An upper level disturbance moved over West Texas. There was a dryline present near the West Texas/eastern New Mexico border.
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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 MAF wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance moved over West Texas. There was a dryline present near the West Texas/eastern New Mexico border. Strong heating and instability as well as plentiful moisture were in place across West Texas. These conditions resulted in thunderstorms that produced large hail and a landspout tornado across portions of West Texas.
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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 13, 1:21 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 221 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 .DISCUSSION... More active weather is expected this evening as another upper level disturbance resharpens a dryline near the west Texas/eastern New Mexico border. Mid level clouds and isolated showers and thunderstorms associated with an earlier disturbance had moved east of the region. Weak subsidence behind this disturbance may delay storm initiation by an hour or two but strong heating and very steep lapse rates should eventually break the cap as the next disturbance arrives. Although wind shear will be marginal very steep mid level lapse rates and cape values in excess of 3000 j/kg should be more than sufficient to generate the potential for severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds across west Texas. The best chance for storms will be in the eastern Permian Basin in the deepest moisture for the longest period of time ahead of the dryline. Thunderstorms will rapidly move east out of the area by after midnight tonight. Thursday should more tranquil with significant disturbances lacking in the zonal flow aloft. Isolated thunderstorms can still not be completely ruled out in the late afternoon and early evening across the lower Trans Pecos and eastern Permian Basin due to strong heating locally breaking the cap along the dryline. Another active weather day is expected Friday/Friday night across west Texas as another significant upper level disturbance approaches the region. Wind shear is forecast to again be marginal but progged steep mid level lapse rates and cape values in excess of 3000 j/kg should be sufficient for strong to severe thunderstorm development. After Friday the weekend into early next week looks quiet as the upper level disturbance stalls just to the east of the area with upper level ridging forecast over the forecast area. High temperatures are expected to be near normal with overnight lows much above normal in moist low level southeast flow. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 67 94 69 93 / 30 0 10 30 Carlsbad 58 94 59 95 / 0 0 0 10 Dryden 69 95 71 92 / 20 10 10 40 Fort Stockton 63 93 67 92 / 10 10 10 50 Guadalupe Pass 58 82 61 85 / 0 0 0 10 Hobbs 58 91 60 92 / 0 0 0 20 Marfa 51 89 53 86 / 0 0 0 30 Midland Intl Airport 66 94 69 93 / 20 0 10 30 Odessa 66 94 68 92 / 20 0 10 30 Wink 60 96 64 95 / 10 0 0 30 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...None. TX...None. && 10/12
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 328 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-059>063-067>070-075-082- 270>282-142030- Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County-Eddy County Plains- Northern Lea County-Central Lea County-Southern Lea County-Gaines- Dawson-Borden-Scurry-Andrews-Martin-Howard-Mitchell-Loving-Winkler- Ector-Midland-Glasscock-Ward-Crane-Upton-Reagan-Pecos-Terrell- Guadalupe Mountains Above 7000 Feet-Guadalupe and Delaware Mountains- Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor-Eastern Culberson County- Reeves County Plains-Chinati Mountains-Marfa Plateau-Davis Mountains- Davis Mountains Foothills-Central Brewster County-Chisos Basin- Presidio Valley-Lower Brewster County- 328 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 /228 PM MDT Wed May 13 2020/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast New Mexico, southwest Texas, and western Texas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon across West Texas mainly east of a line from Seminole to Monahans to Marathon to Lajitas. Damaging hail and winds, an isolated tornado, localized flooding, low visibilities, and cloud to ground lightning are all possible. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for the above locations. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible again Friday across West Texas mainly from the Lower Trans Pecos extending north and northeast into much of the Permian Basin. Damaging hail and winds, localized flooding, low visibilities, and cloud to ground lightning are the main concerns. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed across West Texas this afternoon. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state and CDC guidelines. This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and statements issued by the National Weather Service Office in Midland, can be found on the internet at... https://weather.gov/midland
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 253 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 TXZ075-132030- Pecos TX- 253 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL PECOS COUNTY UNTIL 330 PM CDT... At 253 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 25 miles southwest of Fort Stockton, moving northeast at 25 mph. Penny size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of west central Pecos County. This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 242 and 244. LAT...LON 3058 10324 3066 10333 3094 10316 3072 10290 TIME...MOT...LOC 1953Z 228DEG 22KT 3067 10323 10
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 330 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 TXZ075-132100- Pecos TX- 330 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN PECOS COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM CDT... At 329 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11 miles southwest of Fort Stockton, moving northeast at 25 mph. Nickel size hail and wind gusts up to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Fort Stockton, Fort Stockton-Pecos County Airport and Firestone Test Track. This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 240 and 266. 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. && A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for southwestern Texas. LAT...LON 3059 10323 3066 10331 3116 10312 3083 10270 TIME...MOT...LOC 2029Z 228DEG 21KT 3081 10305 10
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 332 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 TXZ277-278-132100- Davis Mountains TX-Davis Mountains Foothills TX- 332 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN BREWSTER AND SOUTHEASTERN JEFF DAVIS COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT... At 332 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport, or near Alpine, moving northeast at 25 mph. Half inch hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Alpine and Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for southwestern Texas. LAT...LON 3031 10370 3041 10379 3063 10363 3043 10337 TIME...MOT...LOC 2032Z 228DEG 21KT 3040 10369 10
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
400 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020
TXZ075-132130-
Pecos TX-
400 PM CDT Wed May 13 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL PECOS COUNTY UNTIL
430 PM CDT...
At 400 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 19
miles southwest of Fort Stockton, moving northeast at 25 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with
this storm.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of west central Pecos
County.
This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 265 and 270.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for
southwestern Texas.
LAT...LON 3056 10309 3070 10323 3083 10311 3078 10300
3095 10269 3083 10271
TIME...MOT...LOC 2100Z 227DEG 21KT 3069 10310
10The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:29 UTC.
7 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm moved across Pecos County and produced a landspout tornado eight miles east of Coyanosa. The time and location of the tornado were estimated by radar. No damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2020Warnings 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: 884404, 884406, 884407, 884408, 884409, 884410, 884411, 884412.