Yearly totals of 6 to 10 inches were widespread over the southwest Texas Panhandle into the northern, western and central South Plains. The southwest South Plains was the driest of all, including stations in Plains and Brownfield, where 12-month totals were under 6 inches. Precipitation in 2020 was a precious commodity, with all but a few locations tallying under 20 inches and many spots on the Caprock falling shy of 10 inches. Post recorded an impressive 9.5 inches of snow on the final day of the year. The year concluded with a final winter storm that brought snow to the eastern South Plains and most of the Rolling Plains. The widespread and heavy icing downed many power lines and trees and caused numerous power outages, some that lasted for many days. Up to 3 to 5 inches of snow blanketed the southwest Texas Panhandle and northwest South Plains, but the most impactful weather was further east, from the central South Plains into the southeast Texas Panhandle and Rolling Plains, where sleet and ice totals of an inch or more were common. Several rounds of wintry weather affected portions of the region early and late in the year, but the most widespread and impactful event occurred in late October when record cold moved into West Texas. Moisture was rather limited in 2020, but heavy rain, in excess of 5 inches, did fall on the far southeast Rolling Plains in mid-September. An intense heat-fueled storm produced a number of microbursts of 80-100 mph winds that caused damage near Estelline on July 9th. Additionally, a 98 mph thunderstorm wind gust was recorded near White River Lake on August 2nd while a 94 mph wind gusts was recorded as a storm tracked over Graham on June 4th. Wind gusts estimated to be near 100 mph caused damage in Brownfield on June 17th as a thunderstorm moved through. Parts of Lubbock also saw large hail, from tennis ball to baseball size on March 18th and May 20th. Additional severe storms dropped golf ball to baseball size hail in parts of Lubbock and Silverton on May 23rd. Runoff from the heavy rain swept the pavement off of FM 669 south of Post and also filled Lake Alan Henry. The strongest storm of the 23rd anchored over southwest Garza County, where it produced one tornado and torrential rainfall. Some of the most intense thunderstorm of the spring developed on May 23rd. The map below highlights some of the more significant weather events that occurred across the area in 2020. The first few months of the year provided several rounds of rain and snow, including a winter storm that dropped over a foot of snow in Jayton in early February. The spring season was relatively anemic, producing only 1 tornado, while the entire year only brought 4 tornadoes. Thankfully all 4 tornadoes remained over open land and did no known damage.
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