June 2013 Weather Highlights for West-Central Texas

Precipitation for June varied from well-above to well-below normal across west-central Texas (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Percent of Normal Precipitation for June, 2013.

The monthly precipitation was above normal across parts of the Big Country, southwest of Sweetwater and northwest and north of Abilene.  Above normal precipitation also occurred in scattered pockets of the northern Concho Valley, in northwestern Crockett County, and in a small part of southern Sutton and southern Kimble Counties.  For some Big Country locations in the above normal precipitation areas, the monthly rainfall was more than 6 inches.  The monthly precipitation was below normal across most of the Heartland, Northwest Hill Country, and Northern Edwards Plateau areas, along with much of the Concho Valley and eastern Big Country.  For some locations southwest of San Angelo, east of Mason and in far southern San Saba Counties, the monthly rainfall was less than 1 inch.

Temperatures averaged above normal for the month.

At Abilene Regional Airport, the average temperature for June was 82.2 degrees. This was 2.7 degrees above the normal average temperature of 79.5 degrees. Total precipitation for Abilene in June was 5.13 inches. This was 1.57 inches above the normal of 3.56 inches. 

At San Angelo Regional Airport, the average temperature for June was 83.5 degrees. This was 3.1 degrees above the normal average temperature of 80.4 degrees. Total precipitation for San Angelo was 1.40 inches. This was 1.19 inches below the normal of 2.59 inches.

The number of days in June with high temperatures of 100 degrees or more include:
7 at San Angelo, 5 at Abilene, and 2 at Junction. 

The weather pattern was active during the first 19 days of the month.  

With gusty south winds and a very moist airmass, temperatures were warm on the early morning of the 1st.  A record high minimum temperature (76 degrees) was tied at San Angelo.

A few strong to severe thunderstorms occurred during the evening and early nighttime hours of the 1st, across southern sections of west-central Texas.  A cold front moved south into that area, encountering a moist and very unstable airmass.

The severe weather (large hail) occurred with storms in Mason and Kimble Counties.  The largest reported hail size was golfball size, 5 miles south-southeast of Erna (Mason County), and 3 miles south-southeast of Telegraph (Kimble County).  
A peak wind gust of 51 mph was recorded at the Junction.   

The below radar animation (Figure 2) shows the development and coverage of storms across the the southern part of west-central Texas, between 7:30 PM and 11 PM CDT, on June 1st.

Figure 2: Animated National Weather Service San Angelo Radar Imagery, for June 1. 

Cooler and drier air filtered south into west-central Texas, behind the cold front.  Early morning lows on the 2nd were in the 50s across the Big Country.

Hotter daytime temperatures and somewhat humid conditions returned on the 3rd and continued through the 5th.  Highs on the 4th were in the 100-105 degree range across much of west-central Texas.  At Abilene, a record high temperature (101 degrees) and record high minimum temperature (75 degrees) were tied on the 4th.

A few thunderstorms, one severe, occurred in the Big Country during the evening and nighttime hours of the 4th.  These storms developed in a very unstable airmass ahead of a dryline.  The radar animation below (Figure 3) shows the development and track of the severe storm across the Big Country, between 7 PM and 11 PM, on June 4th.

Figure 3: Animated National Weather Service San Angelo Radar Imagery, for June 1.

This storm produced quarter size hail in Haskell County (10 miles east of Weinert), golfball to tennis ball size hail in Jones County, with baseball to grapefruit size reported 1 mile south-southeast of Hamlin.  In northwestern Taylor County, hail up to walnut size was reported.  Strong winds from the storm flipped a carport onto a house in Fisher County (1 miles south-southwest of McCaulley). 

With a very unstable airmass over the region, severe thunderstorms affected a larger part of west-central Texas on the 5th and 6th.   

In the Concho Valley, the severe weather occurred during the evening hours of the 5th.  Quarter size hail occurred 1 mile west-northwest of San Angelo, and a wind gust to 60 mph was reported 4 miles south-southwest of Grape Creek.  A tree was blown down three miles north-northwest of San Angelo, and a utility pole was blown down in Rowena (Runnels County).     

The Big Country was affected by a cluster of severe storms during the early nighttime hours of the 5th, and by a complex of severe storms during the post-Midnight hours of the 6th.  On the 5th, the largest reported hail was golfball size around Roby (Fisher County), at Rotan (Fisher County), and 2 miles west-northwest of View (Taylor County).  Wind damage was reported in Jones and Taylor Counties.  

The radar animation (Figure 4 below) shows the departing initial cluster of storms across the eastern Big Country, along with the incoming complex of severe storms, between Midnight and 4 AM on June 6th.

Figure 4: Animated National Weather Service San Angelo Radar Imagery, for June 6.

An outflow boundary, which can be seen in Figure 4 just ahead of the incoming complex of thunderstorms, marked the leading edge of strong winds which accompanied these storms.  

In all, a total of 31 severe weather reports were received, from the storms on June 5th and 6th. 

A northwest flow aloft developed over the region on the 6th and 7th, becoming northerly on the 8th and 9th.  This pattern allowed showers and thunderstorms to affect west-central Texas.  On the early morning of the 7th, an east-west band of thunderstorms with frequent lightning and heavy rain developed, across the Concho Valley and Heartland areas.  The showers and thunderstorms overspread southern sections of west-central Texas during the morning.  Scattered locations across central and southern sections of west-central Texas received between one half and one inch of rainfall. 

Cloud cover persisted through most of the day on the 7th, limiting temperatures to the 80s for highs.  With clear skies and light winds across much of the area, temperatures cooled into the upper 50s to lower 60s for early morning lows on the 8th.   

A Line of strong to severe storms moved south across parts of the Big Country, during the post-Midnight hours of the 9th.  Strong thunderstorm winds (estimated 60 mph gusts) blew off a grain bin door in Haskell County (11 miles east of Weinert), blew down power lines in Jones County (in Leuders), and blew down power lines in Jones County on Highway 277 (in Hawley).  The Abilene Regional Airport recorded a peak wind gust of 49 mph.  These storms weakened while progressing south of the Big Country and across the Heartland areas.  Numerous other showers and thunderstorms developed during the morning hours across west-central Texas.  Rainfall amounts between one half and 1.5 inches (with isolated higher totals) occurred across much of the northern Big Country, scattered parts of the southern Big Country, Concho Valley and Heartland areas, and at a few locations in southern sections of west-central Texas.

Temperatures were seasonally hot across west-central Texas on June 10-13, but more humid than usual conditions occurred.  This was a result of moist southeasterly low-level flow into the area from the Gulf of Mexico, along with evaporation and transpiration from area lakes and vegetation. 

Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms occurred during the evening of the 13th, across the region southwest of a Sweetwater to San Saba line.  These occurred to the northeast of an upper level disturbance lifting north across the Rio Grande Valley.  Strong winds from one of the storms downed large tree branches in Miles (Runnels County).  While rainfall amounts varied mostly under one half inch where the showers and storms occurred, a few locations received between one half and one inch.

Showers and a few thunderstorms occurred across much of west-central Texas on the 14th and 15th, as the aforementioned upper level disturbance lifted slowly northeast across the region.  Rainfall amounts of one half to one inch occurred roughly along a 25-mile wide band, extending from Stamford to Clyde to Coleman to Eden.  These rainfall amounts also occurred in central and southern Kimble County, and southwestern Crockett.  A few locations in extreme southwestern Crockett County received over an inch of rainfall.  

With the precipitation and extensive cloud cover over the area, temperatures were limited to the 80s for highs on the 14th and 15th. 

Humid conditions continued on June 16-18, with hotter daytime temperatures on the 16th and 17th.  The trailing portion of an area of showers and thunderstorms affected the northeastern Big Country, on the early morning of the 17th.  Rainfall amounts were mostly in the range of one quarter to three quarters of an inch across much of Throckmorton and extreme eastern Haskell Counties.      

A significant severe weather and flash flooding event occurred in the Abilene area on evening of the 17th.  Severe weather also occurred across surrounding areas  of the Big Country, and to a lesser extent farther south.  With a combination of rather moist and unstable air, along with the presence of a weak frontal boundary, scattered thunderstorms developed and strengthened across the northern Big Country by the late afternoon and early evening hours.  

The radar animation below (Figure 5) shows the development and track of thunderstorms across the Big Country, between 5 PM and 715 PM, on June 17th.  

Figure 5: Animated National Weather Service San Angelo Radar Imagery, for June 17.

A severe storm tracked across central and southeastern Jones County, producing wind gusts of 77 mph one mile east of Anson, and quarter size hail three miles southeast of Hawley.  This storm merged with another storm while tracking southeast across the Abilene area.  As a result, very strong winds of 70-80 mph caused damage throughout the Abilene area.  Damage was reported at the Abilene Mall, Albertson's and Walmart stores, in addition to other buildings in the city.  Numerous trees and power poles were also blown down.  With torrential rainfall of 2 to 4 inches (with isolated higher amounts up to 4.85 inches), flash flooding occurred on numerous streets and intersections, and along creeks in the Abilene area.  High water rescues were needed for stranded motorists.  At the Abilene Regional Airport, a peak wind gust of 70 mph was measured, along with 2.14 inches of rainfall in less than one hour.    

Around the nearby Hamby area, (near the intersection of Jones, Taylor, and Callahan Counties), winds of 70-80 mph occurred, uprooting two large oak trees in Hamby.  Strong winds from the storm caused partial roof damage in Potosi, in northeastern Taylor County. 

Strong winds also occurred with storms farther to the south (Coleman and Tom Green Counties).  A 59-mph wind gust was measured at the Coleman Airport, and 60-mph winds were reported 4 miles southeast of Grape Creek.   

In all, a total of 18 severe weather and flash flood reports were received for this event.

Showers and thunderstorms continued to develop and move southeast, across west-central Texas, during the overnight hours of the 17th and 18th.  Beneficial rainfall occurred with the widespread coverage.  Figure 6 (below) shows rainfall amounts across west-central Texas, for the 24-hour period ending at 7 AM, June 18th. 

Figure 6: West-Central Texas Rainfall for the 24-hour period ending at 7 AM, June 18. 

A few locations in the Big Country received rainfall amounts between 3 and 5 inches.  Rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches occurred across scattered parts of the Concho Valley and Heartland, and much of the Big Country.  Much of the southwestern part of west-central Texas received the least amount of rainfall (less than one tenth of an inch), for this event.     

With unstable air in place, a complex of strong thunderstorms moved southeast across the Big Country on the afternoon of the 19th.  These storms produced a wind gust to 54 mph at the Abilene Regional Airport, and nickel size hail 5 miles north-northeast of Weinert (Haskell County).  Locally heavy rainfall also accompanied these storms.  The highest rainfall amounts (1.75 to 2.50 inches) occurred at a few locations in southwestern Throckmorton and northeastern Shackelford Counties.  Other scattered locations across the Big Country, mainly north and northeast of Abilene, received between 0.75 and 1.75 inches of rainfall.      

The weather pattern was dominated by an upper level high pressure system, from June 20-29.  Hot and occasionally humid conditions occurred with no rainfall, until the 29th. Winds were mainly from the south, with breezy conditions on the 20th-25th.  Afternoon highs reached  or exceeded 100 degrees across parts of the Big Country and Concho Valley on the 25th, and across much of west-central Texas on the 26th through 29th.  The hottest days were on the 28th and 29th, when some locations recorded highs in the range of 105-109 degrees.        

A significant pattern change began to develop near the end of the month, when the upper level high pressure system strengthened and shifted into the western states, and an upper level trough of low pressure deepened over the eastern United States.  This amplified upper level flow pattern, uncharacteristic for the end of June, resulted in north to northwesterly upper level flow over Texas.  This allowed a cold front to move south into west-central Texas.  With unstable air in place, scattered showers and thunderstorms occurred late on the 29th, across across parts of the Northern Edwards Plateau and Northwest Hill Country.  A larger area of showers and thunderstorms overspread west-central Texas from the northwest, during the post-Midnight and early morning hours of the 30th. 

Figure 7 (below) shows the rainfall amounts across west-central Texas, for the 24-hour period ending at 7 AM, June 30.  

Figure 7: West-Central Texas Rainfall for the 24-hour period ending at 7 AM, June 30.

While rainfall amounts mostly varied under one half inch, scattered locations across the northern Concho Valley, Heartland, and Northern Edwards Plateau received between one half and one inch, with isolated higher amounts.

Later in the day, a few showers and isolated thunderstorms occurred in central sections of west-central Texas, during the evening and early nighttime hours.  Temperatures were a little cooler on the 30th, when highs ranged from the upper 80s to mid 90s.