Lubbock, TX

Weather Forecast Office

Lubbock Severe Weather Event 22 April 2010

Severe Weather Returns: 22 April 2010

View of thunderstorms as they developed just to the east of Lubbock around 5 pm on April 22, 2010.

11 May 2010 Update: Aerial survey photographs mapped with Google Earth can be found HERE.

Severe thunderstorms raked portions of the South Plains, Rolling Plains and southern Texas Panhandle Thursday evening. Large hail was common with the stronger storms, but the most severe storms produced damaging winds and tornadoes.

Scattered thunderstorms initially developed across the central and eastern South Plains late Thursday afternoon and then moved into the southeast Texas Panhandle and Rolling Plains during the evening and overnight hours. By late evening, new activity developed into a line of storms which swept through the Rolling Plains.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity image at 7:40 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of the first tornado report southwest of Cee Vee. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar velocity image at 7:40 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of the first tornado report southwest of Cee Vee. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) images at 7:40 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of the first tornado report southwest of Cee Vee in northeast Motley County. Click on the images for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity image at 8:32 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of a tornado sighting southeast of Cee Vee. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar velocity image at 8:32 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of a tornado sighting southeast of Cee Vee. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) images at 8:32 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of a tornado sighting southeast of Cee Vee in Cottle County. Click on the images for a larger view.

The most severe supercell thunderstorm that developed this night strengthened across northern Motley County and then moved into northern Cottle County. This storm produced a large rain-wrapped tornado that was reported by spotters southwest of Cee Vee. This storm continued to produce one or more tornadoes as it tracked to the southeast of Cee Vee between 7:30 and 8:40 pm. The above images display the low-level radar presentation around the time of the first two tornado reports.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity image at 9:06 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of a tornado sighting west of Swearingen in Cottle County. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar velocity image at 9:06 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of a tornado sighting west of Swearingen in Cottle County. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) images at 9:06 pm on 22 April 2010. This is about the time of a tornado sighting west of Swearingen in Cottle County. Click on the images for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity image at 9:37 pm on 22 April 2010. This is around the time of the final tornado sighting just north of Swearingen in Cottle County. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar velocity image at 9:37 pm on 22 April 2010. This is around the time of the final tornado sighting just north of Swearingen in Cottle County. Click on the image for a larger view.

KFDR 0.5 degree radar reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) images at 9:37 pm on 22 April 2010. This is around the time of the final tornado report just north of Swearingen in Cottle County. Click on the image for a larger view.

Eventually the initial tornadic storm weakened as another storm merged with it from the south and become the dominate storm. This second supercell thunderstorm quickly intensified and may have produced a tornado as it moved from west of Swearingen to just north of Swearingen between 9 and 9:40 pm.

Damage that occurred on 22 April 2010 a few miles southeast of Cee Vee, TX (Cottle County). Click on the images for a larger view.

Initial damage reports from the tornadic storms were rather sparse, though areas of wind damage sustained to power poles, trees, and a couple structures did occur in northern and central parts of Cottle County. A National Weather Service team was dispatched to this region in order to complete a damage survey. Above are several pictures of damage taken from around the Cee Vee area. Also, below are images of damage taken several miles east of Crosbyton.

Damage that occurred on 22 April 2010 several miles east of Crosbyton, TX (Crosby County). Click on the images for a larger views.

An aerial survey of the region impacted by the severe storms was also completed when the weather finally cooperated on the 27th. Below are some images of damage taken during aerial damage survey (excluding the upper image).

Pictures of damage incurred in Cottle County, TX, from severe storms that struck the area on the evening of April 22, 2010. The upper left photo was taken on the 23rd of April. The remaining aerial images were taken on April 27th. Click on the images for a larger view.

The tornadic storm near Cee Vee was a high precipitation supercell, which made photographing the tornado difficult. Still, below are some nice shots of tornadic storm that were captured by Joseph Tyree.

Pictures of the tornadic storm near Cee Vee on April 22, 2010. The images are courtesy of Joseph Tyree. Click on the pictures for a larger view.

Additional pictures of the tornadic storm, courtesy of Ray Lowe, are seen below.

Picture of the tornadic storm on April 22, 2010. Image is courtesy of Ray Lowe. Click on the picture for a larger view.

Pictures of the tornadic storm on April 22, 2010. Images are courtesy of Ray Lowe. Click on the pictures for a larger view.

In addition to the tornadoes, numerous reports of 1 to 2 inch diameter hail were received through the night. The largest hail reported occurred to the east of Post, where up to baseball sized hail fell.

To view the preliminary local storms report for this event CLICK HERE.

To view a page composed on the event by the TTU West Texas Mesonet Click Here.