A very moist atmosphere combined with a strong upper level jet streak to create widespread rainfall and flooding in some locations on the Caprock. Precipitable water values were near record levels in part due to tropical moisture streaming over the region from Hurricane Lorena in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
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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 LUB wrote it up.
A very moist atmosphere combined with a strong upper level jet streak to create widespread rainfall and flooding in some locations on the Caprock. Precipitable water values were near record levels in part due to tropical moisture streaming over the region from Hurricane Lorena in the eastern Pacific Ocean. As a result, significant flooding was observed in Muleshoe (Bailey County) and Lubbock (Lubbock County).
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 Lubbock, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 21, 1:44 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 244 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 .DISCUSSION... Light rain showers are continuing to push northeastward across the southern South Plains and Rolling Plains early this afternoon. A few showers with are producing moderate rainfall, mainly across the southern South Plains. We should see an increase in shower/thunderstorm coverage and intensity by mid to late afternoon as the main lift driver, an upper trough across the western CONUS, pushes further eastward bringing much of the tropical moisture associated with hurricane Lorena northeastward into the region. PWATs by mid to late afternoon will be approaching 2 inches across much of the FA. While heavy rain showers will be widespread in coverage, thunderstorm coverage should be much more limited today due to moist adiabatic profile of the atmosphere which will limit CAPE to roughly 1000 J/kg or less. This will not limit a potential flooding threat as there will not be a lack in overall atmospheric lift. Shower/storm coverage will decrease from west to east tonight through tomorrow afternoon as the upper trough moves across the Northern Plains. A very weak frontal boundary will move in from the north as the trough moves eastward and will help to further dry the FA. Upper ridging will move in to replace upper troughing. This will help warm temps back above seasonal averages by mid-week. The upper low progged to move across southern California is still a go, but models have changed their mind on where it will go. Global models originally had the low push slowly eastward before being absorbed by the main upper flow, but they have abandoned that idea with the current 12z runs and now retrograde the upper low after making its way to AZ. This could make for a drier forecast mid to late next week if the pattern holds. There are hints of weaknesses pushing ahead of the low and around the upper high that could provide a few chances at convection so low end pops will be maintained in the forecast. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through Sunday morning for TXZ021>044. && 51
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 252 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 TXZ021>044-221400- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale- Floyd-Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King- Yoakum-Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 252 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight A Flood Watch is in effect through 7 AM Sunday Morning. Scattered to numerous heavy showers and thunderstorms will continue through tonight. Rainfall totals may approach 3 inches or more in a few areas possibly leading to flash flooding. Street flooding may also occur with any of the showers that develop. There will also be a risk of wind gusts approaching 60 mph and hail near an inch diameter from a few storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Locally heavy rain may continue for some areas Sunday along with some threat for flooding.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lubbock TX 315 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 TXZ021-027-028-212045- Bailey TX-Parmer TX-Lamb TX- 315 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN BAILEY...SOUTH CENTRAL PARMER AND WEST CENTRAL LAMB COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CDT... At 314 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10 miles southwest of Muleshoe, moving northeast at 20 mph. Half inch hail, cloud to ground lightning, very heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Muleshoe and Progress. 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. && LAT...LON 3417 10304 3437 10272 3414 10254 3394 10304 TIME...MOT...LOC 2014Z 237DEG 16KT 3414 10287 23
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread rain and thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall which led to runoff. This caused significant street flooding in the city of Muleshoe which contributed to several vehicle wrecks.
Heavy rain due to thunderstorms caused significant runoff in the city of Lubbock. Minor street flooding was observed near Texas Tech University. The Lubbock Fire Department reported a water rescue in a playa lake near the intersection of 77th street and Interstate 27.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, September 2019
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: 849504, 849507.