THE MESOSCALE ENVIRONMENT OF THE 11 JUNE 1992 SEVERE STORMS IN WESTERN TEXAS

One of.the most significant severe weather outbreaks of the year In western Texas occurred on the afternoon and evening of 11 June 1992. The thunderstorms produced 8 tO~'nadoes, hail as large as baseballs, and wind gusts to 85 miles an hour. Damage from the outbreak was estimated near $2 million; for(runately, no casualties resulted. Although severe weather in June is not unusual in western Texas, the magnitude of this outbreak and the sudden increase in the causative factors of storm-reLative vertical wind shear and instability are noteworthy. Several of the storms, especially those in the South Plains area around Lubbock, exhibited both visual and radar evidence of being supercell thunderstorms with mesocyclones. The storms d:ve~oped in an environment which did not appear to suppor