An upper ridge was over the western part of the country with an upper trough over the Upper Midwest. Decent moisture and instability, along with modest wind shear, were across West Texas.
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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 MAF wrote it up.
An upper ridge was over the western part of the country with an upper trough over the Upper Midwest. Decent moisture and instability, along with modest wind shear, were across West Texas. An outflow boundary was approaching the area from storms that were across the Texas panhandle and Oklahoma. These conditions resulted in a thunderstorm with strong wind gusts across the northern Permian Basin.
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 Aug 8, 8:18 PM CST, 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 918 PM CDT Wed Aug 8 2018 .UPDATE... Updated first period zones. && .DISCUSSION... Cluster of storms over the South Plains along a boundary slowly drifting south. Updated zones to include isolated pops already in the grids as these could make it down into the Central Permian Basin later tonight if they hold together. Most of the convection over the higher terrain has died out but additional storms over Eastern NM trying to make it down into Lea Co. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 648 PM CDT Wed Aug 8 2018/ AVIATION... 00Z TAF issuance... The main aviation concern the next 24 hours is the possibility of thunderstorm affecting northern terminals tonight. Otherwise, VFR conditions are expected to prevail at all sites. Currently have showers and storms near the mountain regions early this evening. This activity is expected to remain west of terminals but best chances for storms drifting east would be at CNM. Will continue to monitor radar trends and add mention of TS if needed. Later tonight, thunderstorms may develop north of the region, sending and outflow boundary south and shifting winds to the north at HOB, MAF and potentially INK. Storms could move down into northern areas but confidence in this activity affecting any terminals is too low to include mention in the TAF attm. For the most part, expect E/SE winds through much of the period. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 301 PM CDT Wed Aug 8 2018/ DISCUSSION... An upper ridge is over the western part of the country with an upper trough over the Upper Midwest. The upper flow over the CWA will range from northerly to westerly. There is a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening across the higher terrain and portions of southeast New Mexico and the northern Permian Basin. CAPE values will be 1000 to 2000 J/kg across the above mentioned area along with modest bulk shear and decent mid-level lapse rates. This will be ahead of an outflow boundary from convection that was across the TX panhandle and Oklahoma. Due to these conditions, an isolated strong to severe storm or two will be possible. Temperatures today will continue to be hot with highs mostly in the mid to upper 90s. An upper low will be over Oklahoma/Arkansas on Thursday with increasing moisture across southeast New Mexico and West Texas. Temperatures are expected to be cooler on Thursday with highs in the 80s and 90s, except along the Rio Grande. Storm chances will remain across the area with the best chances across the higher terrain and the northern and eastern Permian Basin. Rain and storm chances continue into Friday but models are not consistent with the placement of the convection. A cold front is expected to move into the area by Friday resulting in cooler temperatures with highs in the 80s and 90s across most of the area. Even cooler temperatures are expected on Saturday with highs mostly in the 80s. Precipitation chances continue into Saturday with the GFS and ECMWF showing good amounts across most of the area and the NAM12 showing convection mostly remaining confined to the higher terrain. Sunday is expected to remain very similar to Saturday except the precipitation may be mostly concentrated across the eastern CWA. The upper low lingers over Oklahoma on Monday allowing for decreasing chances of rain and slightly warmer temperatures with southerly winds returning to the area. This warming, drying trend continues into Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the 80s and 90s. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 74 92 71 88 / 20 40 50 50 Carlsbad 72 92 70 89 / 20 20 40 50 Dryden 76 99 75 95 / 0 0 20 30 Fort Stockton 72 95 69 88 / 0 10 30 40 Guadalupe Pass 64 87 66 81 / 30 20 40 50 Hobbs 68 88 67 86 / 20 30 50 50 Marfa 63 88 64 81 / 20 20 30 40 Midland Intl Airport 74 93 70 87 / 10 30 50 50 Odessa 74 93 70 87 / 10 30 50 50 Wink 73 96 71 89 / 0 20 40 50 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...None. TX...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 227 PM CDT Wed Aug 8 2018 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075- 079>082-258-091930- 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- 227 PM CDT Wed Aug 8 2018 /127 PM MDT Wed Aug 8 2018/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast New Mexico, southwest Texas, and western Texas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon across the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains and portions of Southeast New Mexico and the northern Permian Basin. A few severe thunderstorms are also possible tonight across the northern Permian Basin and southeast New Mexico. Large hail and damaging winds will be the main severe weather threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday There is a chance of thunderstorms Thursday, and through the weekend. Heavy rainfall is the main threat with showers and storms. A Flash Flood Watch may be issued for much of Southeast New Mexico and West Texas in the next day, mainly for Friday and this weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. 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... http://weather.gov/midland
The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:36 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm moved across Dawson County and produced a 62 mph wind gust near Lamesa.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, August 2018
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: 767885.