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Hail and Tornadoes Strike
Gaines County, Texas
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Thunderstorms developed over Lea County, New Mexico during Saturday
afternoon on April 3. The most notable of these thunderstorms was
a supercell thunderstorm that developed near Eunice at 3:36 PM and
moved northeast into Gaines County. This storm moved slowly northeast
across western portions of Gaines County, crossing Highway 62/180
from 15 miles west of Seminole to the New Mexico border.
Due to the slow storm movement and the large size of the storm, higher
intensities stayed over Highway 62/180 from 3:54 PM to 5:00 PM. This
resulted in up to 1 ½ feet of hail accumulation and the closing
of Highway 62/180. Below is a photo from this hail event taken during
the late afternoon on April 3.
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| Two more supercell thunderstorms developed after the initial storm
moved north of Gaines County. One storm formed in extreme northwestern
Andrews County, and moved into southwestern Gaines County just after
6:00 PM. The second thunderstorm produced a brief tornado at 7:05
PM, thirteen miles southwest of Seminole. Click here
for a link to radar imagery of this supercell thunderstorm. No damage
was reported with this tornado. This thunderstorm continued to produce
funnel clouds as it slowly drifted to the north over Gaines County.
The third thunderstorm developed over eastern Lea County in New Mexico
by 7:00 PM CST, causing flash flooding in Lea County and nickel size
hail in Eunice, NM. |
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weather.gov 
