Severe storm tracks across South Lubbock, March 22, 2019.

National Weather Service Lubbock Significant Weather Events

March 22, 2019: Severe storms bring swaths of hail & heavy rain

Quarter size hail that fell in South Lubbock on Friday eveningÂ (March 22, 2019). The picture is courtesy of @abbkenn.

Quarter size hail that fell in South Lubbock on Friday evening (March 22, 2019). The picture is courtesy of @abbkenn.

Good moisture along with just enough lift from an upper level storm system glancing the region to the north was sufficient to generate a few thunderstorms Friday evening (22 March). Where the forcing was strongest, across the Texas Panhandle, the coverage of activity was greatest. However, one lone supercell (rotating) thunderstorm did manage to develop and track across the central South Plains. This storm produced large amounts of small hail and brief torrential rainfall as it moved from west-to-east through the mid-late evening hours.

LubbockÂ radar animation valid from 9:24Â pm to 10:35Â pm on 22Â MarchÂ 2019.

Lubbock radar animation valid from 9:24 pm to 10:35 pm on 22 March 2019. A regional view valid from 9:08 pm to 10:18 pm can be VIEWED HERE.

At its most intense, the storm that tracked across the central South Plains generated hail as large as 1-2 inches in diameter. A number of spots across the southern part of the city of Lubbock also experienced the hail and brief heavy rain. Further north, numerous reports of large hail, damaging winds and even a few brief tornadoes occurred across the Texas Panhandle, including baseball size hail in Hereford.

GOES 16 Infrared satelliteÂ loop valid from 10:23Â pm to 10:37 pm on 22Â MarchÂ 2019.Â

GOES 16 Infrared satellite loop valid from 10:23 pm to 10:37 pm on 22 March 2019.

The above satellite imagery shows a strong upper level storm system spinning out of the central and southern Rockies Friday night. Scattered thunderstorms formed ahead of this system all the way from northern Mexico into the central High Plains, with cold cloud tops (bright colors) noted in the satellite loop.

Data from the West Texas Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) on the evening of 22 March 2019. The image is valid from 9:27 pm to 9:37 pm. The brighter colors represent greater amounts of lightning sources.Â

Data from the West Texas Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) on the evening of 22 March 2019. The image is valid from 9:38 pm to 9:48 pm. The brighter colors represent greater amounts of lightning sources.Â

Data from the West Texas Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) on the evening of 22 March 2019. The left image is valid from 9:27 pm to 9:37 pm and the right image is valid from 9:38 pm to 9:48 pm. The brighter colors represent greater amounts of lightning sources.

Inspection of the West Texas Lightning Mapping Array (WTLMA) indicates plentiful amounts of lightning with the storm that tracked through Lubbock County Friday evening. Additional lightning activity is seen with the line of activity tracking across the southern part of the Texas Panhandle.

LubbockÂ radar animation valid from 10:23Â pm to 10:57Â pm on 12Â MarchÂ 2019.

48-hour radar-estimated and bias-corrected rainfall totals ending at 8 pm on 24 March 2019. The first shade of green represents 3/4"+. A regional view can be ACCESSED HERE. The rain totals measured by the West Texas Mesonet sites can also be SEEN HERE.

Rainfall with the thunderstorms were spotty, but locally heavy. Small swaths of real estate did record a quick 1/2" to 1"+ of rainfall, including the south side of Lubbock. Officially, the Lubbock Airport, which resides on the north side of town, only recorded 0.01" of rain.

A list of the preliminary storm reports for Friday evening (22 March) can be viewed below.

Preliminary Storm Reports

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1010 PM CDT FRI MAR 22 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0913 PM     HAIL             6 S SMYER               33.50N 102.16W
03/22/2019  E2.00 INCH       HOCKLEY            TX   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            OBSERVED SOUTH OF SMYER ON FM 1585

0943 PM     HAIL             10 SW LUBBOCK           33.47N 102.00W
03/22/2019  E1.00 INCH       LUBBOCK            TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            UP TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL NEAR UPLAND AVENUE AND FM 1585

0955 PM     HAIL             6 SSW LUBBOCK           33.50N 101.92W
03/22/2019  E0.88 INCH       LUBBOCK            TX   PUBLIC

            NEAR 105TH STREET AND INDIANA AVENUE

1004 PM     HAIL             4 S LUBBOCK             33.52N 101.88W
03/22/2019  M1.00 INCH       LUBBOCK            TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MEASURED AT 78TH STREET AND AVENUE U

1004 PM     HAIL             4 S LUBBOCK             33.52N 101.88W
03/22/2019  E1.00 INCH       LUBBOCK            TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            77TH STREET AND AVENUE W