NWS Lubbock

2013 (22nd-24th): Following a period of balmy late Fall temperatures, a record-setting Arctic air mass plunged through the
South Plains during the afternoon of November 21st. In the wake of this front, an extended period of moist overrunning
flow developed across West Texas in advance of a slow moving upper low in the Desert Southwest. In Lubbock, temperatures
remained at or below freezing for 82 straight hours - a record for the month of November. As early as the pre-dawn hours
on November 22nd, a swath of freezing rain developed in the Permian Basin and lifted north-northeast across the southeast
South Plains and into the northern Rolling Plains. The worst of this freezing rain struck portions of Crosby and Lynn
Counties by late morning where up to 1/4 inch of ice was reported. Portions of Motley County also reported near 1/4 inch
of icy precipitation. Farther northwest, some locales in Castro County saw light snow accumulate to nearly 1 inch. In
Lubbock alone, nearly 200 motor vehicle accidents occurred between 3 AM CST and 1 PM CST after a thin glaze of ice plagued
area roads. Following a lull in precipitation from the evening of the 22nd through early on the 23rd, a large area of lift
and deep moisture entered West Texas late in the afternoon on the 23rd - well in advance of the upper low. The result was
two rounds of mixed wintry precipitation, including periods of heavy freezing rain, sleet and heavy snow. The first round
was localized, but produced heavy snow mainly across northern Swisher County. The second round struck early in the evening
and lasted through the early morning of the 24th. This latter round affected all of the South Plains, southern Texas
Panhandle and the Rolling Plains with significant precipitation. Marginal instability above a shallow dome of Arctic air
produced multiple bands of heavy snow, freezing rain and sleet. A large swath of heavy snow between 6 and 10.5 inches
blanketed all of the northwest South Plains and much of the far southern Texas Panhandle. In the Rolling Plains, freezing
rain and sleet was prevalent with ice accumulations generally around 1/10th to 1/4 of an inch. In the city of Lubbock,
freezing rain for much of the evening eventually changed over to all snow (2.2 inches worth), but not before forcing the
closure of two major overpasses on the west side of the city and causing hundreds of vehicle accidents. Fortunately, no
serious injuries or fatalties occurred. Wintry precipitation began diminishing in coverage and intensity by early morning
on the 24th, but nearly all roads remained slick and hazardous due to high temperatures below freezing and minimal
sunshine. On the Caprock, road cleaning efforts were seriously hampered during this multi-day storm as many locations
remained below freezing for 80 continuous hours or more. Temperatures finally thawed out by the afternoon of the 25th as
the decaying upper low passed over the region. Some very light mixed wintry precipitation accompanied this low late on the
25th, but did not result in any known vehicle accidents.