NWS Lubbock Significant Weather Events: Widespread Rain, June 12-13, 2018

Thunderstorms drop widespread rain on the southern Texas Panhandle
12-13 June 2018

Lubbock WSR-88D loop valid from 12:41 am to 6:28 am on 13 June 2018.

A slow-moving complex of thunderstorms developed southward out of the Texas Panhandle late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. Early on, one storm did produce a peak wind gust of 58 mph at the Childress West Texas Mesonet site northeast of town, though gusts from 40 to 50 mph were more common. Additionally, a few cells likely briefly produced quarter to ping pong ball size hail over rural lands late at night, though no reports were received to confirm this. The showers and thunderstorms quickly diminished after daybreak on the 13th.

Regional radar animation valid 6:48 pm to 7:58 pm on 12 June 2018. A view of the Lubbock radar valid from 5:11 pm to 8:31 pm on 12 June 2018 can be FOUND HERE.

Before the more widespread rain Tuesday night, isolated strong to briefly severe thunderstorms also affected portions of the southern Texas Panhandle and central and western South Plains late Tuesday afternoon (12 June 2018). This activity dropped spotty and generally light rainfall on the South Plains before quickly diminishing Tuesday evening.

24 radar-estimated and bias-correct precipitation ending at 7 am on 13 June 2018. Observations for the West Texas Mesonet and NWS Lubbock COOP observers are also displayed for select locations.

The biggest story was the widespread moderate to heavy rainfall that fell over the southern Texas Panhandle. A number of locations from around Dimmitt through Tulia to Childress recorded a quick 1 to 2+ inches of rainfall. Officially the Childress Airport, located west of town, measured 0.80 inches, though in town totals ranged from 1.60" to 2.45". The complex of thunderstorms quickly diminished as it approached Lubbock where only a trace of rainfall was measured.