Hot temperatures, a dryline, and a weak upper level disturbance were sufficient to initiate a broken line of thunderstorms across the western South Plains on the afternoon of the 17th. The storms accelerated eastward producing brief heavy rain and strong to severe wind gusts as they moved across the Caprock through the late afternoon and evening.
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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.
Hot temperatures, a dryline, and a weak upper level disturbance were sufficient to initiate a broken line of thunderstorms across the western South Plains on the afternoon of the 17th. The storms accelerated eastward producing brief heavy rain and strong to severe wind gusts as they moved across the Caprock through the late afternoon and evening. The most significant storm affected the southern portion of the town of Brownfield (Terry County). Reported damage was significant enough to warrant an NWS storm survey the next day. This storm survey revealed a wet microburst with estimated winds of 100 to 105 mph affecting Brownfield. Numerous power poles and mobile homes were damaged, and one mobile home was destroyed. Two center pivots were also destroyed and numerous car windows were broken at the Rudd Correctional Facility.
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 Jun 17, 1:38 PM CST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 238 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2020 .SHORT TERM... Weak morning convection has tapered off, setting the table for more showers and thunderstorms later this afternoon and evening, some of which could be strong. Severe potential appears to be limited with weak flow aloft and mostly multicell convective mode not supporting large hail, so primary concern would be strong downdraft winds up to 50 MPH with the strongest convection. Surface dewpoints are in the upper 50s to low 60s east of the dryline, that is primarily along the TX/NM state line as of 2 PM. Current CAPE values between 2-3k J/K east of a tightening dryline, with little to no CIN in place, are a good indication that storms will develop. Expect thunderstorms to initiate between 21-22z along the state line, and slowly move to the east and southeast during the evening hours, shifting south of area by midnight. As the primary trough over the west expands a surface low will develop over the South Plains tomorrow afternoon. Similar to today, upper level flow will be meager but the surface wind field will continue to advect higher dewpoints from the south and southeast through the morning and into Thursday afternoon. Showers and storms are expected to develop again, but not until the evening hours. .LONG TERM... Southwest flow aloft will continue through early this weekend as a strong upper level low pressure system over the northern Rockies gradually repositions over southern Manitoba. A trailing upper impulse will dip further south through the central and southern Rockies Friday, passing the central and southern High Plains late Friday. Upper flow will turn a bit more west-southwest Saturday, while another trailing upper impulse will pass to the east. Upper level anticyclonic curvature should take control Sunday with an upper ridge axis bulging across the Front Range into the high plains. Flow aloft may turn a bit more cyclonic aloft by mid week as some solutions steer wave energy across the northern plains into sharper trough in the Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley, though other solutions still indicate dominant ridging by mid week with uncertainty remaining. Near seasonal moisture flow will continue into the weekend, and a surface dryline will be factors each day through Saturday. Storm chances late Thursday will be conditional on the cap strength, and lower atmospheric moisture may be a little too limited for high chances. We have retained a slim mention of thunder mainly central and eastern areas late Thursday. Friday, with the stronger impulse and flow aloft will also bring improved moisture and a better chance to break through a weak cap. Instability will be fairly rich, 3000 or more Joules per Kilogram of convective potential energy, while bulk shear values will still be a bit meager near 20-30 knots though flow will veer and increase with height and create better hodographs for rotating storms. More veered flow Saturday should push the dryline mainly into the Rolling Plains and with a possible passing impulse will validate low thunder mention for this area. Sunday into Monday look dry and warmer with upper heights rebuilding. Northwest flow aloft may or may not be favorable for late night storm chances starting Monday night. As currently stands, solutions are slightly favorable for thunderstorms Tuesday night and maybe a little better Wednesday night. But this is toward the end of this forecast and confidence is not very high. If northwest flow storm chances develop, we may need a little stronger downward trend in temperatures by the middle of next week as well. RMcQueen && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && 55/05
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 318 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2020 TXZ021>044-180830- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 318 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A risk of strong to possibly severe thunderstorms will exist this afternoon into the evening hours mainly west of the Caprock Escarpment. Winds to 65 mph and hail to the size of quarters will be the primary threat. In addition, lightning fire starts will be possible with any storms that develop. A rangeland fire danger statement is in effect this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. A few strong thunderstorms may develop Thursday and Friday with strong wind gusts the main threat. .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 21:53 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Earth measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph at 1556 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured from 1555 CST to 1559 CST.
A NWS storm survey revealed that a wet microburst hit the southern portion of the town of Brownfield from approximately 1735 to 1745 CST. Very intense winds leaned over or snapped off numerous power poles, damaged several mobile homes, and destroyed one mobile home. Two center pivots were also destroyed and numerous car windows were broken at the Rudd Correctional Facility. Given the magnitude of the damage, a National Weather Service damage survey team estimated that peak wind gusts of 100 to 105 mph likely affected the area.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Wolfforth measured a wind gust to 61 mph.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Abernathy measured a peak wind gust to 69 mph at 1820 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured over a 15 minute span from 1810 through 1825 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near New Home measured a peak wind gust of 71 mph at 1820 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured from 1819 CST to 1821 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Tahoka measured a peak wind gust of 66 mph at 1842 CST. Severe wind gusts were measured at 1840 CST and from 1842 to 1843 CST.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Graham measured a peak wind gust of 69 mph at 1920 CST. Severe wind gusts were observed between 1915 and 1925 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, June 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: 894006, 894017, 894011, 894012, 894014, 894015, 894016.