A differential heating boundary developed along the edge of the caprock on the afternoon of the 16th. A very hot and deeply mixed atmosphere existed across the Rolling Plains and extreme southeastern Texas Panhandle generating upwards of 2000 J/kg of instability.
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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 differential heating boundary developed along the edge of the caprock on the afternoon of the 16th. A very hot and deeply mixed atmosphere existed across the Rolling Plains and extreme southeastern Texas Panhandle generating upwards of 2000 J/kg of instability. However, DCAPEs were also in excess of 1500 J/kg which supported strong downdraft winds. Scattered thunderstorms developed within the aforementioned area with many of these storms producing severe wind gusts throughout the afternoon and early evening.
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 16, 1:24 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Lubbock TX 224 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2020 .SHORT TERM... A ridge will continue to build across the western CONUS over the coming day, leaving West Texas in some form of northerly flow. As of 1830Z, a MCV persists over Lea County, complete with a few lingering showers, as it sags southward. The MCV did provide a little light rainfall across the southwest South Plains earlier while also helping to keep temperatures suppressed somewhat, thanks to the added cloud cover. However, the clouds were gradually thinning and even our far southwestern zones could recover into the middle 90s late this afternoon. Where the clouds have been thinner (or non- existent) temperatures have already soared into the middle and upper 90s. At the surface, a couple of subtle boundaries can be discerned; one along the differential heating over the southwestern South Plains; and a second boundary near the edge of the Caprock. As temperatures are approaching the convective temp, expect isolated to scattered storms to develop across the CWA, favoring locations along/near any lingering convergent boundaries. Another focus for potential CI will be along a gust front pushing southwestward out of an ongoing MCS over northwest Oklahoma. This gust front should affect the northeast portion of our FA after 21Z. Deep layer wind shear is again on the meager side, with MLCAPE values ranging from 500 J/kg across the western South Plains to over 2000 J/kg across the southeast Texas Panhandle. The hot and deeply mixed boundary layer (DCAPEs near 1500 J/kg for most of the FA) will support strong to severe downburst winds with the more substantial precipitation cores. In addition, short-lived pockets of hail will be possible, especially where the stronger instability is ingested. In addition, locally heavy rainfall will accompany the more robust multicells. This afternoon's convection will tend to fade by mid to late evening. However, a convectively enhanced vorticity maximum is progged to develop over southeast Colorado and southwest Kansas this evening, sagging southward toward and over the South Plains on Monday. This disturbance, assuming it materializes, could renew rain chances toward Monday morning, spreading from north to south. At a minimum, it would generate some cloud cover that should help to keep temperatures down a bit Monday afternoon. Even so, it will still be warm to hot (highs mostly in the lower to middle 90s) after a seasonably mild (lows in the 60s to low 70s) start to the day. Depending on how the mid-level disturbance evolves, it will impact Monday afternoon's storm chances. The latest round of NWP have slowed the southward progression of the disturbance and favor low thunder chances along and ahead of it, across the southwestern half to two thirds of the CWA Monday afternoon. .LONG TERM... As we move into the first part of the work week we will continue to be somewhat under the influence of the 598mb high anchored over the Four Corners. Flow aloft will stay northerly keeping a steady advection of moisture over the area. Tuesday, drier continental air from the west at the lower and mid-levels will limit precip chances area wide. Better moisture return occurs Wednesday reintroducing isolate afternoon/evening storms chances to the forecast. Increased PoP fields will be concentrated over the western portions with storm initiation expected across SE CO and eastern NM followed by propagation into our area. However, as we have seen over and over the past few evenings, storms could develop along any surface boundary and produce rainfall and gusty winds across any portion of the area. In terms of temperatures...yesterday the upper high was progged to move much further NW of the area during the long term indicating a "cooling" in temperatures as the week progressed. However, now guidance shows the high stagnant over the Four Corners for the long term. Thus, temperatures will remain at or just slightly above normal with highs in the mid to upper 90s and lows in the mid to upper 60s. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && 23/28
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1115 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2020 TXZ021>044-171615- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 1115 AM CDT Sun Aug 16 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop across the South Plains region this afternoon and continue into tonight. The most intense storms will have potential to produce wind gusts near or in excess of 60 mph, small hail and locally heavy rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Thunderstorms will be possible every evening across the southwestern Texas Panhandle and South Plains from Wednesday through Saturday. A few of these storms could become strong. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lubbock TX 357 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2020 TXZ024-025-162130- Briscoe TX-Hall TX- 357 PM CDT Sun Aug 16 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HALL AND EASTERN BRISCOE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM CDT... At 357 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9 miles south of Hedley, or 9 miles west of Memphis, moving south at 20 mph. Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Memphis, Turkey, Caprock Canyon State Park, Brice, Estelline, Lakeview and Plaska Community. 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. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && LAT...LON 3439 10042 3440 10109 3475 10100 3475 10042 TIME...MOT...LOC 2057Z 006DEG 43KT 3473 10072 SINCAVAGE
The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:12 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Lesley measured a peak wind gust to 67 mph at 1522 CST. Intermittent severe wind gusts were measured from 1514 through 1533 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Memphis measured a peak wind gust of 67 mph at 1540 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured from 1540 through 1550 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Northfield measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph at 1610 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured from 1555 through 1615 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Lesley measured a peak wind gust of 65 mph.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Estelline measured a peak wind gust to 69 mph at 1615 CST. Intermittent severe wind gusts were measured from 1615 through 1618 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Paducah measured a peak wind gust to 65 mph at 1635 CST. Intermittent severe wind gusts were measured from 1630 through 1700 CST.
A trained spotter reported quarter size hail about three miles south of Estelline.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Hackberry measured a peak wind gust to 78 mph at 1653 CST. Intermittent severe wind gusts were measured from 1648 through 1658 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Hackberry measured a wind gust to 61 mph.
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: 905847, 910337, 910338, 910339, 910340, 910342, 910341, 910343, 910344.