Softball-sized hail, 90 mph winds damage McAdoo, Dickens

A National Weather Service survey team traveled to Dickens County early Wednesday to investigate damage after a line of potent thunderstorms prompted tornado reports around 10 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Forecasters confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the damage seen in McAdoo and Dickens was left by 90 mph straight-line winds and softball-sized hail, but there was no evidence of a tornado, according to the weather service in Lubbock. There were no reports of injuries coming from the Dickens County Sheriff's Office.

A survey team from the weather service in Lubbock traveled to the area early Wednesday after daybreak to gather observations. That process was ongoing as of mid-day Wednesday.

Any indications of a potential tornado around Dickens — based on radar and observations — show that part of the storm traveled southwest of Dickens, NWS Lubbock senior forecaster Matthew Ziebell said.

A tornado warning expired at 10:30 p.m. as the storm's strength diminished while it continued moving to the southeast, according to National Weather Service data.

A gust of 90 mph was reported near McAdoo in northeastern Dickens County at 9:39 p.m. as the line of storms strengthened and became tornado warned, according to a preliminary storm report from the weather service in Lubbock. In the McAdoo community, there was a report of a roof blown off a gas station around 9:42 p.m.

While the National Weather Service did not confirm any damage in the Dickens area, numerous area storm spotting groups confirmed a tornado in the area of Dickens shortly after 10 p.m.

Along with strong winds, the storm produced a considerable lightning display and some heavy localized rainfall, with 1 inch reported for the day at the nearest West Texas Mesonet site in McAdoo.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Softball-sized hail, 90 mph winds damage McAdoo, Dickens