Update: The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes touched down in the Texas Panhandle Tuesday night as a round of severe thunderstorms swept across the region.
The first tornado developed near Claude shortly after 7 p.m. According to the National Weather Service, it touched down about four miles southeast of the city at approximately 7:12 p.m.
The tornado remained on the ground for about three minutes and traveled nearly a mile. Its path reached a maximum width of about 75 yards.
A second tornado touched down later in the evening near Canyon. That tornado developed about six miles north of Canyon at approximately 9:37 p.m. and remained on the ground for about six minutes.
The Canyon-area tornado traveled 0.59 miles and reached a maximum width of about 25 yards.
National Weather Service officials rated both tornadoes EFU, a classification used when there is not enough damage to determine estimated wind speeds. Survey crews found no damage associated with either tornado.
Despite the lack of damage, Tuesday night's storms kept residents across the Panhandle watching the weather closely. As the storms moved through the region, as many as 14 tornado warnings were issued.
The severe weather ultimately passed without reports of injuries or fatalities.
The two confirmed tornadoes serve as another reminder that even tornadoes that produce little or no damage can develop quickly during severe weather events, making it important for residents to pay attention to warnings and have a safe place to shelter when storms threaten.
Original Post: The National Weather Service in Amarillo is surveying storm damage Wednesday after a powerful round of thunderstorms brought possible tornadoes, torrential rainfall and widespread flooding to the Texas Panhandle Tuesday night.
At one point during the severe weather outbreak, five Tornado Warnings were in effect simultaneously across counties in the central Texas Panhandle.
Videos posted by media outlets and citizens showed a rope-like tornado in south Amarillo, while another showed a funnel cloud east of Interstate 40 near Airport Boulevard. Other possible tornadoes were reported near Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, Umbarger, Hereford, Groom and Lefors, as well as near Clovis, New Mexico.
National Weather Service investigators are conducting storm surveys to determine whether tornadoes touched down and to assess any damage left behind.
While the threat of tornadoes grabbed attention Tuesday night, flooding quickly became another major concern.
Numerous Flash Flood Warnings were issued as the storm system dumped torrential rain across the region. Flooding was reported in Potter, Randall, Deaf Smith, Oldham, Swisher, Castro and Parmer counties.
The heavy rain also caused a landslide along the road leading into Palo Duro Canyon, forcing the road to close for a time Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. It has since reopened.
North of Amarillo, the Potter County Sheriff's Office reported the Canadian River was running about 10 feet deep. Officials are discouraging people from going off-road in the riverbed area because of the dangerous conditions.
Amarillo playa lakes fill rapidly
Inside Amarillo, the impact of the rainfall was especially noticeable at the city's playa lakes.
Tuesday's storms sent large amounts of runoff rushing into the lakes, causing several to climb dramatically in a matter of hours. City monitoring data showed multiple playas that had been below 50% capacity Tuesday were well above that mark following the storms.
McDonald Lake was already at 100% capacity before the latest rainfall and remained full after the storms. Water spilled from the lake onto Coulter Street near 45th Avenue overnight, creating hazardous driving conditions.
The Amarillo Fire Department urged drivers to avoid the area because of the depth of the water. Conditions became so severe that even fire department trucks could not safely travel through the flooded roadway.
Other playa lakes also recorded major increases.
T-Anchor Lake climbed from 55% capacity Tuesday to 83% following the storms, a jump of 28 percentage points.
Playa 7 rose even more sharply, going from 43% to 82%.
Bennett Lake reached 71% capacity after sitting at 50% Tuesday. Lawrence Lake also reached 71%, up from just 43% before the latest rainfall.
Willow Grove Lake rose to 68% capacity, while McCarty Lake reached 65%. Martin Lake was at 51%, putting it just above the halfway mark.
The rapid rise in Amarillo's playa lakes illustrates just how much water fell across the city during Tuesday night's storms. The playas serve an important role in collecting stormwater, but intense rainfall over a short period can overwhelm drainage areas and contribute to flooding on nearby streets.
McDonald Lake spilling onto Coulter Street was one of the clearest examples of the impact.
Flooding remains a concern
Even with the worst of the storms over, flooded roads and saturated ground remain hazards across parts of the Panhandle.
Drivers should use caution around playa lakes, low-water crossings and streets where water remains over the pavement. Floodwater can be considerably deeper than it looks, and road conditions can change quickly as runoff continues to move through drainage systems.
Officials are also urging people to stay away from the Canadian River and other flooded areas rather than attempting to drive or travel off-road through them.
