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 Aug 10, 6:02 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Amarillo TX 702 AM CDT Thu Aug 10 2017 .AVIATION... For the 12Z TAFs, latest round of showers and tstms should be east of the TAF sites by around 14Z this morning, and have reflected this in the fcst. Expect a lull in the precipitation by around mid morning through much of the afternoon hours. Then another crop of showers and tstms is forecast to develop late this afternoon through the evening and nighttime hours, with the greatest threat at KGUY and KDHT, and have included PROB30 groups at those sites for later this evening and tonight. Low confidence in storms affecting KAMA during this same time period precludes mentioning for this fcst issuance. Finally, a weak cold front will move slowly south across the terminal sites later this evening and tonight. Andrade && .PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 409 AM CDT Thu Aug 10 2017/ DISCUSSION... Northwest flow bringing daily rain/thunderstorm chances continues to dominate the overall weather pattern over the TX/OK Panhandles. This is primarily due to anti-cyclonic flow over the Sonoran Desert and persistent cyclonic flow over the Great Lakes region extending over the eastern CONUS. This upper level pattern is not expected to change much over the next 7 days. As of 08z, an area of elevated showers and thunderstorms were moving southeast over Hartley and Dallam Counties in responce to a shortwave in the northwest flow and decent 700mb theta-E advection. One storm has shown signs of being strong. With MUCAPE around 1500 J/kg and 0-6km effective bulk shear values around 25 knots certainly can't rule out some strong wind (but would have to punch through any surface inversion). Severe hail seems unlikely given warm 500mb temps around -4 deg C. Heavy rain will be the main concern given previous rains and plentiful moisture throughout most of the vertical profile. These storms should move into the Amarillo area over the next hour or so and may produce around 0.5" to 1.5" for areas that see the heavier rainfall. Coverage of showers and storms should be on the decrease after 12z with a few lingering storms mainly in the Texas Panhandle. There may then be a lull in activity for Thursday afternoon before the next system moves into the area. High temperatures should get right around normal with low 90s across most of the area. The next round of showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop in responce to another northwest flow shortwave and move into the northwestern zones Thursday evening. Deterministic model guidance is also indicating that a frontal boundary will be approaching the northern zones around the same time, with additional thunderstorm development along the boundary. Probablistic guidance suggest the highest rain chances will be across the Oklahoma Panhandle and northern Texas Panhandle between 06z and 12z Friday. However, this may shift south some depending on how far south the front is able to advance. The NAM is very aggressive with the front, pushing it all the way through the Panhandles by 12z Friday. Effective shear near the front may approach 40 knots during the evening along with MLCAPE around 1000-2000 J/kg, so a strong to marginally severe storm is not out of question. The main threat with storms will continue to be heavy rain and flooding/flash flooding with PWATs above the 90th percentile and saturated soils from rains over the last week. Depending on better confidence in overall storm mode and storm motion, may need to consider flood/flash flood watch for some northern zones on Thursday night and Friday morning. The position of the front will have a large effect on temperatures and potential thunderstorm development Friday. For now going with blend. Beyond Friday, overall pattern remains the same. Northwest flow aloft with nearly daily shortwaves moving through flow bringing nocturnal convection. Another decent wave is already showing up in the model guidance for late Friday night into early Saturday. Moisture values will remain well above average, with PWATs around 1.3-1.7 inches each day and surface dewpoints staying around 60-65 deg F. Temperatures should be right around average with highs in the upper 80s and lowers 90s. Ward && .AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories... TX...None. OK...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Amarillo TX 422 AM CDT Thu Aug 10 2017 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-102130- Cimarron-Texas-Beaver-Dallam-Sherman-Hansford-Ochiltree-Lipscomb- Hartley-Moore-Hutchinson-Roberts-Hemphill-Oldham-Potter-Carson- Gray-Wheeler-Deaf Smith-Randall-Armstrong-Donley-Collingsworth- 422 AM CDT Thu Aug 10 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms will be possible this morning and again this evening and tonight. A few storms could become strong to severe this evening across mainly the far western Panhandles, with damaging winds and small hail the primary hazards. The main concern will be storms capable of producing heavy rainfall, which may lead to localized flooding or flash flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Thunderstorms will be possible across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles every day through mid next week. Some storms that develop during this time period may become strong to marginally severe, with strong wind gusts and hail the primary hazards. In addition, the strongest storms will be capable of producing heavy rainfall, which may lead to localized flooding or flash flooding. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Amarillo TX 236 AM CDT THU AUG 10 2017 TXZ006-011-100815- Hartley TX-Oldham TX- 236 AM CDT THU AUG 10 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN OLDHAM AND HARTLEY COUNTIES UNTIL 315 AM CDT... At 235 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 15 miles southwest of Dalhart, moving southeast at 30 mph. Dime size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Hartley, Channing and Romero. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3605 10298 3604 10233 3555 10217 3555 10303 TIME...MOT...LOC 0735Z 316DEG 22KT 3594 10277 Andrade
The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 17 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:04 UTC.
2 flash flood, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Flooding has been reported on county road 2 and fm 1151.
Interstate 27 closed with traffic being diverted to the access roads. Flooding has also been reported in low spots on interstate 40 through town as well as most underpasses in downtown Amarillo.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, August 2017
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: 716341, 716345, 716346, 716347.