A strong upper level system dipped down into the Southern Plains. This sent a cold front surging south late in the evening with strong winds.
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.
A strong upper level system dipped down into the Southern Plains. This sent a cold front surging south late in the evening with strong winds. Much higher winds aloft were able to mix down to the surface causing many winds to gusts upwards of 64 mph. Several ground stations across the area measured multiple wind gusts in excess of 58 mph during the evening of the 5th of December.
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 Dec 5, 5:28 PM CST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Amarillo TX 528 PM CST Sun Dec 5 2021 .AVIATION... For the 00Z TAFs: VFR conditions will prevail throughout the valid TAF period. The main issue with this cycle will be the frontal passage and a wind shift with breezy northerly winds. Wind speeds will range from about 25-30 knots with gusts around 40 knots tonight. Winds will eventually subside around sunrise. Additionally, there will be a low level jet tonight ranging around 50-55 knots from the north at 1500-2000 ft AGL from the north; however, the forecast direction and speed was not enough to warrant a mention of low level wind shear at this time. Guerrero && .PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 156 PM CST Sun Dec 5 2021/ DISCUSSION...Tonight through Saturday... Synopsis: A dry forecast will continue at least through Thursday, with periods of breezy to windy conditions. A cold front will bring a quick blast of cold air tonight along with strong north winds of 20 to 30 mph with stronger gusts in the 40 to 50 mph range. With temperatures falling into the teens and 20s for most of the area tonight, wind chill values will definitely be unpleasant for the Monday morning commute. Temperatures will warm back above average Tuesday through Friday with breezy winds; especially Wed, Thurs, and Friday when elevated fire weather conditions are possible given dry antecedent conditions. There remains a small chance for precipitation across the area late Friday into the weekend, but overall chances for meaningful precipitation is not good at this time. Details: The latest upper level analysis reveals a clipper system moving across the Northern Plains with a 150 kt 250mb jet streak trailing over the northern Rockies. This system has induced sharp surface pressure rises over the Dakotas and northern Nebraska in wake of a cold front as it advances south. Temperatures have dropped near or below freezing from central WY to northwest NE with northwest winds gusting over 55 mph at times. The cold front obviously has some of the better cold air advection we have seen so far this season, and as such will also bring sharp pressure rises to the Panhandles this evening and overnight. Based on 3-4mb/hr pressure rises and a notable 45 kt 850mb jet, have increased winds about 5 knots over previous forecast using combo of statistical guidance, the HRRR, and NBM90 (plus a knot or two). This results in sustained wind speeds around 25 to 30 knots for a couple hours just behind the front. Currently think wind advisory criteria winds will be spotty and brief, so opted not to issue any headlines. However, incoming shift may need watch closely. A few gusts near 50 mph will also be possible between 02z and 08z. Winds will subside going into Monday morning as a transient surface high quickly shifts east making way for lee surface troughing as another (weaker) wave digs down behind the first. The windy conditions will combined with temperatures dropping into the teens and 20s Monday morning which will result in wind chill values in the single digits and teens. Going towards the middle of the week, models generally agree in faster zonal winds behind second trough as it moves over the midwest and ahead of the late week full latitude trough offered in the guidance. This should help bolster lee surface troughing, especially going into the end of the week. Fire weather may come more into play Wednesday, Thursday, and especially Friday given general jet pattern and position of low level thermal ridge. For now, elevated looks likely but may be more if trends continue. Unfortunately models are still in poor agreement with incoming western CONUS full latitude trough for the late Friday into the weekend, but the general trend has been to make the trough more progressive as a positive tilt open wave which is not good for precipitation. There are still a decent number of ensemble members in the EC and CMC that keep some semblance of a closed low, so have kept some broad brushed PoPs in for that period which will also accompany other quick hitting cold front. Ward && .AMA Watches/Warnings/Advisories... TX...None. OK...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Amarillo TX 217 PM CST Sun Dec 5 2021 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-317-060830- 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- 217 PM CST Sun Dec 5 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Elevated fire weather conditions are expected to continue this afternoon across the southern Texas Panhandle due to west winds of 15 to 20 mph with higher gusts along with minimum relative humidity values of 10 to 15 percent. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Elevated fire weather conditions are possible Friday afternoon given breezy winds and low relative humidty values. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time. Area fire managers and emergency officials should be alert for elevated fire weather conditions this afternoon and again Friday afternoon.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
At 2040 CST, a wind gust of 59 MPH was measured at a mesonet located 2 miles east of Goodwell Oklahoma. At 2053 CST a wind gust of 58 mph was measured at the ASOS located at the Guymon Airport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, December 2021
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: 995759.