A potent middle and upper atmospheric storm system moved eastward over the west Texas South Plains on the 17th. This system resulted in the development of numerous thunderstorms across the region. With abundant sunshine and heating that occurred early in the day beneath very cold mid-level temperatures aloft, steep vertical temperature lapse rates developed. With strong instability in place, thunderstorms developed rapidly around midday in the vicinity of a stalled frontal boundary that stretched from northwest to southeast across the region.
Thunderstorm updrafts were enhanced by the cold mid-level temperatures, and this made them efficient for stretching small circulations along the frontal boundary. This process, combined with complex storm interactions and multi-cell storm mergers, resulted in the development of at least six tornadoes across the South Plains region. All of the tornadoes were weak, but some damage did occur in Hale and Lubbock Counties, including within the city of Lubbock. The storms also produced large hail up to the size of ping pong balls.

Hail in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 12:40:00 to 17-APR-07 12:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: LUBBOCK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Multiple reports of hail that ranged in size from pennies to quarters were received around 12:45 CST across southwest Lubbock. The hail covered the ground and many roof-tops, and remained until it melted several hours later. No damage was reported.

Hail in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 12:40:00 to 17-APR-07 12:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: IDALOU
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

The Idalou Fire Department reported ping pong ball size hail in Idalou as a second severe storm impacted northeastern Lubbock County.

Heavy Rain in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 12:40:00 to 17-APR-07 13:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: LUBBOCK
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Heavy rainfall over Lubbock caused the bar-ditches to fill and minor flooding of some city streets. A car hydroplaned off of the south Loop 289 service road near Quaker Avenue and became submerged in the water-filled bar-ditch. The driver the vehicle was aided to dry ground by rescue personnel and no injuries were reported.

Tornado in PARMER, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 13:00:00 to 17-APR-07 13:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: FRIONA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Reports from law enforcement officials and the public indicated that a tornado intermittently touched down south of Friona around 13:00 CST. The tornado was photographed as it remained over open farm land, and no damage was reported.

Tornado in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 12:25:00 to 17-APR-07 12:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHALLOWATER
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Multiple public reports were received of a tornado between Shallowater and Roundup around 12:30 CST. A local farmer described observing the tornado at close range as it moved across his fields, and indicated that no damage occurred. The tornadic circulation was apparently intermittent at the ground, with a continuous funnel that visibly extended from the base of the storm for approximately ten minutes.

Tornado in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 13:00:00 to 17-APR-07 13:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: LUBBOCK
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 75.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media


A brief tornado was observed to cause damage in the west part of Lubbock between 13:00 and 13:03 CST. A local man photographed a condensation funnel extending a short distance out of the parent cloud base. Meanwhile, an automotive business sustained damage as the tornadic circulation broke tree limbs and ripped sheet medal from a few structures near the intersections of U.S. Highway 84 and Quaker Avenue and University and Kent. No injuries were reported.

Tornado in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 13:03:00 to 17-APR-07 13:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: (LBB)LUBBOCK INTL AR
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement


A Texas Department of Public Safety officer witnessed a brief tornado as it developed over open fields just south of the intersection of U.S. Highway 62/82 and Farm to Market Road 1729. The tornado resulted in no damage.

Funnel Cloud in HALE, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 10:50:00 to 17-APR-07 11:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: PLAINVIEW
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Numerous local officials and members of the public reported a funnel cloud northeast of Plainview. The funnel persisted for at least fifteen minutes. Despite the well-developed nature of the funnel as seen in photographs and its duration, no evidence of a circulation at the ground was found and no damage was reported.

Tornado in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 12:40:00 to 17-APR-07 12:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: SLATON
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media


A local broadcast media affiliate (KAMC-TV) photographed a tornado spawned by a rapidly developing thunderstorm along an outflow boundary just northwest of Slaton. The tornado was small, but video documentation of the event suggested a very tight low-level circulation with a well-developed dust column that extended upward to a narrow rotating cloud base. The tornado remained over open country, and no damage was reported.

Tornado in HALE, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 12:57:00 to 17-APR-07 13:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: COTTON CENTER
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 35.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A farmstead was damaged by an apparent tornado that moved southeastward across portions of western Hale County. The tornado uprooted two large trees and destroyed a center pivot irrigation system. No structural damage or injuries were reported. The damage and reports from local residents corresponds to a strong low-level circulation in Doppler radar velocities.

Hail in GARZA, TEXAS
From 17-APR-07 13:21:00 to 17-APR-07 13:42:00 (CST-6)
Location: POST
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A severe thunderstorm produced a swath of hail up to the size of nickels across northwestern Garza County. Hail accumulated five inches deep on U.S. Highway 84 by 13:30 CST. Snow-plows were used to remove the hail from the driving surface. Residents of northern Garza County continued to report large hail as the storm moved east of the highway.