Although large scale lift was weak on the afternoon and evening of the 27th, severe thunderstorms were still able to develop across the central South Plains. A dryline was again in place cutting from north to south around the Interstate 27/US Highway 87 corridor creating low level convergence.
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.
Although large scale lift was weak on the afternoon and evening of the 27th, severe thunderstorms were still able to develop across the central South Plains. A dryline was again in place cutting from north to south around the Interstate 27/US Highway 87 corridor creating low level convergence. Strong heating along the dryline allowed a capping inversion to break late in the afternoon. With ample moisture in place at the lowest levels of the atmosphere, isolated storms were able to take advantage of a very unstable atmosphere. Isolated thunderstorms initially developed in and around the Lubbock (Lubbock County) vicinity and moved northeastward producing severe wind gusts along with hail up to ping pong ball size.
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 Apr 27, 12:51 PM CST, 4 hours 18 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 151 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM... .KEY MESSAGES... - A few isolated severe thunderstorms are possible through late this evening, mainly along and east of I-27. - Storm chances continue through next week, with severe possible. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Monday) Issued at 148 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025 Water vapor channel imagery depicts strengthening southwest flow aloft over West Texas this afternoon, downstream of a fairly broad mid/upper level trough axis centered over the Intermountain West. As this feature continues to shift slowly eastward, jet streaks within the H5 to H3 layer will expand over eastern NM and into the TX Panhandle by this evening. At the surface, rich low level moisture remains in place at 18z, with southeasterly surface flow maintaining upper 60s dew points off the Caprock. Following the clearing of morning low cloud cover, a dryline has begun to sharpen and mix eastward and is roughly oriented along the TX/NM state line at 18z. Consensus among hi-res models points to the dryline being positioned right along or just east of the I-27 corridor by mid-afternoon, which seems reasonable based on obs progression over the past few hours. Whether or not thunderstorms will initiate along the dryline within our forecast area remains the biggest question of the day. Of note, a majority of model soundings depict a capping inversion continuing to shrink through the next few hours and eventually largely eroding. With lift from the aforementioned jet streaks still mainly to our northwest, the question then becomes whether or not the dryline circulation itself will be sufficient to boost surface parcels through whatever remains of the cap. If this can occur, explosive development of a few isolated thunderstorms will be possible during the late afternoon and early evening near and east of I-27. Forecast soundings depict very steep midlevel lapse rates which combined with the rich low level moisture east of the dryline result in MUCAPEs in excess of 3000 J/kg. This in combination with bulk shear magnitudes near 50 kt will support potential for large or very large hail as the primary hazard in any storm that does develop. Again, the severe threat today is highly conditional on confluence/lift along the dryline itself, and only a couple of storms are possible (if any at all). It is also possible that if no storms develop along I-27, a left-moving supercell or two may move into the Rolling Plains from the Permian Basin this evening, with large hail again possible if this comes to fruition. Given the uncertainty, will retain an isolated thunderstorm mention over areas along and east of I-27 through late this evening. Any storms will quickly dissipate by midnight with the loss of daytime heating, with a very mild and breezy night expected as southerly breezes intensify and the dryline retreats back westward. Monday will start humid once again, but the approaching mid/upper level low will help force the dryline further east on Monday afternoon compared to today. Similar to today, questions exist on overall development and coverage of storms given uncertainty on the magnitude of large scale forcing and the strength of a capping inversion. Any storms on Monday will likely become severe with large or very large hail again the main concern given MUCAPEs over 2000 J/kg east of the dryline and bulk shear magnitudes over 40 kt. Current thinking is models may be a bit too aggressive in mixing the dryline so far east, so will pull NBM PoPs a bit farther westward with the expectation that the dryline ends up near or just east of the Caprock Escarpment by late afternoon. This places the threat for severe weather Monday afternoon and evening mainly off the Caprock, with largely dry conditions expected farther west. Otherwise, it'll be another warm late April day on Monday, with highs peaking about 10 degrees above normal. && .LONG TERM... (Monday night through next Saturday) Issued at 148 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025 Models continue to show an upper trough spitting into Monday evening. The southern portion of it will eject a shortwave into the southern Rolling Plains during the late evening hours and lead to storm development over this area. There remains uncertainty in the models as to how quickly the dryline will retreat to the west thereafter. Nonetheless, a surface front will move through during the day on Tuesday and associated easterly winds behind it will help to bring a surge of moisture across the entire CWA. Higher PoPs have been retained from the previous forecast and severe storms are possible as well. Wednesday looks to be slightly more quiet as the aforementioned trough axis finally moves through by the afternoon. Ridging/upper zonal flow will lead to a stronger cap and lesser storm chances as well on Thursday. A deep upper through will descend across California and move slightly inland over next weekend. While it remains too early to determine specifics, there is the potential of a good setup for widespread strong to severe storms for multiple days. Stay tuned as this becomes more clear. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1227 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025 Low CIGs will continue to clear from west to east in the short term. KLBB has already returned to VFR with KPVW and KCDS expected to follow in the next hour or so. Isolated TS are expected to develop near KLBB and KPVW after 21z, but coverage is likely to be very sparse with this activity moving northeastward through the evening. No convective impacts are expected at any terminal at this time, but strong/erratic wind gusts should be expected near any convection. After the last of the low CIGs lift this afternoon, VFR will prevail at all terminals through the remainder of this TAF period. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...30 LONG TERM....19 AVIATION...30
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 159 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025 TXZ021>044-281900- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 159 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. A few isolated severe thunderstorms are possible along and east of the I-27 corridor this afternoon through this evening. The primary hazards will be large hail up to the size of tennis balls and damaging wind gusts near 70 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Daily chances of thunderstorms, some severe, will be possible every afternoon through Saturday. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday into next weekend currently look the most favorable. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
551 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025
TXZ034-035-040-041-272315-
Terry TX-Hockley TX-Lynn TX-Lubbock TX-
551 PM CDT Sun Apr 27 2025
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WINDS WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN LUBBOCK...
NORTHWESTERN LYNN...NORTHEASTERN TERRY AND SOUTHEASTERN HOCKLEY
COUNTIES THROUGH 615 PM CDT...
At 549 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of gusty
thundershowers 9 miles southwest of Wolfforth, or 16 miles southeast
of Levelland, moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and areas of blowing dust.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Blowing dust may result in brief
reductions in visibility.
Locations impacted include...
Meadow, Lubbock South Plains Mall, Smyer, Ropesville, Wolfforth,
Texas Tech University, Locketville, Slide, Downtown Lubbock, New
Home, Lubbock, Woodrow, Lubbock Science Spectrum, and Reese Center.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Use caution
if driving and be prepared for sudden reductions in visibility.
&&
LAT...LON 3316 10210 3340 10251 3366 10213 3364 10184
3343 10171
TIME...MOT...LOC 2249Z 230DEG 34KT 3343 10213
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
DWKThe Lubbock radar (KLBB), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:10 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site in Smyer measured a wind gust to 64 mph.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site in the city of Lubbock measured a wind gust of 59 mph.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site at Reese Center measured severe wind gusts from 1712 CST through 1713 CST. A peak wind gust of 75 mph was measured at 1712 CST.
Public reports were received of quarter size hail in and around Woodrow.
Several severe hail reports were received across Lubbock County. A swath of severe hail occurred from near Woodrow through Idalou ranging in size from penny to ping pong ball size.
An NWS cooperative weather observer reported quarter size hail southeast of Floydada.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2025
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: 1243943, 1243944, 1243947, 1243949, 1243950, 1243951.