The National Weather Service in San Angelo released a report outlining the top 5 most significant weather events for 2014 that affected West Central Texas.
Weather across West Central Texas can change dramatically and is typically characterized by flash floods, drought, wildfires, hail, wind storms, winter storms and tornadoes. Below are five of the most significant weather events for 2014 that impacted the region.
A Detailed Summary of the Top 5 Extreme Weather Events in 2014
1) February 11, Three Fatalities from Icy Roads on U.S. Highway 87
Widespread light freezing drizzle caused a thin glaze of ice to form on roads and walkways throughout the morning across a large part of West Central Texas. Many school districts and government offices in Abilene, San Angelo, Brownwood, Brady, Haskell, and surrounding areas closed for the day. Three people were killed and one was injured in Tom Green County when an ambulance traveling from Sterling City to San Angelo on. U.S. Highway 87 flipped over and burned.
2) June 12, Abilene and West Central Texas Hail and Wind Event
Severe thunderstorms resulted in giant hail and damaging downburst winds mainly along and east of a line from Anson to Abilene to Junction. One of the severe thunderstorms pelted the city of Abilene with hail the size of softballs (4.5 in.) and DVDs (4.75 in.), causing 12 injuries and about 400 million dollars of damage to vehicles, roofs and windows. It may have been one of the costliest hail storms to ever impact Abilene. The town of Rochelle was also severely impacted by the destructive thunderstorm winds estimated near 95 mph. Ballinger and Junction reported 4.50 inch size hail, while Brady Airport measured a thunderstorm wind gust at 78 mph.
3) June 11, San Angelo and West Central Texas Severe Weather Outbreak
Another round of severe thunderstorms mainly along and west of a line from Anson to near Wall (located just east of San Angelo) produced downburst winds extending from 1 mile northwest of Carlsbad to 3 miles east northeast of Wall. These winds damaged roofs, uprooted trees, broke tree limbs and knocked utility lines and poles across the north half of the city of San Angelo as thunderstorm winds gusted to approximately 95 mph. Two weak tornadoes formed on the leading edge of the damaging winds. A severe thunderstorm with damaging thunderstorm winds around 80 mph also produced a haboob or a wall of dust as it impacted Rotan. These high winds also peeled a section of a metal roof off of the Rotan Baptist Church, uprooted numerous trees and knocked down power lines in Rotan.
4) April 15, West Central Texas Hard Freeze
A late season arctic cold front brought freezing temperatures on the morning of April 15. Temperatures dropped into the lower to mid 20s for several hours across a large part of the area. There were a few readings around 30 degrees near Mason, San Saba, Coleman and Sonora. These freezing temperatures damaged a significant amount of winter wheat and young garden plants across the area. Cost was unknown.
5) West Central Texas Drought
The U.S. Drought Monitor placed much of West Central Texas in extreme to exceptional drought categories during the month of May. As welcome rainfall fell in late May, this moisture alleviated the intense drought south of Interstate 20. Meanwhile, the severe to exceptional drought persisted along and north of Interstate 20 until beneficial rainfall arrived in November. Although the drought loosened its grip across a large part of West Central Texas by late December, the severe to extreme drought continued to plague Haskell, Throckmorton and the northwest corner of Shackelford County.
