Despite subsidence from an upper level ridge, strong heating and just enough mid-level moisture in the atmospheric column were able to create isolated thunderstorms in the extreme southern Texas Panhandle. Very dry sub-cloud layers allowed one of these storms to produce severe wind gusts near Turkey (Hall County).
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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.
Despite subsidence from an upper level ridge, strong heating and just enough mid-level moisture in the atmospheric column were able to create isolated thunderstorms in the extreme southern Texas Panhandle. Very dry sub-cloud layers allowed one of these storms to produce severe wind gusts near Turkey (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 Aug 4, 5:02 PM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 602 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Saturday) Issued at 213 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023 A cumulus field has begun to develop across the northwestern South Plains and far southwestern Texas Panhandle this afternoon. Upper- level ridging remains in place overhead which will keep subsidence in place. Despite this subsidence though, a small sliver of moisture will be rotating through the area late this afternoon during peak heating. There may be sufficient moisture in place with convective temperatures being reached to initiate a thunderstorm or two from the far southern Texas Panhandle into the South Plains however most locations should remain dry. Any thunderstorm that develops will have the potential to produce strong wind gusts along with locally heavy rainfall. With the loss of daytime heating this evening this activity will begin to wane with quiet and mild conditions expected overnight (seems like we've been saying this a lot recently...) By Saturday morning the upper-level ridge will begin to expand a bit and become centered over West Texas as a shortwave begins to dive southeastward into the Central Plains. With increasing thicknesses temperatures should be a degree or two warmer across the region with high temperatures ranging from the century mark to near 108 degrees under mostly sunny skies. /WI && .LONG TERM... (Saturday night through next Thursday) Issued at 213 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023 A subtropical dome of high pressure continues to dominate our synoptic pattern through the extended forecast. Daily high temperatures will be above normal, mostly in the triple digits with daily max temperature records potentially at risk by the middle to end of next week. There's a weak signal for some elevated storms interacting with a surface boundary across the Texas Panhandle tomorrow evening. Overall, storm activity will struggle to reach this far south, as the progressive trough responsible for the boundary quickly shifts east across the Great Lakes. By Sunday the surface front is more diffuse and farther south into our area, with temperatures 'cooling' down into the upper 90s to near 100 on the Caprock, with little relief for locations east of the escarpment. Precip chances continue into Monday along the stalled/diffuse surface boundary, and seem a bit optimistic attm. By the middle of next week, persistent ridging to our south amplifies and turns the heat up once again. High temperatures approaching 105 on the Caprock for the second half of next week, and near 110 over the Rolling Plains. All necessary precautions to avoid injuries due to extended periods of time outdoors will need to be followed. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 558 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023 VFR conditions will prevail. Some showers and thunderstorms will continue to be possible before sunset near all terminals. Currently storms are not expected to affect the terminals. If one does affect a terminal, however, gusty winds up to 50 knots and brief heavy downpours will be possible. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...58 LONG TERM....55 AVIATION...51
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 256 AM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023 TXZ021>044-050800- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 256 AM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Isolated thunderstorms will be possible late Friday afternoon and early evening across the far southern Texas Panhandle, South Plains, and northern Rolling Plains. Some storms could produce strong wind gusts. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Renewed chances for storms will occur on Saturday and Sunday evenings across the far southeastern Texas Panhandle. Storm chances will expand across much of the region on Monday. Any storm that develops will have the potential to produce strong wind gusts as well as locally heavy rainfall. Temperatures near Heat Advisory criteria will be possible on Wednesday across the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and far southeastern Texas Panhandle.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
653 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023
TXZ023-050030-
Swisher TX-
653 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern Swisher
County through 730 PM CDT...
At 653 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10
miles west of Tulia, moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Tulia.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3446 10167 3432 10197 3442 10200 3457 10200
3461 10193
TIME...MOT...LOC 2353Z 317DEG 9KT 3450 10196
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
CWASpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
726 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023
TXZ024-025-050100-
Briscoe TX-Hall TX-
726 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern Hall
and east central Briscoe Counties through 800 PM CDT...
At 725 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles south of Brice, or 11 miles northeast of Caprock Canyon State
Park, moving southeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Turkey and Caprock Canyon State Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3450 10109 3470 10098 3457 10060 3433 10081
TIME...MOT...LOC 0025Z 299DEG 17KT 3458 10094
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
CWASpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
809 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023
TXZ024>026-031-050200-
Briscoe TX-Childress TX-Motley TX-Hall TX-
809 PM CDT Fri Aug 4 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of west central
Childress, northeastern Motley, Hall and southeastern Briscoe
Counties through 900 PM CDT...
At 809 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10
miles northeast of Turkey, moving southeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Turkey, Northfield, Estelline and Plaska Community.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3462 10049 3447 10031 3431 10050 3431 10052
3430 10052 3418 10067 3430 10096 3447 10099
3460 10076
TIME...MOT...LOC 0109Z 304DEG 19KT 3449 10075
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
CWAThe Lubbock radar (KLBB), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:25 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Turkey measured severe wind gusts from 1927 CST through 1929 CST. A peak wind gust of 66 mph was measured at 1928 CST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, August 2023
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: 1108743.