Wildfire in Texas, December 8, 2017

Name: Wildfire in Texas, December 8, 2017
Start: 2017-12-08T12:33
End: 2017-12-08T20:45
Location: Texas

December 8, 2017 · NWS AMA · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS AMA wrote it up.

The Hastings Complex Wildfire began around 1233CST about four miles northwest of Amarillo in Potter County. The Hastings Complex Wildfire consisted of two wildfires including the Hastings Fire East which began around 1249CST between Smelter Road and Hastings Avenue and consumed one hundred and eighty acres. The second wildfire was the Hastings Fire West which began around 1233CST to 1244CST near Hastings Avenue and Western Street and consumed two hundred and eighty-one acres for a total of four hundred and sixty-one acres. Voluntary evacuations were ordered including the Carver ECA Elementary School. The wildfire complex was caused by a vehicle’s or vehicles faulty equipment or dragging metal along the road. There were reports of one hundred homes and six other structures which were threatened by the wildfire but were saved. However, no homes or other structures were destroyed by the wildfire and there were no reports of any injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was contained around 2030CST to 2100CST. There were a total of three fire departments or other agencies that responded to the wildfire including the Texas A&M Forest Service.

What forecasters said that day

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 Dec 8, 11:26 AM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 8, 11:26 AM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1126 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017

.UPDATE...
Have issued a wind advisory for the western and central Oklahoma
Panhandle and the northwest Texas Panhandle through 4 pm. Local
forecast soundings show stronger winds will likely mix down this
afternoon across this area.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 1111 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017/

AVIATION...

For the 18Z TAFs:

VFR conditions will prevail throughout the valid TAF period. This
afternoon will be windy, especially at KDHT AND KGUY. High clouds
should dissipate later today. Small chance for low level wind
shear tonight but it would be marginal and therefore left it out
of the TAF for now.

Guerrero

PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 528 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017/

AVIATION...
12z TAF Cycle:

VFR conditions expected with periods of mid and upper level
clouds. northwest winds will start around 10 knots in the morning
and increase to 23 to 33 knots in the afternoon with higher gusts.
The strongest winds are expected to be near KDHT where wind gusts
approaching 45 knots are possible mainly between 16z and 21z. A
rogue gusts near 40 knots will be possible at KGUY and KAMA during
that time frame. Winds will gradually decrease through the
afternoon back to around 10 knots by evening.

Ward

PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 440 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017/

DISCUSSION...
Strong surface gradients today will result in northerly winds 15
to 25 mph across most of the Panhandles, the exception will be the
northwest Panhandles that will see winds in the 25 to 30 mph range
with gusts up to 40 mph. The far northwest near the NM boarder
may see wind gusts up to 50 mph.

Overall, the general large scale pattern will remain unchanged
for the forecast period. Large blocking ridge continues to hold
over the western CONUS with several systems riding over the ridge
and progressing south along the lee side of the Rockies. The
overall northwest flow will keep us in a dry pattern. Temperatures
will rebound a bit into the 60s over the weekend, and may even
continue into mid next week, as the warmer air is expected to
slide over western Texas. The next cold front looks to be Monday
night, but will be short lived, as warm air advection is expected
to return Tuesday afternoon, keeping highs in the upper 50s to
near 60. Another cold front is expected to bring temperatures down
into the lower to mid 50s on Thursday.

Weber

FIRE WEATHER...
Elevated Fire Weather conditions today across the western
Panhandles. Strong north winds 20 to 30 mph combined with minimum
relative humidities around 20 percent are expected. Some areas
along the northwest Panhandles could see wind gusts 40 to 50 mph
out of the north.

Weber

AVIATION...
VFR conditions are expected throughout the 06Z TAF period. Winds
should shift from northerly to westerly as we continue into the
early morning hours. Winds will then shift to more northwesterly
and winds will be gusting up to 30 kts at times, especially at
KDHT/KGUY from around 16Z through to around 00Z Saturday. Winds
should then diminish to northwesterly sustained around 10-15 kts
through the end of the TAF period. Mid to high level clouds should
build in during the overnight but clouds will clear out starting
around 18Z Friday.

Meccariello

&&

.AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
TX...Wind Advisory until 4 PM CST this afternoon for the following
     zones: Dallam...Hartley...Moore...Sherman.

OK...Wind Advisory until 4 PM CST this afternoon for the following
     zones: Cimarron...Texas.

&&

24/15

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 8, 11:44 AM CST, 49 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
1144 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017

OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-090545-
Cimarron-Texas-Beaver-Dallam-Sherman-Hansford-Ochiltree-Lipscomb-
Hartley-Moore-Hutchinson-Roberts-Hemphill-Oldham-Potter-Carson-
Gray-Wheeler-Deaf Smith-Randall-Armstrong-Donley-Collingsworth-
1144 AM CST Fri Dec 8 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma
Panhandles.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Elevated Fire Weather conditions are expected this afternoon
across the western Panhandles, as strong north winds combine with
relative humidities around 20 percent. In addition, a wind
advisory is in effect until 4 pm for the western and central
Oklahoma Panhandle and the northwest Texas Panhandle for winds
around 35 mph with higher gusts.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.

Area fire managers and emergency officials should be alert for
elevated fire weather conditions.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Potter

When: December 8, 12:33 PM CST to 8:45 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.401, -101.894 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, December 2017

Sources

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: 728905.