NWS Lubbock Local Weather Events

A Quick Hitting Winter Storm
Brings Snow to West Texas,
14 - 15 December 2008

This is an image displaying the approximate snowfall totals from 14-15 December 2007 (late Friday and early Saturday).

Above is an image displaying the approximate snowfall totals from 14-15 December 2007 (late Friday and early Saturday).

A fast moving storm system moved quickly from eastern New Mexico, across the Texas Panhandle, northern South Plains and Rolling Plains, and into Oklahoma from late December 14th (Friday) through the first half of the 15th (Saturday). As this storm raced through the area, strong lift resulted in a band of precipitation forming across the southwest Panhandle and northwest South Plains late Friday evening. After an initial brief mix of precipitation, the atmosphere rapidly cooled enough to change it to all snow. This snow band lingered near its initiation point early on before accelerating toward the east.

This band helped produce widespread snow along and north of a Levelland to Lubbock to Spur to Guthrie line, though the amounts generally decreased the farther east you went as the snow band increased in speed and weakened toward dawn. By early Saturday morning the precipitation had all but ended, but not before leaving a solid swath of 1-3 inches over the northern South Plains and southwest and south-central Panhandle. Up to around 6 inches was even reported in the Olton area. Elsewhere, amounts were lighter. However, the rapidly dropping temperatures made for a chilly Saturday. The cool conditions combined with the precipitation to make for slippery roadways across the region. Additionally, strong northwesterly winds caused blowing snow during the day Saturday, with near white conditions reported at some locations where the heaviest had fallen early in the day.

A detailed report of preliminary snowfall totals received by the Lubbock NWS Office can be found HERE.

Below is a picture taken in Muleshoe on 15th of December. The subject of the picture is the Janes ranch house, built about 1908. Click on the image for a larger view. (picture by Jack Rennels)