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NOUS44 KLUB 170238
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TXZ021>044-171445-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Lubbock TX
938 PM CDT Tue Mar 16 2021

...NWS Damage Survey for 03/13/21 Tornado Event...

.Overview...

An intense storm system moving across the southern High Plains Saturday
afternoon resulted in an outbreak of tornadic thunderstorms across the
Panhandle and South Plains of West Texas. The National Weather Service
Forecast Office in Lubbock conducted surveys of three of the tornadoes 
which produced reported damage. The largest and longest duration tornado
developed to the west-southwest of the town of Happy, Texas and had a maximum
damage rating of EF-1 while in Lubbock's service area. It had a long path 
that extended well into the Texas Panhandle, where it caused EF-2 damage, 
as determined by a survey conducted by the NWS Forecast Office in Amarillo,
Texas. Six other tornadoes which have been confirmed across Lubbock's service 
area were all rated either EF-0 or EF-U (unknown). 

.Northwest Swisher County (Happy) Tornado...

Rating:                 EF1
Estimated Peak Wind:    105 mph
Path Length /statute/:  4.3244 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   377 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             03/13/2021
Start Time:             03:15 PM CST
Start Location:         8 WSW Happy / Swisher County / TX
Start Lat/Lon:          34.7029 / -101.9887

End Date:               03/13/2021
End Time:               03:26 PM CST
End Location:           4 W Happy / Swisher County / TX
End Lat/Lon:            34.7482 / -101.9373

Survey Summary:
This is the beginning of an eventual wide and long tracked
tornado that eventually moves into Randall County (WFO Amarillo).
Tornado began on ranch land and damaged mainly power poles and a
few structures as it moved northeast, skirting the town of Happy
to the west.

.Hart Tornado...

Rating:                 EF0
Estimated Peak Wind:    78 mph
Path Length /statute/:  0.692 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   0.0 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             03/13/2021
Start Time:             04:34 PM CST
Start Location:         3 NNE Hart / Castro County / TX
Start Lat/Lon:          34.4238 / -102.1073

End Date:               03/13/2021
End Time:               04:35 PM CST
End Location:           2 N Hart / Castro County / TX
End Lat/Lon:            34.4144 / -102.1113

Survey Summary:
This short-lived EF-0 tornado touched down in a farm field just
north of Hart, Texas, flipping a center pivot irrigation system
and creating minor roof damage to a small outbuilding. A wind
gust of 87 mph was recorded at the Hart 3N Texas Tech West Texas
Mesonet location as this tornado passed nearby.

.Northern Swisher County Tornado...

Rating:                 EF0
Estimated Peak Wind:    0 mph
Path Length /statute/:  1.798 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   50.0 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             03/13/2021
Start Time:             04:05 PM CST
Start Location:         8 E Happy / Randall County / TX
Start Lat/Lon:          34.7484 / -101.7091

End Date:               03/13/2021
End Time:               04:08 PM CST
End Location:           7 E Happy / Swisher County / TX
End Lat/Lon:            34.7293 / -101.7306

Survey Summary:
This EF-0 tornado was video recorded by storm chasers over rural
areas of Swisher County east of Happy, Texas. The only damage
observed were two broken power poles near intersection of County
Road B and County Road 16. This tornado crossed into Randall
County, where it was surveyed by WFO Amarillo.


In addition to the three tornadoes surveyed above, there are at least four
other tornadoes that have been confirmed through eye-witness reports, but
have no reports of damage and all of them appear to have been short-lived. 
All four of these will have ratings of EF-U unless damage is discovered.

They are:
#4: 400 PM CST. 3 miles southeast of Nazareth, Texas. Video documentation by public
relayed by broadcast media.

#5: 421 PM CST. 7 miles east of Hale Center, Texas. Multiple storm chaser photos and videos
of a brief tornado.

#6: 508 PM CST. 1 miles southwest of Silverton, Texas. Video documentation by 
storm chasers.

#7: 630 PM CST. 20 miles southwest of Paducah, Texas. Co-op observer observed a brief
touchdown in open country.

Several other tornado reports remain unconfirmed at the time of issuance.

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$