After 2 months of below average precipitation, portions of the northwest Texas Panhandle were running rainfall deficits of 2 to 4 inches below normal. In May, which is normally a one of the wetter months, only 10 to 25 percent of the normal rainfall occurred across much of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 AMA wrote it up.
After 2 months of below average precipitation, portions of the northwest Texas Panhandle were running rainfall deficits of 2 to 4 inches below normal. In May, which is normally a one of the wetter months, only 10 to 25 percent of the normal rainfall occurred across much of the area. This led to drought, which originated in Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle, spreading south into the northwest Texas Panhandle.
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 Amarillo, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 11, 5:53 PM CST, 6 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...CORRECTED National Weather Service Amarillo TX 653 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020 .AVIATION...00Z TAFs... Two main concerns in the aviation forecast for the next 24 hours. The first comes over the next few hours as thunderstorms sweep eastward across the Panhandles. An isolated storm currently east of HRX should slip just south of the AMA airspace. A broken line of storms extending from CVS to north of DHT is pushing east. The northern section of this line only contains sporadic lightning - have thus elected to only carry a mention of rain with VCTS in the DHT and GUY TAFs over the next couple hours. More significant part of the line may hold together and approach AMA between 02 and 04z. Second aviation concern is the development of stratus overnight tonight. Guidance is suggesting widespread LIFR conditions. With same guidance overly pessimistic about last night's stratus compared to reality, have gone with stratus but did not elect to put LIFR conditions into the TAFs. Ferguson && .PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 259 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020/ SHORT TERM (through Tuesday night)... Main thing for the short term is the thunderstorm potential through tonight. Otherwise, shower/thunderstorm activity should push east and end by tomorrow. Small chance for some lingering activity across the east Tuesday/Tuesday night, but these chances are very low at this time. We continue to watch a surface low progged to develop over southeastern Colorado today. The low/trough will slowly spread south and eventually east by Tuesday night. There also happens to be a pseudo warm front/baroclinic zone draped across the forecast area extending from the surface low in SE Colorado. As upper level energy gets ejected out over the forecast area, we may have enough upper level support and surface lift to get some thunderstorms to develop. However, lapse rates are pretty weak, and updrafts may have a hard time maintaining given the weak upper level winds. Cannot rule out a small threat for severe weather given MUCAPE around 500-800 J/kg and 0-6km shear around 40 knots. That said, do not think we will have widespread severe weather. We may have enough ingredients for one or two severe storms, but these would be on the lower end for severe for mainly wind and hail. Forecast soundings indicate better chances for showers and some rumbles of thunder versus any severe weather. Temperatures today and tomorrow will vary widely over the forecast area from southwest to northeast with the boundary intersecting our area again tomorrow. Look for warmer temperatures tomorrow. Guerrero LONG TERM... An upper level short wave trough will approach the Panhandles from the southwest on Wednesday. This trough looks like it will pass over the Panhandles during peak heating. Models are in better agreement now that a dryline will likely hold up just off of the Caprock Wednesday afternoon. Thunderstorms are expected to develop along and ahead of the dryline Wednesday afternoon in our eastern areas. There looks to be plenty of CAPE to get storms to go severe. The shear is not the greatest, but it is sufficient to keep updrafts going. These thunderstorms should move quickly off to the east and southeast of our area. However, the dryline may hold up a little or retreat some in the evening, so will linger pops in the east for this possibility. Thursday should be a dry day behind the short wave trough. The flow aloft will then turn more to the southwest ahead of another short wave trough headed this way from the southwest U.S. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to return Friday and Saturday in association with this short wave trough. A cold front moves through the Panhandles on Thursday and then it is expected to dissipate to our south and low level moisture is expected to increase in the east ahead of a developing surface low over the southwest Texas Panhandle. If the moisture can get back and if enough instability can be realized, then severe storms will be possible Friday evening. It looks like at this point the north and east will be favored for showers and thunderstorms on Saturday as the short wave moves across and east of our area. && .AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories... TX...None. OK...None. && 77/23
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Amarillo TX 1244 AM CDT Tue May 12 2020 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-317-121745- Cimarron-Texas-Beaver-Dallam-Sherman-Hansford-Ochiltree-Lipscomb- Hartley-Moore-Hutchinson-Roberts-Hemphill-Oldham-Potter-Carson- Gray-Wheeler-Deaf Smith-Randall-Armstrong-Donley-Collingsworth- Palo Duro Canyon- 1244 AM CDT Tue May 12 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Fog is expected tonight across the central and western combined Panhandles. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Thunderstorms will be possible Tuesday and Wednesday across the eastern Panhandles. Thunderstorms will then be possible again on Friday and Saturday across much of the Panhandles. Thunderstorms on Wednesday could become severe with large hail and damaging winds the main threats. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
855 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020
TXZ007-120230-
Moore TX-
855 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL MOORE COUNTY UNTIL 930 PM
CDT...
At 854 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles east of Dumas, moving southeast at 20 mph.
Half inch hail will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Dumas.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches.
&&
LAT...LON 3600 10181 3595 10162 3587 10162 3563 10185
3581 10204
TIME...MOT...LOC 0154Z 304DEG 19KT 3589 10182
BeatSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
856 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020
TXZ009-010-014-015-120230-
Hemphill TX-Gray TX-Wheeler TX-Roberts TX-
856 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN WHEELER...GRAY...
SOUTHEASTERN ROBERTS AND SOUTHERN HEMPHILL COUNTIES UNTIL 930 PM
CDT...
At 856 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Lora to 7 miles south of Codman to 6 miles west
of Lefors. Movement was east at 35 mph.
Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Pampa, Miami, Briscoe, Lefors, New Mobeetie, Lora, Alanreed, Codman,
Kellerville and Mobeetie.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches.
&&
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until midnight CDT for
the Panhandle of Texas.
LAT...LON 3544 10032 3520 10072 3545 10109 3547 10109
3560 10085 3583 10059 3575 10004
TIME...MOT...LOC 0156Z 287DEG 29KT 3574 10052 3554 10070 3542 10091
RuttSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
913 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020
TXZ007-008-120245-
Hutchinson TX-Moore TX-
913 PM CDT Mon May 11 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN HUTCHINSON AND
SOUTHEASTERN MOORE COUNTIES UNTIL 945 PM CDT...
At 912 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles north of Lake Meredith, or 16 miles east of Dumas, moving
southeast at 20 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Fritch, Stinnett, Sanford and Lake Meredith.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Take shelter in a sturdy building if threatening weather approaches.
&&
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until midnight CDT for
the Panhandle of Texas.
LAT...LON 3573 10189 3592 10167 3582 10137 3562 10160
3562 10175
TIME...MOT...LOC 0212Z 304DEG 19KT 3579 10168
BeatPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
928 PM CDT MON MAY 11 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0615 PM HAIL DAWN 34.91N 102.20W
05/11/2020 E1.00 INCH DEAF SMITH TX TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA2000304
15PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
929 PM CDT MON MAY 11 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0823 PM HAIL 3 SSE CACTUS 36.00N 102.00W
05/11/2020 E0.75 INCH MOORE TX STORM CHASER
HAIL COVERED HIGHWAY 287. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA2000305
FERGUSONPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX
951 PM CDT MON MAY 11 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 PM TSTM WND GST 2 E PAMPA 35.54N 100.93W
05/11/2020 M68 MPH GRAY TX MESONET
&&
EVENT NUMBER AMA2000306
15The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
An area of severe drought emerged during the second week of the month in the northwest one-third of the county. By the end of the month, this area had spread east and south to include all but the far southeast and east-central parts of the county.
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, May 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: 884397.