National Weather Service Lubbock Weather Events

EF0 to EF1 Tornado moves across northwest Lubbock County to northwest of County Line in Hale County.

Preliminary Assessment

A National Weather Service Damage Assessment Team on Friday, April 17, surveyed damage from a tornado that moved across northwest Lubbock County Thursday evening, April 16^th. This tornado developed around 9 pm near U.S. Highway 84 one mile east of the Lubbock-Hockley County line. It then moved northeast around 4 miles, before curving back to the north northwest where it crossed Highway 597 around 1 mile west of County Line.

Damage Path of EF0-EF1 tornado that moved north northwest across extreme northwest Lubbock County into southwestern Hale County around 9 to 915 pm,
Tuesday evening, April 16^th. Click on the image for a larger view.


The image above shows the track of the parent circulation of the tornado as estimated by the Lubbock Radar. The White and Red colors indicate the strongest circulation. The surveyed damage is also shown on the image. Click on the image for a large version.		The image above shows a closer view of the surveyed damage locations and an approximate track of the tornado. The damage location correspond to the images below. Click on the image for a large version.

This tornado blew down at least a dozen power poles, and caused roof damage to one mobile home, and severely damaged several outbuildings. It also tossed a livestock trailer around 50 yards, and blew a cotton stripper basket around 250 yards in southwestern Hale County.

Above are some pictures of the damage caused by the tornado. Click on the images for a larger view.

The width of the tornado was estimated to be around 125 yards, with estimated winds of 75 to 95 mph, making the tornado an EF0 to EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. According to radar, the tornadic circulation crossed Highway 84 around 901 pm, reached the Lubbock-Hale county line at 915 pm, and dissipated about a mile and a half northwest of the community of County Line at 919 pm.

Another tornado developed from the same supercell thunderstorm soon after the first tornado dissipated. This tornado was rated a EF0, and briefly touched down and knocked down some power poles and a small tower, and blew down large tree branches just northwest of the intersection of Highways 54 and 2528 in Hale County.

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Jody James

Warning Coordination Meteorologist

National Weather Service - Lubbock, TX

weather.gov/lubbock