Tornado in Wilbarger County, Texas

Severe thunderstorms produced large hail, flash flooding and 2 tornados. The first tornado was reported 5 miles southwest of Burkburnett in Wichita County, and the second was 3 miles west of Burkburnett. The second tornado touched down 6 minutes after the first began, and both tornados lifted at the same time. No damage was reported, and both were rated as F0. Significant damage occurred in Vernon with straight-line winds along a strong gust front. Numerous fences and trees as large as 4-feet in diameter and fences were downed (3 fell onto houses), 8 homes received major roof damage, and 4 storage buildings were destroyed. In addition, 2 businesses were damaged: parts of the roof were blown off a boot store, and a second store received major air conditioner and roof damage. Other reports included nickel sized hail in Vernon in Wilbarger County and water covering Highway 183 north of Vernon in Wilbarger County.

The long-lived Lockett tornado moved into Wilbarger County from Foard County and continued to move northeast. As the tornado approached County Road 138, the tornado created significant tree damage and roof damage to a home, and destroyed an outbuilding. Along County Road 138, at least seven large steel electrical transmission towers were bent over, with the western most tower blown to the south. Roof damage occurred to another home just north of County Road 138 an another outbuilding was heavily damaged along County Road 83. The tornado then turned to the north and damaged another house, destroyed a barn and broke wooden utility poles along County Road 85 to the south of Lockett.||The tornado continued to move north and moved through mainly the eastern portion of the town of Lockett where it produced roof and wall damage to a number of homes and businesses, as well as tree and power pole damage. The tornado continued to veer in direction and moved north-northwest in areas north of Lockett before dissipating.

This tornado initially developed in southeast Hardeman County and moved into Wilbarger County west of Lockett. This may have been a series of tornadoes across southeast Hardeman and far western Wilbarger Counties as the condensation funnel was not visible at times. However one chaser reported observing surface circulation continue even when the condensation funnel was not visible, so it is being documented here as a single tornado. The tornado became more visible and stronger west of Lockett as it was coming out of the breaks of the Pease River. The tornado hit a farmstead about 3 miles west of Lockett where a home suffered significant damage, outbuildings were destroyed or heavily damaged, and vehicles and farm implements were displaced, including a pick-up truck tossed 100 yards to the south-southwest. The tornado then turned eastward and was observed to dissipate just west of the town of Lockett.