A weak upper level disturbance moved over the area from morning into the afternoon hours. Lift from this feature along with a very moist atmosphere created scattered thunderstorms across the region.
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.
A weak upper level disturbance moved over the area from morning into the afternoon hours. Lift from this feature along with a very moist atmosphere created scattered thunderstorms across the region. Although most storms brought brief heavy rainfall, a couple of storms became severe producing severe 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 May 26, 11:27 AM CST, 53 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1227 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1226 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 - Showers and storms, some with heavy rain, shifting off the Caprock this afternoon. - Low chances for showers and storms Wednesday and Thursday followed by better chances Friday and Saturday. && .SHORT TERM... (Rest of today through Wednesday) Issued at 1226 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 Welcome rain was slowly ending over the South Plains early this afternoon ahead of a decaying MCV. This circulation will continue to drift north from near Levelland to Dimmitt this afternoon while advecting drier air around itself, so rainfall coverage and intensity will trend lower over the Caprock as a whole. A window for weak and brief non-supercell tornadoes (NST) will linger over the far southwest TX Panhandle through 1 PM along an axis of low- level CAPE with low LFCs and rich surface vorticity. This NST threat should quickly shift north and out of our forecast area. Off the Caprock meanwhile, deeper ascent preceding a broad negatively-tilted trough will sustain a greater coverage of showers and storms through the afternoon. Ahead of this trough, deep southeast flow from the surface to 500 mb complete with PWATs around 1.5 inches will make for efficient rainfall and localized flooding, particularly with any training cells. Farther south in the Permian Basin, CAMs are keen to advect another MCV northward later today which should prolong PoPs over the eastern half of the forecast area before a steady downturn in precip takes hold tonight on the heels of the upper trough. After some lingering stratus Wednesday morning, sunshine will return to much of the area under deeper and drier westerly flow. With a compact upper low forecast to develop in western TX Panhandle and drift north through the day, much of the area stands to see quiet and dry weather given poor support for ascent. NBM's rain chances were pulled much lower with only 20-30 PoPs relegated to our northern zones nearest the upper low. High temps will be coolest across the north with 80s making a return elsewhere. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday night through next Monday) Issued at 1226 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 Upper ridging builds Wednesday night through Thursday making for mostly dry conditions until a slow-moving upper low lifts across the Four Corners on Friday and spreads stronger WSW flow our way. In addition to a subtropical jet shifting overhead, a dryline should make a return to eastern NM and focus better chances for storms on the Caprock. Severe prospects would be in play given the pattern and growing support from various medium-range AI NWPs. Thereafter, a semi-active pattern of southwest flow aloft should carry into early next week with daily chances for storms continuing. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1210 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 LBB should be clear of TSRA by 18Z, though some additions rain showers will be possible over the next several hours and will include MVFR CIGs. PVW conditions will lag LBB by an hour or two. Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms remain near CDS and will not clear the terminal until around 00Z. VFR conditions will temporarily prevail at the terminals through midnight before MVFR to possibly IFR CIGs move overhead. Conditions should improve to VFR after 12Z. && .LUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...93 LONG TERM....93 AVIATION...51
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1118 AM CDT Tue May 26 2026 TXZ021>044-271630- Parmer-Castro-Swisher-Briscoe-Hall-Childress-Bailey-Lamb-Hale-Floyd- Motley-Cottle-Cochran-Hockley-Lubbock-Crosby-Dickens-King-Yoakum- Terry-Lynn-Garza-Kent-Stonewall- 1118 AM CDT Tue May 26 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the South Plains, Rolling Plains, and the far Southern Texas Panhandle. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rain will primarily affect the Rolling Plains and far southern Texas Panhandle this afternoon and evening. The threat for severe thunderstorms is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Daily chances for thunderstorms will continue over portions of the outlook area through Monday. Severe thunderstorms will be possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
1204 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
TXZ021-022-261800-
Castro TX-Parmer TX-
1204 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PARMER AND WESTERN CASTRO
COUNTIES THROUGH 100 PM CDT...
At 1204 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm
capable of producing a landspout 7 miles north of Lazbuddie, or 10
miles southeast of Friona, moving northwest at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Landspouts, wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph, and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Gusty winds
could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured
objects.
Locations impacted include...
Dimmitt, Friona, Bovina, Summerfield, Easter, Lazbuddie, Oklahoma
Lane, Rhea, and Black.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3475 10218 3444 10214 3431 10276 3446 10305
3475 10304
TIME...MOT...LOC 1704Z 140DEG 19KT 3451 10262
LANDSPOUT...POSSIBLE
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
12Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
1228 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
TXZ043-044-261800-
Kent TX-Stonewall TX-
1228 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EASTERN KENT AND SOUTHWESTERN
STONEWALL COUNTIES THROUGH 100 PM CDT...
At 1228 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 13
miles southeast of Clairemont, or 16 miles south of Jayton, moving
north at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Jayton, Peacock, and Clairemont.
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 3297 10083 3333 10069 3322 10042 3299 10021
3296 10032
TIME...MOT...LOC 1728Z 195DEG 15KT 3301 10062
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
12Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
1233 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
TXZ023-261800-
Swisher TX-
1233 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN SWISHER COUNTY THROUGH
100 PM CDT...
At 1232 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles east of Tulia, moving north at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Tulia, Happy, and Vigo Park.
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 3447 10149 3444 10176 3475 10196 3475 10148
TIME...MOT...LOC 1732Z 168DEG 14KT 3454 10162
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
12Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
1242 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
TXZ023-024-030-261815-
Floyd TX-Briscoe TX-Swisher TX-
1242 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN FLOYD...SOUTHEASTERN
SWISHER AND SOUTHWESTERN BRISCOE COUNTIES THROUGH 115 PM CDT...
At 1242 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm
capable of producing a landspout near South Plains, or 16 miles south
of Silverton, moving northwest at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Landspouts, wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph, and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Gusty winds
could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured
objects.
Locations impacted include...
Floydada, Silverton, Lockney, South Plains, and Claytonville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3452 10120 3403 10107 3395 10135 3428 10157
3431 10157 3431 10159 3436 10162 3450 10143
TIME...MOT...LOC 1742Z 151DEG 16KT 3424 10125
LANDSPOUT...POSSIBLE
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
12The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:19 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Vigo Park measured a severe wind gust of 77 mph.
A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Jayton measured severe wind gusts from 1412 CST through 1413 CST. A peak gust of 62 mph was measured at 1413 CST.
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: 1330531, 1330532.