Storms Cause Widespread Damage

Tornado back-lit by lightning near Earth, TX. View is to the north. Tornado is crossing FM 1055 just south of Earth, TX.

By Derrick Ginter, KTXT-FM News

LUBBOCK – Severe thunderstorms brought high-winds and large hail to portions of the South Plains Wednesday, causing power outages and widespread wind damage to the area.

According to the National Weather Service, winds of 75 to 90mph affected Lubbock and ther surrounding communities. Hail the size of baseballs affected several towns in the Northwestern South Plains. Outflow winds from the storms produced 70 mph winds that slammed into the Lubbock Metro around 10:30 Wednesday evening. Roofs were torn off several buildings, windows were blown out, trees uprooted and power lines were downed, knocking out power to thousands.

At Texas Tech University, tree limbs were scattered all over campus, some trees were blown over and some buildings suffered damage. A tree was toppled onto the Administration Building and the College of Media and Communication lost 2 windows on the south side of its building. In addition, numerous offices in the CoMC Building were also flooded as wind-driven rain was forced through window sills by the tropical storm-force winds.

There was one unconfirmed report of a tornado near Earth, TX, but NWS officials say the majority of damage was caused by straight-line winds from storms that formed early in the day in northeastern New Mexico, then formed an intense squall as it moved southeast into West Texas.

Despite the damage, the storms did bring beneficial rains to an area still suffering from a long drought. Lubbock received about 1.6 inches of rain while Dickens County, east of Lubbock, recorded more than 4 inches in the rain gauge.

MORE ONLINE:
National Weather Service Lubbock: June 5-6 2013: Severe Thunderstorms Slam the South Plains

DAMAGE PHOTOS:

Damage to south side of College of Media and Communication. Note missing window on second floor (white plastic sheet), and cracked window on first floor (yellow police tape).