 "Photo: Walter Rosado")
Storms swept through the South Plains over the weekend, causing tornadoes in West Texas and New Mexico.
A tornado hit Lubbock Sunday afternoon. According to reports from the National Weather Service, the tornado touched down multiple times near 98th Street and I-27, moving north toward the Texas Tech campus, downtown Lubbock and the Preston Smith International Airport.
Cpl. Chris Breunig of the Lubbock Police Department said the department was in the process of activating an emergency operations center to respond to the severe weather but did not have any information on the storms or damage.
Robert Robledo, a weather service specialist for the National Weather Service in Lubbock, said the tornado and thunderstorms that followed were part of the same weather system.
"It was a weak-energy funnel cloud," Robledo said. "People saw dirt fly, but there have been no reports of damage. It's basically the same level as a little dust devil."
In the Tech University Library, patrons were told to take shelter in the basement. Because the library supervisor was on his lunch break at the time, the student assistants made an executive decision to send everyone downstairs.
"It was a little scary," said Amanda Evans, a student assistant in the library and sophomore psychology major from Las Cruces, N.M. "I've never been in this situation before. But when people are in danger, you need to make a decision to keep people safe."
Evans said some students refused to go to the basement.
"When we told them there was a tornado coming, some of them wanted to stay outside and watch it," she said. "I guess they thought we were overreacting. It's their decision, but
I think it's really not worth the risk."
Jose Valdez, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Lubbock, said the official rainfall total at the airport was 1 inch as of 1 p.m. Sunday. The tornado and thunderstorm system moved in after that, causing flooding in parts of the city.
"It's getting close to the time of year when we should see more severe weather," Valdez said. "It's started a little bit earlier this year. Everything came together a little bit earlier."
Friday, the National Weather Service had reports of hail and a tornado in Parmer County - with flash flooding in Farwell and a wind storm in Bovina - a tornado in Morton and wind damage in Earth. Wind speeds were measured up to 60 mph in Olton.
Some of the most severe activity occurred in New Mexico, where tornadoes caused damage in Clovis and Logan.
The Clovis News Journal reported at least 30 motor homes and mobile homes were destroyed in Logan when a tornado hit the town at 3:20 p.m. Friday.
According to the Journal's Web site, tornadoes also were spotted near Milnesand, Arch, Rogers and Portales.
Mike Juett, the south-side battalion commander for the Clovis Fire Department, said he did not have information available on exactly how many homes or businesses were damaged in the tornado.
"The tornado was pretty sporadic for about five miles," Juett said. "There was major and light damage all over. To my knowledge, we had no deaths and not many casualties."
Juett said most people escaped the tornado for two reasons: It occurred at 7:54 p.m., before most people went to bed and they had a 20-to-25-minute warning.
"We were really fortunate," Juett said. "Most people heeded that warning, leaving their trailer homes and places like that."
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