Another active northwest flow severe weather day on July 17th, 2009... A long-track embedded supercell moved south out of the western Panhandle into the western South Plains during the evening hours of July 17th, 2009. Widespread wind damage was reported in Bailey, Cochran, Hockley, Yoakum, Gaines, and Lea County New Mexico. The West Texas Mesonet station 1 mile ENE of Morton recorded a peak wind gust of 93 mph at 8:25 pm CDT. Extensive tree and utility pole damage was reported in the Enochs/Morton/Whiteface area. The high-precipitation supercell would eventually transition into a bow echo that produced 60 mph wind gusts all the way into the Permian Basin.

Damage in the Morton area after the severe storm on July 17th, 2009. Click on thumbnail for larger image. Credits: Danny Wiseley.

Top Left: KLBB base reflectivity loop for 7:45-8:45 pm CDT. Top Right: KLBB base velocity loop for same time. Bottom Left: VIL (Vertically Integrated Liquid) loop for same time. Bottom Right: Radar-estimated Echo Tops loop for same time. Click on thumbnails for larger images.

KLBB base reflectivity image for 8:25 pm CDT (same time as 93 mph Morton mesonet station gust). Click here for a five-hour radar loop: Reflectivity loop for 5 pm CDT to 10 pm CDT on July 17TH, 2009.

Many West Texas Mesonet stations sampled the supercell and severe winds on July 17th, 2009. Meteograms are in standard time. Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.

The Morton 1ENE station took a direct hit from the storm. Please see the 5-minute data: CLICK HERE!