A small upper-level disturbance generated high-based showers and thunderstorms on the South Plains during the evening of May 12th, 2009. Initial storms formed behind the dryline resulting in mostly virga showers in Hockley, Terry, and Lamb Counties. Isolated pockets of strong winds occurred under the virga pouches. Storms eventually became severe as they crossed into deeper moisture over the northeast South Plains later in the evening (wind gust to 59 mph at the Tulia 2 miles ENE station at 6:20 pm CDT). A collapsing anvil produced a heat burst with strong winds in Childress County with the WTM station 2 miles NNE of Childress recording a gust to 65 mph at 7:50 pm CDT.

Hockley County virga shower at 5:55 pm CDT. Looking northwest from 6 miles southwest of Smyer. At least one cloud-to-ground lightning strike produced a small grass fire to the west-northwest of Smyer after 6 pm on May 12th, 2009. Credit: WTM.

KLBB radar image showing very weak returns in Hockley County at 5:59 pm CDT on May 12th, 2009.

Visible satellite image at 5:45 pm CDT on May 12th, 2009 showing convection over West Texas.

Tulia 2ENE meteogram plot showing high winds. High winds initially started near Kress and moved northeast over northern Swisher County. Click on thumbnail for full-sized image.

Childress 2NNE meteogram plot showing heat burst. Temperature rose 10 degrees in 10 minutes with corresponding dewpoint drop of 34 degrees. Peak wind gust to 65 mph at the station at 7:50 pm CDT on May 12th, 2009. Click on thumbnail for full-sized image.

KLBB radar image from 8:01 pm CDT on May 12th, 2009 showing moderate returns over Childress County (mesonet station XCXS) from collapsing anvil (temperature started rising at mesonet station at 7:45 pm CDT).

Reese Center (12W of Lubbock) boundary layer profiler plot for May 12-13th, 2009. Relatively weak low-level wind flow during the time of the storms with a strong low-level jet during the early morning hours of May 13th, 2009.