Two distinct rounds of convective development occurred on the afternoon and evening of the 23rd. The first occurred during the early afternoon across the extreme southeastern Texas Panhandle.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 LUB wrote it up.
Two distinct rounds of convective development occurred on the afternoon and evening of the 23rd. The first occurred during the early afternoon across the extreme southeastern Texas Panhandle. This area of convection originated in southwestern Kansas into the Oklahoma and northern Texas Panhandles. A strong low level jet during the morning hours allowed this convection to blossom as it tracked southward through the eastern Texas Panhandle. A favorable environment existed out ahead of the storms during the early afternoon after the low level jet diminished. By the time the storms reached the extreme southeastern Texas Panhandle they produced large hail in Childress (Childress County) and several severe wind gusts. The second round of thunderstorms developed off of an outflow boundary produced by the early afternoon convection. A very unstable air mass was present south of the boundary which was also characterized by strong deep layer shear. This allowed updrafts to develop into supercell thunderstorms, of which many became splitting supercell storms. The most intense thunderstorms remained anchored to this pre-existing boundary. One supercell thunderstorm tracked southward over Hockley County and produced baseball size hail along with substantial wind damage between Sundown (Hockley County) and Texas Highway 114. Additionally, a number of wake lows developed which produced several high wind gusts.
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 Jun 23, 11:42 AM CST, 22 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1242 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 1222 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 - Thunderstorms, some severe, possible across the far southeastern Texas Panhandle and portions of the Rolling Plains the rest of today. - Thunderstorm chances each afternoon Thursday and Friday. - Triple digit temperatures expected everyday through the weekend. && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 1222 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 Current radar imagery shows thunderstorm activity to the north to west of our forecast area across the eastern Texas Panhandle and western portions of Oklahoma. Storms are beginning to creep into the far southeastern Texas Panhandle, however look to be just showers and are expected to remain sub-severe. Models are not handling these storms well with CAMs not picking up any activity. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 3 PM this afternoon for Childress County. These storms are slow moving, however are expected to clear the area in the next couple of hours. Otherwise, the rest of the forecast area is on track to be quiet, but hot. Prevailing upper ridging as well as moderate to breezy southerly surface flow, high temperatures today are expected to reach triple digits by later this afternoon. The caveat is the thunderstorm potential for this evening. Scattered thunderstorms will develop across southern Kansas this afternoon along a dryline/surface trough before combining into a line and expanding southward through Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. The uncertainty at the moment is whether the line of storms will reach our forecast area or is an outflow from these storms triggers storm development in our area. Daytime heating should destabilize the atmosphere, however we will have to wait and see if these storms use up the moisture. With current radar imagery indicating the storms are beginning to diminish, the likelihood of that occurring is low. Current soundings indicate really good instability off the Caprock with MUCAPE values above 5000 J/kg and effective shear of 45-50 knots making elevated severe thunderstorms possible. Any severe thunderstorms will have the potential for up to baseball size hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph. Thunderstorms, if any, are expected to clear the forecast area around midnight. The rest of the overnight period will be quiet. A wide range of temperatures are expected with lows in the mid 60s across the far southwestern Texas Panhandle up to upper 70s across southern Rolling Plains where lingering clouds overnight hinder radiative cooling. Wednesday will be another hot one. The aforementioned upper ridge will remain stagnant over western to central portions of Texas. Light southerly surface winds will increase to moderate to breezy through the afternoon. High temperatures will range from mid 90s across the far southern Texas Panhandle to just below Heat Advisory temperatures across the southern Rolling Plains. A passing shortwave will trigger the development of a lee surface low over northern New Mexico during the afternoon. This will shift surface flow to the southeast through the late afternoon and evening. Ascent from the passing shortwave as well as upslope surface flow, thunderstorm potential returns late Wednesday afternoon and evening. Models indicate isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop across higher terrain in northeastern New Mexico before expanding southeast into our area. Severe thunderstorms will be possible with instability values around 3000 J/kg. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through next Monday) Issued at 1222 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 The hot temperatures are expected to continue through the long term forecast with possible Heat Advisory level temperatures by the weekend. Multiple passing upper shortwaves each afternoon will bring precipitation chances Thursday and Friday. The upper ridging mentioned in the short term discussion will gradually flatten through the end of the week shifting to mostly zonal flow aloft. Despite the flattening upper ridging, thickness increases and southerly surface flow each afternoon will continue to gradually increase temperatures through the rest of the week. If this trend continues, will most likely see at the least a Heat Advisory beginning Friday. Precipitation chances will return once again Thursday as an embedded upper shortwave passes across the Southern Plains. At the same time a weak boundary will push through the northern Texas Panhandle. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will be possible along the boundary before expanding into northern portions of our region. Severe thunderstorms will be possible along the frontal boundary. Another passing embedded shortwave will bring thunderstorm chances again Friday evening. Over the weekend, flow aloft will shift to the southwest as the upper ridging finally pushes eastward over the Gulf states and an upper trough amplifies over the western CONUS. Despite the moist southwesterly upper flow, the weekend looks to remain dry. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1222 PM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 VFR remains firmly in place and will continue thru the prd. -TSRA is possible at KCDS over the next few hours and then again this evening thus the TEMPO and PROB30 in the forecast. KPVW could also see -TSRA this evening so have included a PROB30 at KPVW to cover this. Winds will remain elevated at all terminal through at least 08Z. Expecting 10-15G25kts from the S. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...10 LONG TERM....10 AVIATION...28
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lubbock TX 306 AM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 TXZ021>044-240815- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 306 AM CDT Tue Jun 23 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A few thunderstorms may develop later this afternoon through tonight, mainly over the southern Texas Panhandle and the Rolling Plains. Large hail to golf ball size, wind gusts to 70 mph, and locally heavy rain are all possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Low chances for thunderstorms continue each evening from Wednesday through Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed.
The Altus AFB radar (KFDR), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:03 UTC.
13 hail, 11 thunderstorm wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Childress measured a wind gust of 59 mph.
Numerous reports were received of hail in the city of Childress ranging in size from quarters to golf balls.
A storm chaser measured a wind gust of 68 mph in rural Cottle County south of Kirkland.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Hackberry measured a wind gust of 58 mph.
A photograph on social media showed quarter size hail south of Lockney.
Reports on social media showed hail in and around Sudan measuring between quarter size and half dollar size.
A storm chaser measured a wind gust of 64 mph in far southwestern Floyd County.
Photographs on social media showed hail in and west of Ralls along US Highway 62/82 ranging in size from quarters to half dollars.
A photograph on social media showed quarter size hail southeast of Cotton Center.
Photographs on social media showed a a couple of sheds blown over on a road.
An NWS cooperative weather observer and social media photos showed hail in and around Abernathy ranging in size from quarters to golf balls.
A photograph on social media showed hail in Meadow as large as golf balls.
An NWS cooperative weather observer reported quarter size hail near Hart.
A report was received of half dollar size hail near Happy.
Photos on social media showed hail as large as two inches in diameter south of Whitharral. No damage was reported.
A swath of severe thunderstorm winds were observed from Levelland Municipal Airport to four miles south of Levelland. An Automated Weather Observing station measured a wind gust to 63 mph. A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site measured a wind gust to 60 mph.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Olton measured severe wind gusts from 1905 CST through 1910 CST. A peak wind gust of 70 mph was measured at 1908 CST.
A swath of very large severe hail affected the city of Levelland from 1918 CST through 1923 CST. Hail ranged in size from tennis balls to baseballs.
Extensive wind damage was reported from approximately seven miles west of Levelland to six miles north of Sundown. A roof was completely blown off of a church as well as a camper blown over on top of a car.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured a wind gust of 61 mph.
The Automated Surface Observing System at Lubbock International Airport measured severe wind gusts from 1930 CST through 1940 CST. A peak gust of 71 mph was measured at 1934 CST.
Several reports were received of hail in Brownfield ranging in size from quarters to ping pong balls.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Sundown measured a wind gust of 59 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, June 2026
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: 1335118, 1335119, 1335121, 1335122, 1335126, 1335146, 1335127, 1335154, 1335156, 1335160, 1335158, 1335201, 1335208, 1335205, 1335210, 1335211, 1335212, 1335213, 1335217, 1335215, 1335227, 1335214, 1335222, 1335224, 1335225, 1335226.