On the afternoon of the first, isolated but strong thunderstorms developed along a surface pressure trough located in the south-central Texas Panhandle. One of these storms was able to take advantage of the abundant instability and become very intense.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 LUB wrote it up.
On the afternoon of the first, isolated but strong thunderstorms developed along a surface pressure trough located in the south-central Texas Panhandle. One of these storms was able to take advantage of the abundant instability and become very intense. However, a very dry sub-cloud layer allowed this storm to generate a severe wind gust near Lesley (Hall County). Additionally, local broadcast media relayed video of a tornado that lasted for a few seconds over open land in Hall County.
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 Sep 1, 5:40 PM CST, 28 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 640 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2020 .AVIATION... Severe TS heading toward KCDS with pre-storm MVFR stratus there is the main concern in the near term. Secondarily is wind direction at KPVW as a pair of boundaries are approaching that terminal with the northwest wind looking the most likely to win out. Moving into tonight the TS chances begin to decrease. However, with an upper level low moving out across the region Wednesday there will be an increasing chance of showers with isolated TS potential as a much cooler air mass moves into the area. Potential for MVFR ceilings with the cooler air and showers during the day Wednesday as well. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 249 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2020/ SHORT TERM... Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon into tonight across much of the South Plains and Rolling Plains. The possibility exists for two or more rounds. The first round will likely form off of the surface trough that is moving into the far southwestern Panhandle and western South Plains at this moment. The next round will be associated with the upper level storm system that is currently over central New Mexico and will affect the South Plains region late this evening into tonight. As of 19z (2 PM), storms have begun firing over central New Mexico and are moving to the east towards the NM/TX state line. Along with storm initiation out west, a series of roll clouds were noted on radar and visible satellite imagery to the northwest of Lubbock. This is an indication of convergence within a capped environment. For this afternoon into this evening, storms will move into an area of SBCAPE 2000-2500 J/kg with EFF Shear values 40-45 kt. Storms will initially be capable of rotating, bringing a low tornado threat and a marginally severe hail threat...perhaps even larger if a supercell can get rooted. The highest probability of this will be over the Rolling Plains where higher CAPE/Shear values and lower LCLs exist than here on the South Plains. The two main threats will be the potential for localized flash flooding, and downburst wind gusts up to 65 mph as model soundings indicate an inverted-V thermal profile and precipitable water (PWAT) values nearing record values. A combination of higher PWAT values and slow storm motion(easterly @ 10-20 kts) will support locally heavy rainfall and a flooding threat. The second round should be limited to the South Plains as earlier storms seem to deplete the available CAPE over the Rolling Plains. Marginally severe winds and isolated flash flooding will be possible once again with these storms with DCAPE values ranging around 1000 J/kg and PWAT values remaining around the 90th percentile. A shortwave trough will swing through the area from NE New Mexico tomorrow. The leading edge of the trough may enhance any ongoing showers and thunderstorms over the area. Some additional showers and thunderstorms may form along the trough with warm and moist air that may be advected from the surface and lifted isentropically ahead of the trough. Tomorrow afternoon, isolated to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible over the Rolling Plains...though a decrease in moisture in the mid-levels will limit the updraft and convective potential. Kendrick LONG TERM... The extended forecast will quickly trend quieter as the mid-level trough currently approaching the region shifts off to our east. A few showers could linger past 00Z Thursday across the eastern sections, but drier weather will be the theme. A portion of the departing trough is forecast to become separated from the steering flow and linger across the eastern half of Texas into Oklahoma through late week. This weakness may eventually drift back this way late week or this weekend as ridging builds across the western states. This could renew at least low shower/storm chances across the southeastern portion of the CWA, though at this point it looks like the best chances may be shunted to our south. Regardless, we have accepted (though toned down) the PoPs for much of the Rolling Plains and southeast South Plains Friday and for the southern-most zones on Saturday. Temperatures will rebound to near or somewhat above average from Thursday through early next week. Currently Sunday looks like it will be the hottest day, when highs could soar well into the 90s. Thereafter, there is a general consensus that a substantial shortwave trough will dig southward over the High Plains early next week. This will open the door for a true fall-like cold front to breach the South Plains region sometime Tuesday or Tuesday night. There may be enough moisture return in advance of the front to provide a brief window for convection, though much cooler and drier air will quickly advect in post-FROPA. The timing of the front provides uncertainty with regards to the temperatures on Tuesday (and the exact timing for the highest PoPs), but by next Wednesday temperatures may struggle to make it out of the 60s if current projections are correct. Something to look forward to for those yearning for fall. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && 07
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1141 AM CDT Tue Sep 1 2020 TXZ021>044-021645- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 1141 AM CDT Tue Sep 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Thunderstorms are expected to increase in coverage and intensity after 2 PM this afternoon. Some of the stronger storms could produce downburst winds to 65 mph and hail up to the size of quarters. Additionally heavy rainfall from stronger storms could lead to localized flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Periodic episodes of isolated to scattered thunderstorms, some with strong downburst potential, will exist over the next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. Please relay any information about severe weather to the NWS while following local, state, and CDC guidelines.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
658 PM CDT TUE SEP 01 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM TORNADO 3 NNE ANTELOPE FLATS 34.65N 100.97W
09/01/2020 BRISCOE TX STORM CHASER
REPORT OF A WEAK TORNADO
&&
EVENT NUMBER LUB2000462
RCBThe Amarillo radar (KAMA), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:09 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Lesley measured a wind gust to 62 mph.
Local broadcast media relayed a video of a very brief tornado in Hall County west of Farm to Market Road 657 north of Texas State Highway 86. The tornado briefly remained over open land that was inaccessible due to a lack of roads.
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, September 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: 910619, 912949.