Matador takes direct him from tornado as potent storms move through West Texas

A line of severe storms produced at least one tornado Wednesday evening on the Rolling Plains of West Texas, including one that reportedly caused damage around the Matador community.

In a message at 8:08 p.m., the National Weather Service in Lubbock reported that law enforcement confirmed a tornado located just north of Matador in what was a tornado-warned storm in Motley County.

Shortly after 9:30 p.m., William Iwasko, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Lubbock, said there had been three confirmed tornadoes in the line of storms, but it appeared the one in Matador was the only that caused significant damage.

Reports from storm chasers and meteorologists on social media showed considerable damage around Matador, with damaged homes, utility lines, trees and infrastructure.

Lubbock Fire Rescue confirmed to the Avalanche-Journal that it was sending a crew to assist with the damage and recovery.

“I gave the order for Heavy Rescue 1 to respond to the town of Matador to assist in freeing trapped residents from collapsed structures,” LFR Chief Shaun Fogerson said in a message. “This was in response to a request from TDEM and the Director of Emergency Management in Matador. Deputy Chief Nick Wilson is responding and will direct our crews.”

University Medical Center confirmed it was sending its AMBUS mobile medical unit to Matador Wednesday evening.

Just before 9 p.m., a new tornado warning was issued for Dickens and King counties through 10 p.m. as the line of storms continued traveling southeast, according to statement from the weather service on Twitter.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation. A confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado!,” reads the statement from the weather service.

As the storm moved south from Matador, the weather service confirmed a tornado was on the ground northeast of the Afton community and moving southeast at 20 mph.

The line of storms was also prompting severe weather warnings, with reports of baseball-size hail and winds upward of 70 mph.

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This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Matador direct him from tornado, potent storms move through West Texas