NWS Lubbock

2009 (23rd-24th): A major winter storm brought blizzard conditions and widespread significant snow accumulations to the
South Plains region of West Texas this Christmas Eve. The remnant snow pack resulted in a subsequent and rare White
Christmas for much of West Texas. Widespread light rain developed over much of West Texas on the 23rd. By late afternoon,
the rain intermittently changed to or mixed with snow over portions of the extreme southwestern Texas Panhandle. The full
transition toward snow, however, occurred rapidly over the entire region late in the evening and heavy snow then fell over
a large part of West Texas during the overnight hours and persisted into the afternoon of the 24th. As the parent upper
air storm system ejected eastward along the Interstate 20 corridor (just south of the South Plains region) during the
morning hours of the 24th, severe gradient winds with gusts between 60 and 70 mph began to accompany the snowfall over the
extreme southeastern Panhandle and the northeastern South Plains. More widespread gusts around 50 mph were observed
elsewhere across the South Plains. The winds and snow combined to result in white-out conditions, snow drifts as high as
eight feet, and dangerous travel on area roadways. Numerous road closures and automobile accidents were reported across
the region. A man died near Dimmitt when his pickup truck became stalled in a large snow drift. The vehicle subsequently
ran over him during efforts to free the truck from the drift. At least five persons were injured in accidents on Lubbock
city streets, and another motorist was reportedly injured in a multi-vehicle accident along U.S. Highway 84 near Post. A
nine vehicle pile-up was reported on U.S. Highway 380 east of Tahoka. Local officials in Childress County additionally
reported more than 50 accidents along U.S. Highway 287 in blizzard white-out conditions. A number of stalled vehicles also
were reported in Castro, Cottle, Hockley, and Parmer Counties. Total damages were estimated to approach $1M. Localized
reports of power outages were received, but no prolonged or widespread blackouts were experienced. The heaviest snow
accumulation was nine inches at Post with Amherst recording eight inches. Severe wind gusts measured by the Texas Tech
University West Texas Mesonet and the KVII-TV Schoolnet included: 68 mph at Memphis, 64 mph at Silverton, 59 mph at
Paducah and Turkey, and 58 mph at Childress.