Late August and early September 2024 bring relief from the heat, and rain for many.

WFO Lubbock's Storm Reports for August 30th, 2024

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary National Weather Service Lubbock TX 1050 PM CDT Fri Aug 30 2024 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0415 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 N O`Donnell 32.98N 101.83W 08/30/2024 M62 MPH Lynn TX Mesonet Severe gusts began at 408 PM and continued through 415 PM. 0458 PM Flood 6 NNE O`Donnell 33.06N 101.81W 08/30/2024 Lynn TX NWS Employee Overflowing low-lying areas and drainage ditches resulted in water over the roadway on US-87 between Tahoka and ODonnell. 0556 PM Flood 2 NNE O`Donnell 32.99N 101.82W 08/30/2024 Lynn TX Emergency Mngr EM confirms continuation of ongoing flooding in southern Lynn County near ODonnell.

WFO Midland's Storm Report for September 2nd, 2024

Preliminary Local Storm Report National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 250 PM CDT Wed Sep 4 2024 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 1150 AM Flash Flood 1 E Fluvanna 32.89N 101.13W 09/02/2024 Scurry TX Emergency Mngr EM reports water flowing across fields over FM 612 near Fluvanna. 1238 PM Flash Flood Fluvanna 32.89N 101.15W 09/02/2024 Scurry TX Emergency Mngr EM continues to report many flooded roadways around the Fluvanna area. 0100 PM Flash Flood Andrews 32.32N 102.55W 09/02/2024 Andrews TX Emergency Mngr Andrews County EM reported multiple road closures in the city of Andrews. 0200 PM Flash Flood 6 N Midland 32.08N 102.08W 09/02/2024 Midland TX Public Curb to curb street flooding with flowing water in the Lone Star Trails Community. This was enough flowing water to raft down the streets. 0300 PM Flash Flood 3 WNW Midland 32.02N 102.12W 09/02/2024 Midland TX Fire Dept/Rescue Fire dept. reports 41 high water rescues conducted around the city over the course of the afternoon. 0400 PM Flash Flood 3 SW Lake J.b. Thomas 32.56N 101.29W 09/02/2024 Borden TX Emergency Mngr Emergency manager reports several high water rescues conducted near and around Lake J.B. Thomas during the afternoon and early evening. 0442 PM Flash Flood 2 N Snyder 32.74N 100.92W 09/02/2024 Scurry TX Emergency Mngr Flooding across US Highway 84 just north of Snyder. 0622 PM Flash Flood Fluvanna 32.89N 101.15W 09/02/2024 Scurry TX Trained Spotter Trained spotter shows video of many water covered roads in the Fluvanna area. Primarily FM 612 in and out of town. 0632 PM Flash Flood 1 SW Colorado City 32.39N 100.86W 09/02/2024 Mitchell TX Public Report from mPING: Street/road flooding; Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded. 0330 PM Flash Flood 1 SW Midland 31.99N 102.09W 09/02/2024 Midland TX Public Video shows significant water over Industrial Ave. in south Midland with at least one stranded vehicle. 0641 PM Flash Flood 3 W Midland 32.00N 102.13W 09/02/2024 Midland TX Public Photo shows 1 to 2 feet of water across an RV park in west Midland. 0650 PM Flash Flood 2 ENE Midland Internati 31.95N 102.16W 09/02/2024 Midland TX NWS Employee Business 20 frontage road impassible in spots. Police cruiser blocking road with at least one stalled vehicle. 0432 PM Flash Flood 2 N Big Spring 32.27N 101.47W 09/02/2024 Howard TX Public Report from mPING: Street/road flooding; Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded. 0434 PM Flash Flood 4 W Luther 32.43N 101.53W 09/02/2024 Howard TX Public Report from mPING: Street/road flooding; Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded. 0219 PM Flash Flood 2 SW Mission Dorado 31.90N 102.30W 09/02/2024 Ector TX Public Report from mPING: Street/road flooding; Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded. 0230 PM Flash Flood Odessa 31.85N 102.37W 09/02/2024 Ector TX Public Many reports of flooded roadways, stranded vehicles, and water up to homes throughout many areas in Odessa. 0300 PM Flash Flood 4 NNW Odessa 31.91N 102.39W 09/02/2024 Ector TX Public Report of flooding in north Odessa with one vehicle stuck in flood waters. 0530 PM Flash Flood 4 NE West Odessa 31.88N 102.46W 09/02/2024 Ector TX Public Video shows significant flooding across State Highway 302 near the junction with FM 1936. 0600 PM Flash Flood 1 WNW Mission Dorado 31.92N 102.29W 09/02/2024 Ector TX Public Report of flooding along State Highway 191 heading into Odessa. At least one vehicle is flooded. Other roads in the area also reported to have flooding. 0645 PM Flash Flood 3 WSW Mission Dorado 31.90N 102.32W 09/02/2024 Ector TX Public Video of significant standing water over roads in east Odessa. 0227 PM Flash Flood Lovington 32.95N 103.35W 09/02/2024 Lea NM Public Curb to curb street flooding in portions of Lovington. 0315 PM Flash Flood Artesia 32.85N 104.43W 09/02/2024 Eddy NM Trained Spotter Report shows Eagle Draw water crossings in Artesia are clossed. 0105 PM Flash Flood 6 S Knapp 32.55N 101.14W 09/03/2024 Scurry TX Emergency Mngr Significant amount of water covering FM 1298 south of Lake Thomas. 0654 AM Flash Flood 4 W Luther 32.43N 101.53W 09/03/2024 Howard TX Public Report from mPING: Street/road flooding; Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded.

Relief from the heat, and rain for many! End of August and start of September 2024

Visible satellite image valid from 11:46 am to 1:51 pm on Thursday (29 August 2024).

Dry conditions and scorching heat through much of August finally yielded cooler temperatures and a return of rainfall late month into early September. The initial hint of the upcoming change occurred on Thursday, August 29th, when scattered thunderstorms developed along a surface trough over the western South Plains and Texas Panhandle. This activity brought spotty heavy rain and welcome cooler temperatures as it spread eastward through the afternoon and evening hours.


Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 11:29 am to 3:01 pm on Thursday (29 August 2024).

The first wave of showers and thunderstorms faded during the evening hours. However additional rounds of showers and thunderstorms followed, moving out of eastern New Mexico late Thursday and developing well into the South Plains by early Friday morning. This activity was aided by abundant moisture and a weak disturbance aloft, in combination with a cold front advancing through the region.


Observed high temperatures on Friday (30 August 2024). The data are courtesy of the NWS COOP observers and the West Texas Mesonet (WTM).

Where rain fell, it often came down hard thanks to the abundant moisture in place through much of the lower atmosphere. The cloudy conditions and periods of rain kept temperatures from rising much. In fact, high temperatures on Friday only rose into the middle 70s to middle 80s for many locations across the southern Texas Panhandle into the South and Rolling Plains. The cool highs felt extra impressive given that much of the region experienced lows in the range through most of August, while triple digit highs were commonplace.


Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 5:28 pm on Thursday to 7:37 am on Friday (29-30 August 2024). An additional radar animation, valid from 6:02 am to 9:41 am on Friday, can be VIEWED HERE.

Despite the cooler temperatures and abundant cloud cover, additional showers and thunderstorms redeveloped over portions of the region Friday afternoon, before shifting to the south, into the Permian Basin, during the evening.


View of thunderstorms approaching Lubbock Friday afternoon (30 August 2024).

Where the warmest temperatures and most unstable air developed across the southern South Plains, a few thunderstorms became more intense. The strongest storm of the afternoon targeted portions of south-central Lynn County. This storm produced wind-driven hail that caused crop and property damage, in addition to heavy rain and even a couple of gustnadoes. The strongest wind signature on radar was detected just after 4 pm between Tahoka and O'Donnell. Shortly thereafter the West Texas Mesonet (WTM) site near O'Donnell measured a peak wind gust of 62 mph. This storm moved fairly quickly, but still managed to produce enough rain to induce flooding in and around Highway 87.



Lubbock WSR-88D radar base reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) over south-central Lynn County at 4:02 pm (top) and 4:07 pm (bottom) on Friday (30 August 2024). For an expanded view of the radar at 4:02 pm CLICK HERE, and at 4:07 pm CLICK HERE. In addition, a Lubbock WSR-88D radar animation valid from 1:24 pm to 10:05 pm on Friday (30 August 2024) can be VIEWED HERE.

The following day was pleasant, with mild temperatures and dry conditions. This didn't last long, though, as a mid-upper level disturbance took shape over Central and South Texas. This disturbance, feeding on a rich tap of moisture, triggered widespread moderate to heavy rain over a good portion of the state just in time for the new month of September to kick off.


Regional radar animation valid from 9:25 pm on Saturday to 7:25 am on Tuesday (31 August - 3 September 2024). Additional Lubbock WSR-88D radar animations can be found at: 7:10 am to 9:30 am on Monday (2 September); 10:10 am to 8:53 pm on Monday (2 September); and 1:28 pm on Monday to 8:02 am on Tuesday (2-3 September).

The heaviest rain targeted the southern sections of the South and Rolling Plains, and point south and southeast from there, while lighter rain fell at many locations farther north. This rain continued through much Sunday and Monday, before finally diminishing and shifting southeastward on Tuesday. By the conclusion of the event, rain totals of 2 to 3+ inches were common from the central South Plains through the southern Rolling Plains. Jayton measured over 5 inches of rain, while Lake Alan Henry finished just short of 5 inches. Farther south, rain totals of 5 to 10+ inches targeted parts of the Concho Valley and Big Country, where significant flooding occurred. Farther north, from the southern Texas Panhandle into the northern Rolling Plains, rain totals were lighter, with less than a quarter inch falling around Childress and Paducah.


7-day radar-estimated and bias-corrected rainfall ending at 7 am on Thursday (5 September 2024). An expanded view, including all of Texas, can be FOUND HERE. Measured rain totals over this same period, courtesy of the NWS and WTM, can be VIEWED HERE, with a close up of the Lubbock area HERE.

Where the heavy rain fell, and creeks and rivers surged, the runoff led to notable rises of several reservoirs. The most impressive rises affected lakes south and east of the South Plains region, but Lake Alan Henry rose over 2 feet, nearly filling as we head into fall.


Trace of the elevation of Lake Alan Henry through Thursday morning (5 September 2024). The lake is considered full at 2020 feet.

Officially, the Lubbock Airport recorded 1.99 inches between August 30th and September 4th, with 1.79 inches falling on September 2nd. Childress wasn't as lucky, only measuring 0.12 inches over this stretch. The storm reports collected over this period can be found below: