The environment for the storms that transpired on the 27th were in a high CAPE, low shear environment. A large upper level anti-cyclonic flow across the inter-mountain west.
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.
The environment for the storms that transpired on the 27th were in a high CAPE, low shear environment. A large upper level anti-cyclonic flow across the inter-mountain west. The main linear complex moving SE through Kansas earlier in the day on the east side of the large anti-cyclone along a cold front was the main lift axis for storm development. However, residual outflow from convection moving southwest from thew main complex in KS moved toward our region ahead of the front into an environment with good mid level lapse rates and good SBCAPE resulted in left moving convection through parts of the central and western Panhandles into the late evening hours. Convection that regenerated in SW Kansas eventually formed a bowed segment and severe wind gusts were reported. The line segments eventually became disorganized as the event went further into the evening moving further SW into the SW TX Panhandle.
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 27, 4:57 PM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Amarillo TX 557 PM CDT Sun Aug 27 2017 .AVIATION... A cluster of thunderstorms are expected to move south across the panhandles this evening. All TAF sites may be affected. Strong gusty winds will be possible with these storms and some of them may become severe. Low clouds and fog are expected to move in behind the storms later tonight. The low clouds and fog will start to lift by late morning. Winds will be light outside of the thunderstorms and will turn more to the north and northeast behind the cold front which will be helping to add lift for the thunderstorms. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 438 PM CDT Sun Aug 27 2017/ DISCUSSION... For tonight, a cold front will move across the OK and TX Panhandles. Sufficient moisture along with a moderately unstable atmosphere exists for this boundary to utilize. A minor upper level shortwave trof will zip southward and graze our fcst area this evening and tonight. In addition, as seen on the KAMA 18Z sounding, SBCAPE and MUCAPE values on the order of 2000 to 2500 J/kg, MLCAPE around 1000 to 1500 J/kg and DCAPE about 1200 to 1300 J/kg are evident. Fairly dry air resides at mid and upper levels of the atmosphere. Mid level lapse rates around minus 6 to minus 8 C/km along with effective shear on the order of 30 to 35 kts exists, especially across nrn and nern zones. All the above ingredients suggests a threat of tstms this evening and tonight, with the potential for some storms to become severe. Large hail to around golf ball size along with damaging winds to around 70 mph will be the main hazards. Storms should weaken late this evening. Lingering slgt chc pops were included for Monday across mainly the southern Texas Panhandle. Dry weather is then anticipated Monday night through next Sunday as northerly flow prevails around the eastern periphery of an upper level ridge of high pressure progged to anchor itself over the western states. Andrade && .AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories... TX...None. OK...None. && 15/7
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Amarillo TX 804 PM CDT Sun Aug 27 2017 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-281315- Cimarron-Texas-Beaver-Dallam-Sherman-Hansford-Ochiltree-Lipscomb- Hartley-Moore-Hutchinson-Roberts-Hemphill-Oldham-Potter-Carson- Gray-Wheeler-Deaf Smith-Randall-Armstrong-Donley-Collingsworth- 804 PM CDT Sun Aug 27 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Thunderstorms are expected through tonight across parts of the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles. Some storms that develop will have the potential to become severe, with large hail and damaging winds the primary hazards. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Thunderstorms will be possible across mainly the southern Texas Panhandle on Monday. Any storms that develop are expected to remain below severe levels at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter groups and emergency management officials across central and sections of the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles should remain alert and be ready for possible activation this evening.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Amarillo TX 716 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017 OKZ001-002-280045- Cimarron OK-Texas OK- 716 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN TEXAS AND NORTHEASTERN CIMARRON COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM CDT... At 716 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10 miles west of Elkhart, moving south at 15 mph. Penny size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Keyes, Eva and Sturgis. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches. && A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for the Panhandle of Oklahoma. LAT...LON 3699 10195 3672 10188 3669 10239 3699 10222 TIME...MOT...LOC 0016Z 357DEG 15KT 3698 10208 LFM
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
730 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017
TXZ001-280100-
Dallam TX-
730 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN DALLAM COUNTY UNTIL 800
PM CDT...
At 730 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10
miles north of Ware, or 20 miles northwest of Dalhart, moving
southwest at 25 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Ware.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches.
&&
LAT...LON 3643 10276 3635 10252 3606 10264 3606 10304
3607 10304
TIME...MOT...LOC 0030Z 025DEG 21KT 3633 10267
LFMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
758 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0750 PM TSTM WND GST 12 NE EVA 36.92N 101.78W
08/27/2017 M74 MPH TEXAS OK MESONET
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1700845
EAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
803 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 PM TSTM WND GST 12 NE EVA 36.92N 101.78W
08/27/2017 M61 MPH TEXAS OK MESONET
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1700846
EASpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Amarillo TX 803 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017 TXZ001-280130- Dallam TX- 803 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN DALLAM COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM CDT... At 803 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6 miles northeast of Ware, or 12 miles north of Dalhart, moving south at 10 mph. Half inch hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Ware. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches. && LAT...LON 3633 10274 3640 10245 3610 10232 3609 10277 TIME...MOT...LOC 0103Z 344DEG 10KT 3622 10259 LFM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
857 PM CDT SUN AUG 27 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 PM HAIL TEXHOMA 36.51N 101.79W
08/27/2017 E0.88 INCH TEXAS OK LAW ENFORCEMENT
MOSTLY DIME SIZE HAIL WITH A FEW NICKELS. MAX WIND
GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH.
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA1700847
WARDThe Amarillo radar (KAMA), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:16 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few tree limbs 9 to 16 inches in diameter were blown down.
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: 717435, 717436, 717438, 717439.