Scattered thunderstorms developed along a surface pressure trough both in the southern Texas Panhandle and in eastern New Mexico on the afternoon of the 14th. These scattered thunderstorms produced one severe wind gust near Earth (Lamb County).
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed along a surface pressure trough both in the southern Texas Panhandle and in eastern New Mexico on the afternoon of the 14th. These scattered thunderstorms produced one severe wind gust near Earth (Lamb County). As the thunderstorms moved south and dissipated, they created a strong outflow boundary well ahead of the dissipating convection. Severe wind gusts up to 60 mph were reported by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet near Plains (Yoakum County) with the outflow boundary.
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 Aug 14, 5:19 PM CST, 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 619 PM CDT Fri Aug 14 2020 .AVIATION... Isolated thunderstorms have affected the KPVW terminal this afternoon, and are forecast to potentially affect KLBB and KPVW later tonight as well. A gust front is also moving towards KLBB, and a wind shift to the northeast at around 15 knots will occur along with the potential for patchy blowing dust upon its passage in the next 15-30 minutes. BLDU has not been mentioned in the TAFs as visibility should remain in the VFR category. Pilots can expected a few CB with maximum tops to 40 kft and surface wind gusts up to 45 knots in vicinity of the strongest storms. After storms dissipate later tonight (15/06Z for KLBB and KPVW TAFs), VFR conditions will prevail with light and variable winds. VFR conditions prevail at KCDS with minimal-to-no chances for VCTS nor BLDU for the rest of the evening and during the overnight hours. Check density altitudes. Sincavage && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 232 PM CDT Fri Aug 14 2020/ SHORT TERM... The upper-level high remains parked over the southwestern CONUS bringing northerly to northwesterly flow aloft advecting some moisture into the mid-levels. At the surface there are two troughs; one over eastern New Mexico and one over the far southern Panhandle lifting north. Current visible satellite and radar imagery show some attempts of convective initiation off of these boundaries as of 1830z (1:30 PM). Storms that form over eastern New Mexico will move into an area of MLCAPE generally less than 500 J/kg with MLCIN 100- 150 J/kg and effective shear less than 15 kts. These storms may have a hard time making it too far into the area. The southern Panhandle into the area off the Caprock have a little more energy to utilize with MLCAPE ranging from 1000-1500 J/kg and effective shear values around 25 kts, though inhibition is a bit higher at ~200 J/kg. The second round of storms will form off of a short-wave trough rounding the upper-level high. These storms should form in SE Colorado / NE New Mexico and move south-southeast into the area late this evening into tonight. These storms are expected to be more widespread and the greatest chance of a wetting rain. Soundings show an inverted-V signature hinting at the potential for strong downburst winds with any storms that do develop. Tomorrow should be cooler as winds shift towards the southeast. This upslope component to the winds will help advect better moisture into the region while also keeping temperatures "cooler". This is mostly due to the surface low that is near the OK/TX state line moving farther east and the surface trough currently over the southern TX Panhandle moving south through the area. Storms are expected to redevelop along this boundary as well as the surface tough in eastern New Mexico Saturday afternoon. The best storm chances will favor the southern and western half or so of the forecast area, in closer proximity to the boundaries. Kendrick LONG TERM... At the start of the long term the upper high that has been dominating our weather will move further west and settle over the NV/AZ/UT borders. Although we will stay in the periphery of the high it will be much less oppressive allowing high temperatures to fall near normal values. The flow around upper high will meanwhile put the CWA in north to NW flow aloft and keep a continued flow of moisture over the CWA resulting in almost daily afternoon rain shower and thunderstorms chances. Storm coverage will become more wide spread Sunday as a short wave rounds the upper high and interacts with our increased moisture. Overall the dymamics will be in place for a few storms to become strong and even severe Sunday night. With LCLs near 7,000ft AGL and large surface dewpoint depressions the main threat will likely be gusty to damaging winds. Left over cloud coverage and the upper high pulling further west will create the coolest day of the week on Monday with highs staying in the low 90s area wide. As mentioned above, almost each afternoon through the week shortwave troughs moving through the north and northeastern portions of the upper high and sustained easterly winds advecting moisture into the mid layers of the atmosphere across the FA will result in a chance of afternoon/evening storms. Most storms will be isolated and will impact the western portions of the area with storm initiation expected across eastern NM followed by prorogation into our area. The only day we may not see any showers could be Monday as mid-level capping develops limiting our convective chances. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for TXZ031>044. && 09
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1119 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2020 TXZ021>044-151630- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 1119 AM CDT Fri Aug 14 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Very hot temperatures will again affect the area this afternoon, with highs ranging from around 105 degrees on the Caprock to 110 degree in the Rolling Plains. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 1 PM to 8 PM for the central and southern South Plains and much of the Rolling Plains. In addition, isolated strong thunderstorms will have potential for wind gusts near or in excess of 60 mph late this afternoon into tonight. The greatest coverage of storms is expected to favor the southern Texas Panhandle into the northern South Plains this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Thunderstorms will be possible across the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and extreme southern Texas Panhandle on Saturday and Sunday. Some storms may become strong to severe with damaging winds. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The Lubbock radar (KLBB), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:57 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Earth measured a wind gust to 64 mph from 1757 to 1758 CST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, August 2020
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: 905654, 905655.