May 29, 2025 Supercell Traverses West Texas Mesonet Stations

On the afternoon of May 29, 2025, a powerful supercell thunderstorm developed and moved southeast across the South Plains of West Texas, providing a rare opportunity to capture detailed observations from multiple West Texas Mesonet (WTM) surface weather stations. This event offers a compelling case study of supercell behavior, with documented impacts including very large hail, torrential rainfall, damaging winds, and the potential for tornadic activity.

Storm Development and Evolution

The storm began around 3:00 PM CDT just south of Levelland, Texas, initially as a disorganized thunderstorm along a southward-moving cold front. This region had been placed under an Enhanced Risk by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), with primary concerns being large hail and damaging winds, and a lesser but non-zero risk of isolated tornadoes.

As the cell moved slowly southeast, it gradually organized into a supercell. During its development phase, the storm produced a few landspout tornadoes near Ropesville and Levelland, early indicators of potential tornadic behavior. By approximately 5:00 PM CDT, the storm was a prolific hail producer, dropping stones up to 3.5 inches in diameter north of Brownfield, Texas. Hail reports ranging from ping-pong ball to golf ball size followed the storm’s track all the way to Big Spring, where 3-inch diameter hail was again reported. Along with hail, the storm delivered torrential rainfall near Brownfield, leading to localized flooding.

Mesonet Station Observations

As the supercell tracked southeastward, it passed over three WTM stations: Brownfield (BROW), Welch (WELC), and Lamesa (LAMS), allowing for high-resolution documentation of its impacts.

Rainfall and Flooding

One of the first major hazards observed was extreme precipitation. At BROW, 1.49 inches of rain fell in just 30 minutes, some of which likely consisted of melted hail (see Figure 1).  National Weather Service (NWS) radar reflectivity out of Lubbock confirmed the presence of intense precipitation in the area (Figure 2). Similar rainfall amounts were recorded at WELC, with 1.22 inches falling in just over 30 minutes (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Precipitation time histories for the mesonet stations at BROW, WELC, and LAMS.

Figure 2: Radar reflectivity during the time BROW was experiencing heavy precipitation.

Wind Gusts and Mesocyclone Passage

WTM stations also captured strong wind gusts as the storm matured. At BROW, gusts reached 49 mph—below severe limits, but a signal of the storm’s increasing strength. As the mesocyclone became more organized, it passed directly over WELC and later over LAMS, producing severe wind gusts of 77 mph at both sites (Figure 3). These gusts were strong enough to cause minor damage, including downed tree limbs and power lines.

Figure 3: Time histories of the peak wind gusts at the BROW, WELC, and LAMS mesonet stations.

Tornadic Potential and Wind Shift Analysis

While no confirmed tornado touched down during the storm's supercell phase, its structure and wind field suggested potential for tornadogenesis. Earlier landspout activity indicated favorable conditions. Though WTM stations do not include tornado-specific sensors, they are capable of detecting wind field changes indicative of low-level rotation.

NWS radar data, particularly radial velocity imagery (Figure 4), confirmed that the mesocyclone passed directly over WELC and LAMS. Time histories from these stations revealed distinct wind patterns: initially easterly inflow winds, followed by a rapid shift to strong northwesterly winds as the mesocyclone passed, then a return to easterly outflow afterward (Figure 5). This behavior is consistent with being situated directly under or very near the rotating base of the storm’s updraft. The sharp shifts in wind speed and direction suggest a potential for tornadic activity, even though none was visually confirmed at the surface.

Figure 4: Radar radial velocity as the mesocyclone passed directly over the LAMS mesonet station.

Figure 5: Time histories of wind speed and wind direction at the BROW, WELC, and LAMS mesonet stations.

Conclusion and Operational Implications

This case highlights the value of surface observations from mesonet stations during severe convective events. In sparsely populated areas of West Texas, where spotter reports are often unavailable, data from stations like BROW, WELC, and LAMS provide critical situational awareness for forecasters. The storm's impacts, ranging from large hail and flooding to severe wind gusts and rotational signatures, were clearly documented by the WTM, offering real-time evidence of storm severity that enhanced the NWS's ability to monitor and respond to evolving hazards.

The May 29, 2025 supercell serves as a textbook example of how integrated surface and radar data can be used to monitor severe weather in near real-time and improve understanding of mesoscale storm processes in the Southern Plains.