Late this afternoon, a compact upper low exited northern New Mexico and tracked over the northern Texas Panhandle. South of this low, an already tight pressure gradient intensified even further ahead of an unseasonably strong Polar cold front. The result was a widespread high wind event and dust storm that at times produced zero visbility in some rural areas on the Caprock. In Muleshoe, high winds measured up to 77 mph caused scattered property damage. These intense winds damaged some roofs, fences, lofted small stones that shattered several vehicle windows, and reportedly blew a motorcycle into the side of a building causing damage to both items. Elsewhere on the South Plains, sporadic damage such as downed trees, damaged fences, minor roof damage, and brief power outages were reported. Farther east, areas off the Caprock escaped high winds thanks to a layer of stable air that prevented high winds aloft from mixing to the surface.
Combined with very low relative humidity values of two to five percent and dry fuels, the high winds rekindled a burn pile about four miles east of Smyer that was improperly extinguished the day prior. Fire Departments from Smyer, Shallowater and Wolfforth responded to the blaze early in the evening along Highway 114. The fire spread rapidly southeastward consuming roughly 100 acres and destroying three structures; one of which was inhabited. Fortunately, the owner was able to evacuate the mobile home safely. Smoke from this wildfire became so dense that Highway 114 was closed for at least 90 minutes.
High wind reports from the Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet and Automated Surface Observation System are as follows:
Muleshoe (Bailey County)...77 mph, Dimmitt (Castro County)...69 mph, Floydada (Floyd County)...65 mph, Friona (Parmer County)...65 mph, Graham (Garza County)...64 mph, Ralls (Crosby County)...64 mph, Plains (Yoakum County)...61 mph, Denver City (Yoakum County)...60 mph, Lubbock ASOS (Lubbock County)...60 mph, Levelland (Hockley County)...60 mph, Morton (Cochran County)...59 mph, Abernathy (Hale County)...59 mph, Amherst (Lamb County)...59 mph, Post (Garza County)...60 mph, Reese Center (Lubbock County)...59 mph, and Sundown (Hockley County)...58 mph.

High Wind in CASTRO, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:20:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:20:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 60.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in BAILEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:30:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 67.00 MG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in LAMB, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:35:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:35:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in PARMER, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:40:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:40:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in COCHRAN, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:50:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:50:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in LAMB, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:55:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:55:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in HOCKLEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:30:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:30:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:30:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:35:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:30:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:30:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

High Wind in HALE, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:35:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:35:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in FLOYD, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in YOAKUM, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

High Wind in CROSBY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:55:00 to 23-MAR-13 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in HOCKLEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 18:00:00 to 23-MAR-13 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in GARZA, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 18:30:00 to 23-MAR-13 18:30:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in GARZA, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 18:40:00 to 23-MAR-13 18:40:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in COCHRAN, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 19:10:00 to 23-MAR-13 19:10:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in YOAKUM, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 19:15:00 to 23-MAR-13 19:15:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in YOAKUM, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 19:50:00 to 23-MAR-13 19:50:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Dust Storm in PARMER, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:10:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:10:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Dust Storm in CASTRO, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:30:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Dust Storm in BAILEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 16:36:00 to 23-MAR-13 16:36:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Dust Storm in SWISHER, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:18:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:18:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Dust Storm in HOCKLEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:28:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:28:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Dust Storm in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:33:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:38:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Dust Storm in FLOYD, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:40:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

High Wind in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:45:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:45:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Dust Storm in COCHRAN, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 17:28:00 to 23-MAR-13 17:28:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

High Wind in LUBBOCK, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 18:15:00 to 23-MAR-13 18:15:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Wildfire in HOCKLEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 18:00:00 to 23-MAR-13 19:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

High Wind in PARMER, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 15:15:00 to 23-MAR-13 15:15:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 52.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in BAILEY, TEXAS
From 23-MAR-13 15:55:00 to 23-MAR-13 15:55:00 (CST-6)
Magnitude: 50.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet