A developing surface low and dryline across the Permian Basin produced scattered strong to severe thunderstorms.
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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.
A developing surface low and dryline across the Permian Basin produced scattered strong to severe thunderstorms.
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 22, 5:05 PM CST, 5 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 605 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 603 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025 - There is a low risk of severe thunderstorms Friday and Saturday, mainly over the Western Low Rolling Plains. - Warm temperatures are expected through the weekend, with Saturday being the hottest day within the forecast. - A cold front begins to sweep in Sunday night, bringing much cooler temperatures and respectable chances of rain next week. && .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Friday night) Issued at 312 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025 Above normal temperatures continue in the short term period under the influence of an upper-level ridge. South and southeasterly winds tonight promote lows in the 60s to low 70s along with plenty of moisture. A warm morning becomes a hot afternoon as highs Friday hit the upper 90s low triple digits. The hottest conditions will lie over the Upper Trans Pecos and along the Rio Grande River valley. The Big Bend area is expected to be heat up to near 110 degrees! Although this meets Heat Advisory criteria, coverage looks quite small, therefore we shall refrain from issuing at the moment. The heat and increased moisture bring about the low (10%-20%) potential for afternoon shower/thunderstorm development along the dryline from the northeastern Permian Basin down toward the Davis Mountains. The best rain chances will be in the vicinity of the Davis'. With deep layer sheer values between 20-30 kts, storm organization should be more multicellular. Something to note, HRRR forecast soundings in these areas show inverted v features, indicating strong downdrafts, or outflow, and the potential for damaging winds with the strongest storms. Should any storms become severe, there will also be a threat of large hail. Otherwise, temperatures Friday night bottom out in the 60s and 70s again, but the 70s expand in coverage compared to the night before. && .LONG TERM... (Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 312 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025 The heat continues to crank up on Saturday as we enter the peak of an upper-level ridge. Highs are forecast to hit the upper 90s and push beyond the century mark in several locations, including Midland/Odessa. Diurnally-driven showers/thunderstorms will be possible near the Davis Mountains and Stockton Plateau Saturday afternoon. The heat relents a bit by Sunday as an upper-level trough begins to approach from the west. Geopotential height start to lower, allowing for highs in the 90s to become more commonplace. Sunday, lee troughing begins to drag a cold front down from the north. The cold front continues to march its way through the area during the day Monday, resulting in highs in the 80s across the Permian Basin, 90s elsewhere. Lift associated with the front and the dryline will help provide rain chances Sunday afternoon, mainly within the eastern half of our region. Given ample shear and instability, a few storms could become severe as the front pushes in. The cold front finally reaches down toward the Rio Grande Valley by Tuesday, dropping highs into the upper 70s and 80s for most both Tuesday and Wednesday. Continued advection of moisture from the east means daily rain chances areawide beginning Tuesday through the end of the period. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 603 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025 For now, any storms look to stay east of MAF/FST, but the possibility remains that showers/storms may move near those terminals. Southeasterly winds take hold late tonight for all except at CNM. MVFR cloud deck will move in near MAF/FST after 8-10z tomorrow morning. VFR at all terminals until then. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Big Spring 67 100 71 101 / 20 10 0 0 Carlsbad 65 101 66 101 / 0 0 0 0 Dryden 70 99 72 100 / 10 10 10 10 Fort Stockton 70 101 71 101 / 20 10 10 20 Guadalupe Pass 66 93 67 90 / 0 0 10 0 Hobbs 63 98 65 99 / 0 10 0 0 Marfa 61 92 61 92 / 10 20 20 20 Midland Intl Airport 69 100 73 100 / 10 10 0 10 Odessa 69 99 72 100 / 10 10 10 10 Wink 70 101 70 102 / 0 10 10 10 && .MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. NM...None. && SHORT TERM...95 LONG TERM....21 AVIATION...93
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
225 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025
TXZ075-222000-
Pecos TX-
225 PM CDT Thu May 22 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL PECOS COUNTY THROUGH 300
PM CDT...
At 225 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 29
miles southeast of Fort Stockton, moving east at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of central Pecos
County.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3047 10270 3060 10271 3067 10244 3042 10242
TIME...MOT...LOC 1925Z 268DEG 5KT 3054 10261
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
21The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:10 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A maximum wind gust of 60 MPH was measured at the Big Spring AWOS station, KBPG.
A maximum wind gust of 70 MPH was measured at the West Texas Mesonet site, 5 SW Saint Lawrence.
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, May 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: 1254784, 1254785.