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Arctic air invades West Texas |
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| Infrared satellite loop valid from 5:56 am to 7:11 am on 22 December 2022. The lighter whites and purples spreading southward through northwest Texas is progressively colder air. | |||||
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The coldest air of the season invaded Texas on Thursday, December 22nd, 2022. The air of arctic origin raced southward out of the Texas Panhandle and through the South Plains in the predawn hours. Temperatures in the 30s and 40s were common in advance of the front, but quickly plunged into the teens and single digits behind the cold front. |
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The above plot shows the temperatures at 7 am on Thursday, not too long before sunrise. A clear division between the mild and relatively moist air over southern sections and bitterly cold air from the South Plains and Rolling Plains northward is evident. |
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Adding insult to injury, the arrival of the frigid air was accompanied by strong and gusty north winds commonly sustained in the 25 to 35 mph range. The combination pushed wind chills well below zero, with many locations recording wind chill values as low as -15ËšF to -30ËšF degrees Thursday morning. The coldest readings were felt across the southwest Texas Panhandle, though the entire region felt the bitterly cold air. |
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| Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 1:00 am to 7:06 am on 22 December 2022. A fine line indicates the leading edge of the arctic air as it moved through the South Plains. | |||||
| In addition to the cold, the air that invaded was extremely dry. Although a few flurries were reported at a couple of spots immediately behind the cold front, overall the arctic air invasion was a dry one. This was welcome because roadways remained in good shape as travel ramped up leading into the Christmas Holiday Weekend. | |||||
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| Plot of the official temperature measured at Lubbock from December 20th through the 23rd. A similar plot for Childress can be VEIWED HERE. | |||||
| The above and below graphs show the rapid temperature (above) and wind chill (below) drop immediately following the passage of the arctic cold front at Lubbock early on the morning of the 22nd. The temperature fell from around 40ËšF to under 10ËšF all before daybreak on Thursday. Similarly, wind chill values plummeted from the 30s to below -10ËšF. | |||||
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| Plot of the official wind chill measured at Lubbock from December 20th through the 23rd. A similar plot for Childress can be VEIWED HERE. | |||||
| The incredible temperature drop was not confined to West Texas. As the below map illustrates, temperatures fell 25ËšF or more in 30-minutes over much of the central High Plains as the cold front moved through. Although not quite as large, impressive temperature drops also affected much of the rest of Texas and a good chunk of the central and southern Plains. | |||||
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| Maximum 30-minute temperature drop December 21st through 22nd. The image is courtesy of Brian Brettschneider. | |||||
| The wind gradually decreased Thursday afternoon and evening, setting the stage for the coldest night of this late December stretch. Lows Friday morning (23 December) bottomed out in the bone-chilling single digits at most locations. It could have been even a bit colder, but a thick batch of middle-high clouds moved over early Friday which tempered the temperature drop. | |||||
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| Low temperatures measured on Friday morning (23 December 2022). The data are courtesy of the West Texas Mesonet. High temperatures observed on Friday can be FOUND HERE. Saturday morning's (24 December 2022) lows can be VIEWED HERE. | |||||
| However, the same cloud cover that limited how low the temperatures fell Friday morning also kept temperatures from rising much during the day. Highs Friday only reached the upper teens and lower 20s before temperatures dipped back down into the single digits and teens Friday night. | |||||
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| Infrared satellite loop valid from 9:01 am to 9:41 am on 23 December 2022. The lighter whites, blues and purples across much of the Midwest and Great Plains represent very cold air. The green area moving eastward over eastern New Mexico, northwest Texas and Oklahoma are high clouds which have even colder cloud top temperatures than are at ground level over the Midwest. | |||||
| The above satellite loop shows just how expansive the cold air was the morning of the 23rd, encompassing much of the central and eastern United States. The entire state of Texas, including all of South Texas, reported subfreezing low temperatures. Very impressive, especially given the fact that no snow or ice (other than recently frozen ponds and lakes) was present on the ground. | |||||
| Preliminary wind chill reports from around the South Plains region for the morning of December 22nd can be found below: | |||||
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX
1041 AM CST THU DEC 22 2022
...LOWEST WIND CHILLS THROUGH 1030 AM CST...
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0745 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 NE DIMMITT 34.57N 102.29W
12/22/2022 M-29 F CASTRO TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0734 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 ENE TULIA 34.54N 101.74W
12/22/2022 M-28 F SWISHER TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0755 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 8 NNW MACKENZIE RESERVO 34.65N 101.50W
12/22/2022 M-28 F SWISHER TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0808 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 E HAPPY 34.74N 101.84W
12/22/2022 M-28 F SWISHER TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0808 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 ENE FRIONA 34.65N 102.69W
12/22/2022 M-27 F PARMER TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0753 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 6 S OLTON 34.09N 102.12W
12/22/2022 M-26 F LAMB TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0758 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 N HART 34.42N 102.11W
12/22/2022 M-26 F CASTRO TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0803 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 9 NNW SUDAN 34.19N 102.56W
12/22/2022 M-25 F LAMB TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0806 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 4 NW KALGARY 33.45N 101.19W
12/22/2022 M-25 F CROSBY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0817 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 WSW AIKEN 34.13N 101.57W
12/22/2022 M-24 F HALE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0818 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 SE PLAINVIEW 34.18N 101.71W
12/22/2022 M-24 F HALE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0820 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 ENE SOUTH PLAINS 34.24N 101.26W
12/22/2022 M-24 F FLOYD TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0808 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 S CAPROCK CANYON SP V 34.41N 101.07W
12/22/2022 M-23 F BRISCOE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0817 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 NE AMHERST 34.02N 102.40W
12/22/2022 M-23 F LAMB TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0818 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 6 ENE ABERNATHY 33.88N 101.76W
12/22/2022 M-23 F HALE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0805 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 ENE MEMPHIS 34.73N 100.53W
12/22/2022 M-22 F HALL TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONETE.
0809 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 NNE FLOYDADA 34.00N 101.33W
12/22/2022 M-22 F FLOYD TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0818 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 SSW MULESHOE 34.21N 102.74W
12/22/2022 M-22 F BAILEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0713 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 6 SE BRICE 34.65N 100.81W
12/22/2022 M-21 F HALL TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0741 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 WSW TURKEY 34.38N 100.93W
12/22/2022 M-21 F HALL TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0751 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 6 SSW ANTON 33.73N 102.19W
12/22/2022 M-21 F HOCKLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0815 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 E CEDAR HILL 34.14N 101.19W
12/22/2022 M-21 F FLOYD TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0816 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 4 NE CHILDRESS 34.46N 100.20W
12/22/2022 M-21 F CHILDRESS TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0818 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 NW REESE CENTER 33.61N 102.05W
12/22/2022 M-21 F LUBBOCK TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0807 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 6 E ROPESVILLE 33.42N 102.05W
12/22/2022 M-20 F LUBBOCK TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0807 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 ENE MORTON 33.73N 102.74W
12/22/2022 M-20 F COCHRAN TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0810 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 8 SW SUNDOWN 33.39N 102.61W
12/22/2022 M-20 F COCHRAN TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0817 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 NNE ROARING SPRINGS 33.94N 100.85W
12/22/2022 M-20 F MOTLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0820 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 4 S LEVELLAND 33.53N 102.36W
12/22/2022 M-20 F HOCKLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0826 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 NNE ROARING SPRINGS 33.94N 100.85W
12/22/2022 M-20 F MOTLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0815 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 SSW LEVELLAND 33.55N 102.37W
12/22/2022 M-19 F HOCKLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0715 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 WNW HALE CENTER 34.07N 101.85W
12/22/2022 M-18 F HALE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0731 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 NW TEXAS TECH UNIV. 33.60N 101.90W
12/22/2022 M-18 F LUBBOCK TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0748 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 4 SSE ESTELLINE 34.50N 100.42W
12/22/2022 M-18 F HALL TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0800 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 SE RALLS 33.67N 101.38W
12/22/2022 M-18 F CROSBY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0808 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 NE SLATON 33.46N 101.62W
12/22/2022 M-18 F LUBBOCK TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0829 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 4 SSE ESTELLINE 34.50N 100.42W
12/22/2022 M-18 F HALL TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0653 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 WNW CHILDRESS 34.43N 100.28W
12/22/2022 M-17 F CHILDRESS TX ASOS
ASOS STATION KCDS CHILDRESS.
0733 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 N LUBBOCK INT. AIRPOR 33.67N 101.82W
12/22/2022 M-17 F LUBBOCK TX ASOS
ASOS STATION KLBB LUBBOCK.
0807 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 S BROWNFIELD 33.15N 102.27W
12/22/2022 M-17 F TERRY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0816 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 N DELWIN 33.89N 100.40W
12/22/2022 M-17 F COTTLE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0410 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 SSE PLAINVIEW 34.17N 101.72W
12/22/2022 M-16 F HALE TX AWOS
AWOS STATION KPVW PLAINVIEW.
0731 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 SSW NORTHFIELD 34.27N 100.60W
12/22/2022 M-16 F MOTLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0807 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 SSE CAPROCK CANYON SP 34.41N 101.05W
12/22/2022 M-16 F BRISCOE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0810 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 NNE TAHOKA 33.21N 101.78W
12/22/2022 M-16 F LYNN TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0810 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 SSE HACKBERRY 33.90N 100.13W
12/22/2022 M-16 F COTTLE TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0820 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 3 NNW PLAINS 33.23N 102.84W
12/22/2022 M-16 F YOAKUM TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0820 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 4 E REESE CENTER 33.60N 101.96W
12/22/2022 M-16 F LUBBOCK TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0829 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 1 N O DONNELL 32.98N 101.83W
12/22/2022 M-16 F LYNN TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0755 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 2 SSW LEVELLAND 33.55N 102.37W
12/22/2022 M-15 F HOCKLEY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0806 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 10 WSW GUTHRIE 33.57N 100.48W
12/22/2022 M-15 F KING TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0818 AM EXTR WIND CHILL NEW HOME 33.33N 101.91W
12/22/2022 M-15 F LYNN TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET.
0820 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 5 NW WHITE RIVER LAKE 33.53N 101.17W
12/22/2022 M-15 F CROSBY TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
0826 AM EXTR WIND CHILL 6 WNW DENVER CITY 32.99N 102.94W
12/22/2022 M-15 F YOAKUM TX MESONET
WEST TEXAS MESONET
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