Strong winds occurred across the combined Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles during the afternoon and early evening of May 18th. Surface winds reached the 25 to 35 mph range while gusts were in the 45 to 55 mph range thanks to a strong upper level system and cold front passage.
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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 AMA wrote it up.
Strong winds occurred across the combined Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles during the afternoon and early evening of May 18th. Surface winds reached the 25 to 35 mph range while gusts were in the 45 to 55 mph range thanks to a strong upper level system and cold front passage. There were at least two instances of gusts reaching over 59 mph.
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 May 1, 12:49 PM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Amarillo TX
149 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
...New KEY MESSAGES, SHORT TERM, LONG TERM...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 100 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
-Scattered rain showers for the Panhandles today with light
rainfall amounts possible.
-Frost conditions tonight for portions of the Panhandles with
temperatures dropping into the mid 30s. Rainfall totals as of the
latest 18Z obs
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Saturday night)
Issued at 100 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
Latest 18Z radar and obs continue to show widely scattered rain
showers across a good portions of the combined Panhandles out
ahead of a H500 low amplitude positive tilted trough. Rainfall
totals reached a bit over a quarter of an inch for some areas in
the western Panhandles, but not much more than that unfortunately
expected for today. The more organized and strong trough
perturbation further south over the Permian Basin has robbed the
Panhandles of the deep moisture transport. Rain activity overall
for the Panhandles will clear out later this evening. With skies
clearing out, light winds, and residual low level moisture in the
Panhandles, temperatures will drop as a sfc high pressure system
shifts south into the Panhandles. With these components, frost
conditions will be possible, mainly for the Oklahoma and portions
of the Texas Panhandle early tomorrow morning.
A mid level ridge should move northeast into the Panhandles to
start the weekend, bringing dry conditions. Temperatures will
rebound back into the 70s for Saturday, near average for early
May.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Sunday through next Thursday)
Issued at 100 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
Dry conditions continue Sunday into early next week ahead of our
next potential weather system with temperatures near to above
average for early May. Latest 01/12Z model and numerical guidance
are hinting at a cold front moving into the northern combined
Panhandles where showers and thunderstorms could develop. Will
watch trends closely throughout the next few days. High
temperatures behind the front by mid week will drop back to near
or even slightly below average.
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1235 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
Monitoring some MVFR cigs at KDHT to start the 18Z TAF period at
VFR conditions at KAMA/KGUY. By 00Z, all sites should return to
VFR levels and remain so throughout the remainder of the TAF
period. Winds will be light out of the north veering to westerly
at 5-10 kts.
&&
.AMA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...Frost Advisory from 3 AM to 9 AM CDT Saturday for TXZ001>004-006-
007-011-012-016-017-317.
OK...Frost Advisory from 3 AM to 9 AM CDT Saturday for OKZ001>003.
&&
SHORT TERM...29
LONG TERM....29
AVIATION...29Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Amarillo TX 153 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026 OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-317-020700- 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- 153 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. A Frost Advisory is in effect for portions of the combined Panhandles tonight with temperatures as low as the mid 30s. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Thunderstorms are possible across the northern Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles on Tuesday and Wednesday. The potential for severe thunderstorms is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 64mph wind gust occurred at the mesonet site located two miles to the west northwest of Fritch.
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, May 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: 1335763.