175-443: Portions of Lubbock, Texas , were struck by a powerful multiple-vortex tornado after nightfall on May 11, 1970, resulting in 26 fatalities and an estimated $ 250 million in damage (equivalent to $ 1.96 billion in 2023). It was in its time the costliest tornado in U.S. history, damaging nearly 9,000 homes and inflicting widespread damage to businesses, high-rise buildings, and public infrastructure. The tornado's damage
350-502: A bistro with both outdoor and indoor dining. United Supermarkets has been named the food and beverage provider. Thus far, the private group, the Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association, has raised or received pledges in the amount of $ 93 million. The Lubbock Independent School District and Ballet Lubbock also support the project. Lubbock is the birthplace of Mac Davis (1942–2020), who graduated at
525-604: A cool semi-arid climate Köppen classification BSk ). On average, Lubbock receives 18.33 in (466 mm) of rain and 7.0 in (0.18 m) of snow per year. In 2013, Lubbock was named the "Toughest Weather City" in America according to the Weather Channel . Summers are hot, with 92 afternoons on average of 90 °F (32.2 °C)+ highs and 13.3 afternoons of 100 °F (37.8 °C)+ highs, with lows of 70 °F (21.1 °C)+ on 30 mornings. Lubbock
700-481: A famous world map was produced. In 1506 Hernán Cortés took part in the conquest of Hispaniola and Cuba, receiving a large estate of land and indigenous slaves for his effort. In 1510 he accompanied Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , an aide of the governor of Hispaniola, in his expedition to conquer Cuba. In 1518 Velázquez put him in command of an expedition to explore and secure the interior of Mexico for colonization. In 1517 Francisco Hernández de Córdoba discovered
875-582: A hypoxic dead zone that runs east–west along the Texas–Louisiana coastline. In July 2008, researchers reported that between 1985 and 2008, the area roughly doubled in size. It was 8,776 square miles (22,730 km ) in 2017, the largest ever recorded. Poor agricultural practices in the northern portion of the Gulf of Mexico have led to a tremendous increase of nitrogen and phosphorus in neighboring marine ecosystems, which has resulted in algae blooms and
1050-480: A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred about 250 miles (400 km) west-southwest of Anna Maria, Florida . The quake was reportedly felt from Louisiana to Florida. There were no reports of damage or injuries. Items were knocked from shelves and seiches were observed in swimming pools in parts of Florida. The earthquake was described by the USGS as an intraplate earthquake , the largest and most widely felt recorded in
1225-525: A tornado outbreak . The skies over Lubbock were initially clear on May 11, with the ambient moisture too low to support severe convective storms on its own. However, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico spread north-northwest into the area during the day, providing sufficient buoyancy for convective development. Cumulus clouds began to proliferate over the region by around 4 p.m. and towering cumulus clouds began to develop over West Texas, darkening
1400-456: A Broadway musical, and various films and television programs. Outsider musician and psychobilly pioneer The Legendary Stardust Cowboy was also born in Lubbock. He began his musical career there, playing free shows in various parking lots around town. Since striking it big, however, he has not performed in Lubbock, due to how little support and encouragement the city showed him when he
1575-462: A The Lubbock Tornado Memorial Gateway Park was opened at Ave Q and Glenna Goodacre Blvd in downtown Lubbock: a spot along the destructive path of the larger tornado.The memorial includes two flowing black granite-clad walls representing the two paths of the tornadoes. There are also artistically bent street lights representing the power of the tornadoes, and one relic from the destruction: a snapped-off utility pole. The walls are engraved with timelines of
1750-726: A documentary about the project, short videos and video updates during the expedition. Video footage from the ROV was an integral part of this outreach and used extensively in the Mystery Mardi Gras Shipwreck documentary. On July 30, 1942, the Robert E. Lee , captained by William C. Heath, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-166 . She was sailing southeast of the entrance to the Mississippi River when
1925-431: A downtown building by the tornado. The steel frames of the two buildings at Newson's Living Center were contorted by the tornado; one of the buildings was destroyed while the other sustained heavy damage on its topmost, second story. The tornado curved west its initial traversal of downtown Lubbock and weakened markedly, with the swaths of intense damage caused by the tornado's smaller vortices becoming less apparent. One of
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#17327945357082100-511: A height of 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) above the ground. Damage to private vehicles reached approximately $ 3 million (equivalent to $ 23.5 million in 2023). Estacado High School, Thompson Junior High School, and eight elementary schools (Arnett, Jackson, Hunt, K. Carter, McWhorter, North Avenue U, and Sanders) were damaged. The tornado also caused extensive power outages and disruptions to communications, knocking out service to 25,000 telephones. Large trees were also uprooted throughout
2275-492: A lack of available oxygen. Occurrences of masculinization and estrogen suppression were observed as a result. An October 2007 study of the Atlantic croaker found a disproportioned sex ratio of 61% males to 39% females in hypoxic sites. This was compared with a 52% to 48% male-female ratio found in reference sites, showing an impairment of reproductive output for fish populations inhabiting hypoxic coastal zones. According to
2450-480: A large scale from many of the bays and sounds. Other important industries along the coast include shipping, petrochemical processing and storage, military use, paper manufacture, and tourism. The gulf's warm water temperature can feed powerful Atlantic hurricanes causing extensive human death and other destruction as happened with Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the Atlantic, a hurricane will draw up cool water from
2625-602: A lawsuit in an attempt to stop the ordinance from going into effect, but lost their case after the ordinance went into effect on June 1, 2021, and a federal judge dismissed the case. Planned Parenthood later appealed the decision to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, but in January 2022 withdrew their appeal. Lubbock is considered to be the center of the Llano Estacado portion of the South Plains, with Midland on
2800-509: A museum of ranching history, is in Lubbock. It features a number of authentic early Texas ranch buildings, as well as a railroad depot and other historic buildings. An extensive collection of weapons is also on display. The Southwest Collection, an archive of the history of the region and its surroundings, which also works closely with the College Baseball Foundation, is on the campus of Texas Tech University, as are
2975-406: A population of 258,870, a slight increase over the U.S. Census Bureau 's population estimate of 258,862. At the 2010 United States census , 229,573 people, 88,506 households, and 53,042 families resided in the city. At the 2000 U.S. census , 199,564 people, 77,527 households, and 48,531 families resided in the city. By 2020, its population grew to 257,141, down from the 2019 census estimates. Of
3150-531: A press conference with Representative Dustin Burrows and Representative John Frullo in support of Lubbock becoming a "sanctuary city for the unborn" through the passage of an ordinance, written by anti-abortion activist Mark Lee Dickson , which would outlaw abortion within the city limits. On November 17, 2020, the Lubbock City Council voted 7–0 against the ordinance outlawing abortion, leading
3325-406: A racial and ethnic makeup of 50.1% non-Hispanic whites , 7.1% Blacks and African Americans , 0.3% American Indians and Alaska Natives , 2.6% Asians , <0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander , 0.1% some other race, and 2.4% two or more races . The Hispanic and Latino American population (of any race) was an estimated 37.4% of the total population. For comparison and contrast in 2020,
3500-422: A serious threat to marine life and adjacent coastal wetlands and to the livelihoods of Gulf Coast shrimpers and fishermen. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Sally Brice O'Hare stated that the U.S. government will be "employing booms, skimmers, chemical dispersants and controlled burns" to combat the oil spill. By May 1 the oil spill cleanup efforts were underway but hampered by rough seas and the "tea like" consistency of
3675-453: A single tornado north of downtown, analysis of the tornado damage conducted by Ted Fujita deduced there was a singular multiple-vortex tornado composed of smaller vortices that produced smaller areas of serious damage; 25 of the 26 fatalities occurred in the paths of these smaller vortices. Fujita's analysis of these vortices, which he termed "section spots", suggested that rotational winds of 145–290 mph (233–467 km/h) were produced by
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#17327945357083850-1075: A tornado was in progress roughly 7 mi (11 km) south-southeast of the Lubbock airport. At around 9:00 p.m., a separate tornado – listed as an F1 tornado in the National Centers for Environmental Information 's Storm Events database – unroofed a barn approximately 8 mi (13 km) north of Crosbyton , shearing the sheet metal roof over a nearby pasture. TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LUBBOCK...WESTERN CROSBY...FLOYD...AND SOUTHERN HALE COUNTIES UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO IN THESE AREAS UNTIL 10 PM...RADAR STILL INDICATES GOOD HOOK FORMATION ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF THE LUBBOCK AIRPORT...AND THIS LOCATION WOULD BE ON THE BUFFALO SPRINGS LAKE ROAD ABOUT 3 MILES EAST OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK...IDALOU SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT IN PARTICULAR FOR THIS SEVERE STORM AND POSSIBLE TORNADO... Large hail continued to fall throughout Lubbock, with reports indicating hail
4025-486: A tornado – the first of two to strike the Lubbock area – touched down near the intersection of Broadway and Quint Avenue in eastern Lubbock. Described by tornado researcher Ted Fujita as a "small forerunner" to the main Lubbock tornado, this first twister produced a damage path roughly 2 mi (3.2 km) across and caused structural damage indicative of wind gusts reaching around 75 mph (121 km/h). The most severe damage occurred near
4200-555: Is a 930-seat amphitheater opened in 2006. For a period was known as the Wells Fargo Amphitheater. It is used for concerts, stage shows and other special events. Lubbock sits within the Texas High Plains, an eight-million-acre region that produces 80% of the state's wine grapes. Five wineries are based near Lubbock, providing a significant draw for wine lovers. The National Ranching Heritage Center ,
4375-788: Is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean , mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States ; on the southwest and south by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas , Veracruz , Tabasco , Campeche , Yucatán , and Quintana Roo ; and on the southeast by Cuba . The Southern U.S. states of Texas , Louisiana , Mississippi , Alabama , and Florida , which border
4550-631: Is an excellent example of a passive margin . The continental shelf is quite wide at most points along the coast, most notably at the Florida and Yucatán Peninsulas. The shelf is exploited for its oil by means of offshore drilling rigs, most of which are situated in the western gulf and in the Bay of Campeche. Another important commercial activity is fishing; major catches include red snapper , amberjack , tilefish , swordfish , and various grouper , as well as shrimp and crabs. Oysters are also harvested on
4725-723: Is connected to part of the Atlantic Ocean through the Straits of Florida between the U.S. and Cuba, and with the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatán Channel between Mexico and Cuba. Because of its narrow connection to the Atlantic Ocean, the gulf experiences very small tidal ranges . The size of the gulf basin is approximately 1.6 million km (620,000 sq mi). Almost half of the basin consists of shallow continental shelf waters. The volume of water in
4900-404: Is four to five times saltier than the rest of the water. The first exploration of the site was unmanned, using Hercules and in 2015 a team of three used the deep-submergence vehicle Alvin . The site cannot sustain any kind of life other than bacteria , mussels with a symbiotic relationship , tube worms and certain kinds of shrimp . It has been called the "Jacuzzi of Despair". Because it
5075-531: Is free to the public, and is considered the largest free festival in Texas. The day's activities usually include a morning parade, a street fair along Broadway Avenue with food stalls and live bands, the Early Settlers' Luncheon, and an evening concert/fireworks program. Broadway Festivals Inc., the nonprofit corporation which organizes the event, estimated a 2004 attendance over 175,000 people. Additionally,
5250-545: Is from Terrell. In August 1951, a V-shaped formation of lights was seen over the city. The " Lubbock Lights " series of sightings received national publicity and is regarded as one of the first great " UFO " cases. The sightings were considered credible because they were witnessed by several respected science professors at Texas Technological College and were photographed by a Texas Tech student. The photographs were reprinted nationwide in newspapers and in Life . Project Blue Book ,
5425-603: Is the 10th-windiest city in the US with an average wind speed of 12.4 mph (20.0 km/h; 5.5 m/s). The highest recorded temperature was 114 °F (45.6 °C) on June 27, 1994. Winter afternoons in Lubbock are typically sunny and mild, but mornings are cold, with temperatures usually dipping below freezing, and as the city is in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7, lows reaching 10 °F or −12.2 °C occur on 1.5 mornings and 4.5 afternoons occur where
Lubbock tornado - Misplaced Pages Continue
5600-405: Is the second largest in the area as of 2020. Eastern faiths including Buddhism and Hinduism were collectively the third largest groups in Lubbock, and Judaism was practiced by an estimated 0.1% of the population. The Lubbock area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world and is heavily dependent on federal government agricultural subsidies and on irrigation water drawn from
5775-531: Is warmer than the surrounding water (65 °F or 18 °C compared to 39 °F or 4 °C), animals are attracted to it but cannot survive once they enter it. The Gulf of Mexico is 41 percent continental slope , 32 percent continental shelf , and 24 percent abyssal plain with the greatest depth of 12,467 feet in the Sigsbee Deep . Seven main areas are given as: As early as the Maya civilization ,
5950-591: The Deepwater Horizon oil platform, located in the Mississippi Canyon about 40 miles (64 km) off the Louisiana coast, suffered a catastrophic explosion ; it sank a day and a half later. It was in the process of being sealed with concrete for temporary abandonment, to avoid environmental problems. Although initial reports indicated that relatively little oil had leaked, by April 24 it
6125-420: The 1947 Glazier–Higgins tornados as the widest tornado recorded in Texas history. The tornado narrowed as it tracked northeast, reaching a width of 0.25 mi (0.40 km) when it impacted the Lubbock airport. It was the second tornado in Texas history to strike the downtown area of a city of comparable size, with the first being the 1953 Waco tornado , and one of the most destructive to hit any U.S. city. As
6300-518: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement ) to help predict the potential impacts of future oil/gas explorations. Since 1979, the specimens have been deposited in the national collections of the National Museum of Natural History. The major environmental threats to the gulf are agricultural runoff and oil drilling . There are 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells beneath
6475-576: The Lubbock Memorial Civic Center and the George and Helen Mahon Public Library; civic leaders had lobbied for a civic center and other public development of downtown in years prior and used the redevelopment of downtown to make these visions a reality. New hotels and restaurants were constructed along the largely devastated east side of Avenue Q. The residents of the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood of Guadalupe moved to primarily
6650-876: The Lubbock Power and Light (LP&L) No. 1 power plant near downtown and the LP&;L No. 2 power plant on Municipal Hill were knocked out by the tornado. After clearing the downtown area, the tornado tracked northeast along U.S. Highway 87 . Significant residential damage was concentrated north of 4th Street. Apartment complexes along the northern side of 4th Street near Indiana Avenue were unroofed. The motels on Avenue Q North Drive (the Amarillo Highway) were destroyed, while all motels lining 4th Street and Avenue Q north of 10th street were seriously damaged. The Lubbock City-County Health Department headquarters on Avenue Q were destroyed. A Ramada Inn adjacent to US-87
6825-678: The Lubbock Tornado struck the city. Twenty-six people died, and damage was estimated at $ 125 million. The Metro Tower (NTS Building), then known as the Great Plains Life Building, at 274 ft (84 m) in height, is believed to have been the tallest building ever to survive a direct hit from an F5 tornado. During the late 1970s to mid-1980s, Texas Instruments was a major Lubbock employer, manufacturing consumer electronics – including early calculators, digital watches, and TI-99 series home computers. In
7000-697: The Marathon Uplift in west Texas and the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma , and to Alabama where it linked directly to the Appalachian Mountains . It was created by the collision of continental plates that formed Pangaea. As interpreted by Roy Van Arsdale and Randel T. Cox, this mountain range was breached in the late Cretaceous by the formation of the Mississippi Embayment . The rifting that created
7175-650: The Mardi Gras sank around the early 19th century about 35 mi (56 km) off the coast of Louisiana in 4,000 feet (1,200 m) of water. She is believed to have been a privateer or trader. The shipwreck, whose real identity remains a mystery, lay forgotten at the bottom of the sea until it was discovered in 2002 by an oilfield inspection crew working for the Okeanos Gas Gathering Company (OGGC). In 2007 an expedition led by Texas A&M University and funded by OGGC under an agreement with
Lubbock tornado - Misplaced Pages Continue
7350-572: The Mesozoic and all of the Cenozoic further depressed the underlying crust to its current position about 10–20 km (6.2–12.4 mi) below sea level. Particularly during the Cenozoic, a time of relative stability for the coastal zones, thick clastic wedges built out the continental shelf along the northwestern and northern margins of the basin. To the east, the stable Florida Platform
7525-557: The National Response Center , the oil industry has thousands of minor accidents in the Gulf of Mexico every year. In June 1979, the Ixtoc I oil platform in the Bay of Campeche suffered a blowout leading to a catastrophic explosion, which resulted in a massive oil spill that continued for nine months before the well was finally capped. This was the largest oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico to date. On April 20, 2010,
7700-528: The Ogallala Aquifer . The aquifer is being depleted at a rate unsustainable over the long term. Some progress has been made toward water conservation , and new technologies such as low-energy precision application irrigation were originally developed in the Lubbock area. A new pipeline from Lake Alan Henry is expected to supply up to 3.2 billion US gallons (12,000,000 m ; 12 GL) of water per year. The 10 largest employers in terms of
7875-725: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lubbock . Methodists are divided between the United Methodist Church and other smaller Methodist bodies. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints dedicated a temple in the city in 2002 that serves church members living in West Texas, the Panhandle, and adjacent parts of New Mexico . Of the religious population, 1.9% practiced Islam ; the Islamic religion
8050-542: The Texas Tech University System , after it was established in 1996 and based in Lubbock. Lubbock Christian University , founded in 1957, affiliated with the Churches of Christ , has its main campus in the city. South Plains College and Wayland Baptist University operate branch campuses in Lubbock. At one time, Lubbock was home to Reese Air Force Base , located 6 mi (10 km) west of
8225-722: The United States Weather Bureau – tasked with issuing daily outlooks projecting possible severe weather over the U.S. – did not initially highlight the possibility of severe weather over West Texas when the agency issued its daily outlook at 4 a.m. early on May 11, 1970. Six hours later, the SELS amended the outlook to indicate that "isolated thunderstorms with large hail" were "expected in High Plains of West Texas east of Pecos late afternoon and early evening." The afternoon
8400-529: The county seat of Lubbock County . With a population of 266,878 in 2023, the city is the 10th-most populous city in Texas and the 84th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northwestern part of the state, in the Great Plains region, an area known historically and geographically as the Llano Estacado , and ecologically is part of the southern end of the High Plains , lying at
8575-644: The racial makeup of the city was 75.8% White, 8.6% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 9.9% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latin Americans of any race were 32.1% of the population. Non-Hispanic whites were 55.7% of the population in 2010, down from 77.2% in 1970. In 2000, the city's racial makeup was 72.9% White, 8.7% African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.5% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 14.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 27.5% of
8750-479: The "sanctuary city for the unborn" initiating committee to file for the ordinance to be placed on the May ballot. Planned Parenthood began offering abortion services on April 15, 2021, with early voting taking place on April 19, 2021. On May 1, 2021, the citizens of Lubbock voted on the ordinance with 62% in favor and 38% against, becoming the largest "sanctuary city for the unborn" in the nation. Planned Parenthood filed
8925-471: The 20-story Great Plains Life Building (now known as the NTS Building ), distorting the building's frame counter-clockwise and disabling three of the building's four elevators. The torsion of the entire building resulted in severe cracks in the building's stairwells and on the fire protection surrounding steel columns within the tower. Brick was also stripped from the building and windows were blown out by
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#17327945357089100-473: The Atlantic Ocean was established that the deposition of Louann Salt ceased. Seafloor spreading stopped at the end of the Jurassic, about 145–150 million years ago. During the late Jurassic through early Cretaceous, the basin experienced a period of cooling and subsidence of the crust underlying it. The subsidence was the result of a combination of crustal stretching, cooling, and loading. Initially,
9275-422: The Atlantic Ocean. This flooded the opening basin to create an enclosed marginal sea. The subsiding transitional crust was blanketed by the widespread deposition of Louann Salt and associated anhydrite evaporites . During the late Jurassic, continued rifting widened the basin and progressed to the point that seafloor spreading and formation of oceanic crust occurred. At this point, sufficient circulation with
9450-709: The Broadway Church of Christ lost roof tiles and window panes and the roof of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church collapsed. The publishing facilities of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal were crippled by the tornado. The roof of the Central Fire Station collapsed, smashing the fire trucks below. One dispatcher on duty was struck by shards of flying glass and lost an eye. One Greyhound bus was hurled onto
9625-578: The Buddy and Maria Holly Plaza. Holly's legacy is also remembered through the work of deejays , such as Jerry "Bo" Coleman , Bud Andrews , and Virgil Johnson on radio station KDAV . Groundbreaking was held on April 20, 2017, for the construction of a new performing arts center, the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences , a downtown $ 154 million project that opened in January 2021. Holly Hall will also have concession sites and
9800-564: The Cactus Theater and The Blue Light Live, both on Buddy Holly Avenue. The spirit of Buddy Holly is preserved in the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock's Depot District. The 2004 film Lubbock Lights showcased much of the music associated with the city of Lubbock. Lubbock is the birthplace of rock and roll legend Buddy Holly, and features a cultural center named for him. The city renamed its annual Buddy Holly Music Festival
9975-550: The Civil War. As early as 1884, a U.S. post office existed in Yellow House Canyon . A small town, known as Old Lubbock, Lubbock, or North Town, was established about three miles to the east. In 1890, the original Lubbock merged with Monterey, another small town south of the canyon. The new town adopted the Lubbock name. The merger included moving the original Lubbock's Nicolett Hotel across the canyon on rollers to
10150-433: The College Baseball Foundation holds events relating to its National College Baseball Hall of Fame during the 4th on Broadway event. The South Plains Fair is also hosted annually, and features a wide variety of entertainment, including live music, theme-park rides, and various food items sold in a carnival-like setting. During the fair, many agricultural and livestock contests also take place, bringing many participants from
10325-548: The EOC at 9:47 p.m. to relay that the hook echo observed on radar was in the vicinity of 4th Street and Avenue U. This was the last communication transmitted by the Lubbock WBO as all communications went offline at 9:49 p.m. The WSR-1 radar also went offline around the same time following the downing of its emergency generator. The personnel at the office abandoned their post and took shelter at 9:55 p.m. shortly before
10500-652: The Gulf of Mexico was used as a trade route off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula and present-day Veracruz . Although the Spanish voyage of Christopher Columbus was credited with the discovery of the Americas by Europeans, the ships in his four voyages did not reach the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, the Spanish sailed into the Caribbean around Cuba and Hispaniola . The first alleged European exploration of
10675-491: The Gulf of Mexico was by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497. Vespucci is purported to have followed the coastal land mass of Central America before returning to the Atlantic Ocean via the Straits of Florida between Florida and Cuba. However, this first voyage of 1497 is widely disputed, and many historians doubt that it took place as described. In his letters, Vespucci described this trip, and once Juan de la Cosa returned to Spain,
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#173279453570810850-679: The Light on Cape San Antonio in Cuba, through this island to the meridian of 83°W and to the Northward along this meridian to the latitude of the South point of the Dry Tortugas (24°35'N), along this parallel Eastward to Rebecca Shoal (82°35'W) thence through the shoals and Florida Keys to the mainland at the eastern end of Florida Bay and all the narrow waters between the Dry Tortugas and
11025-410: The Lubbock Country Club. Some homes disintegrated and others were fully unroofed. Without basements or storm shelters, many residents sought shelter beneath mattresses in their homes. Nearby trees were denuded of their leaves and debris in the area was numerous. The tornado then tracked across the Lubbock Municipal Airport, damaging hangars and buildings. Aircraft were strewn by the powerful winds across
11200-444: The Lubbock County Club. In those locales, some homes were completely leveled and many others were irreparably damaged. Around 119 aircraft were damaged at the Lubbock airport where the Lubbock office of the United States Weather Bureau was located. As of 2024, this remains the westernmost F5/EF5 tornado recorded in the United States. The Severe Local Storms Unit (SELS) within the National Severe Storms Forecast Center (NSSFC) of
11375-402: The Lubbock Music Festival after Holly's widow increased usage fees for his name. Similarly, the city renamed the Buddy Holly West Texas Walk of Fame to honor area musicians as the West Texas Hall of Fame. On January 26, 2009, the City of Lubbock agreed to pay Holly's widow $ 20,000 for the next 20 years to maintain the name of the Buddy Holly Center. Additionally, land near the center will be named
11550-399: The Lubbock airport and moved northeast at 25 mph (40 km/h); their formation was noted on a Severe Weather Statement issued by the Lubbock WBO at 8:42 p.m. At 8:59 p.m., the office issued a bulletin that extended the preexisting tornado warning to 10 p.m. The bulletin also advised people to prepare to seek shelter with radar imagery and reports continuing to indicate that
11725-480: The Lubbock airport) and the radar operator in Amarillo, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the Lubbock WBO for Crosby , Floyd , Lubbock , and Hale counties at 7:50 p.m. with an expiration time set to 9:00 p.m. This warning was disseminated via the Emergency Action Notification Signal and through local radio and television stations such as KFYO . KFYO continuously ran without commercials after this time until 7:30 a.m. on May 14. Despite
11900-607: The Lubbock area. At least two tornadoes developed prior to the main F5 tornado, including one that tracked across parts of eastern Lubbock near U.S. 87 . The primary F5 tornado touched down in southwestern Lubbock at 9:35 p.m. and over the next half-hour carved a 8.5-mile (13.7 km) path of devastation encompassing roughly a quarter of the city, with the twister lifting near the Lubbock Municipal Airport shortly after 10 p.m. The tornado varied in size, spanning 1.5 mi (2.4 km) across when it first touched down before narrowing to around 0.25 mi (0.40 km) by
12075-459: The Minerals Management Service (now BOEM ) was launched to undertake the deepest scientific archaeological excavation ever attempted at that time to study the site on the seafloor and recover artifacts for eventual public display in the Louisiana State Museum . As part of the project educational outreach Nautilus Productions in partnership with BOEM, Texas A&M University, the Florida Public Archaeology Network and Veolia Environmental produced
12250-411: The Moody Planetarium and the Museum of Texas Tech University. The Depot District, an area of the city dedicated to music and nightlife in the old railroad depot area, boasts theatres, upscale restaurants, and cultural attractions. The district is also home to several shops, pubs, nightclubs, a radio station, a magazine, a winery, a salon, and other establishments. Many of the buildings were remodeled from
12425-443: The Overton area of Lubbock was particularly hard-hit, with the severity of damage requiring demolition of the remaining structures. The University Arms apartments on 5th Street and University Avenue sustained moderately damage. The Arnett Benson subdivision sustained significant damage and roofs were damaged and tree limbs were torn near the Clovis Highway. The Brookshire Inn was seriously damaged. Industrial buildings were hard-hit by
12600-580: The USAF's official investigation of the UFO mystery, concluded the photographs were not a hoax and showed genuine objects, but dismissed the UFOs as being either "night-flying moths" or a type of bird called a plover reflected in the nighttime glow of Lubbock's new street lights. In 1960, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Lubbock's population as 128,691 and area as 75.0 sq mi (194 km ). On May 11, 1970,
12775-603: The United States of America and the Republic of Cuba, of December 16, 1977. Mexico and United States: Treaty to resolve pending boundary differences and maintain the Rio Grande and Colorado River as the international boundary, of November 23, 1970; Treaty on maritime boundaries between the United States of America and the United Mexican States (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean), of May 4, 1978, and treaty on
12950-612: The United States, in accordance with Mexico's domestic legislation. On March 13, 2009, the CLCS accepted Mexico's arguments for extending its continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles (650 km; 400 mi) into the Western Polygon. Since this would extend Mexico's continental shelf well into territory claimed by the United States, however, Mexico and the U.S. would need to enter a bilateral agreement based on international law that delimits their respective claims. A ship now called
13125-602: The Yucatán Peninsula. This was the first European encounter with an advanced civilization in the Americas , with solidly built buildings and a complex social organization which they recognized as being comparable to those of the Old World ; they also had reason to expect that this new land would have gold . All of this encouraged two further expeditions, the first in 1518 under the command of Juan de Grijalva , and
13300-489: The age of 16 from Lubbock High School and became a country music singer, songwriter, and actor with crossover success. His early work writing for Elvis Presley produced the hits " Memories ", " In the Ghetto ", and " A Little Less Conversation ". A subsequent solo career in the 1970s produced hits, such as " Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me ", making him a well-known name in popular music. He also starred in his own variety show,
13475-489: The airport tarmac. Roughly 100 private airplanes were destroyed by the tornado both within and outside the hangars, with another 19 small military aircraft irreparably damaged. The rim of the funnel cloud, at the time measuring between 0.3–0.4 mi (0.48–0.64 km) in diameter, came as close as 0.75 mi (1.21 km) to the Lubbock WBO, with the office's anomemometer registering a peak gust of 77 kn (89 mph; 143 km/h). Twenty-six people were killed in
13650-443: The approach of a shortwave trough in the mid-levels of the troposphere , serving as another contributor to rising air. By 7 p.m. the northern fringes of the storm were near the Lubbock city limits. A radiosonde launched from Amarillo concurrently showed that the tropopause had risen by 7,000 ft (2,100 m) to 48,000 ft (15,000 m) over the preceding 12 hours. The Amarillo weather radar also suggested that
13825-443: The area, resulted in the activation of tornado warning sirens. However, the tornado's winds had already severed the power lines that serviced many of the sirens, rendering them inoperable and causing their failure to activate. Although police cruisers also sounded their sirens to alert those nearby of the imminent tornado, many ultimately did not hear either signal and thus likely received no warning. Communications were brought down as
14000-419: The atmospheric pressure differences induced by the tornado. Interior pressure buildup fractured loadbearing columns and lofted ceilings. As the center of the tornado remained 0.5 mi (0.80 km) northwest of the skyscraper, the building likely avoided more extreme damage; the damage toll nonetheless reached around $ 2 million (equivalent to $ 15.7 million in 2023). There were around 30 people in
14175-768: The attack. One officer, nine crewmen and 15 passengers were lost. The passengers aboard Robert E. Lee were primarily survivors of previous torpedo attacks by German U-boats. The wreck's location was discovered during the C & C Marine survey that located the U-166 . In 2001 the wreck of U-166 was found in 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of water, less than two miles (3.2 km) from where it had attacked Robert E. Lee . Various biota include chemosynthetic communities near cold seeps and non chemosynthetic communities such as bacteria and other micro- benthos , meiofauna , macrofauna , and megafauna (larger organisms such as crabs , sea pens , crinoids , demersal fish , cetaceans , and
14350-474: The basin is roughly 2.4 × 10 cubic kilometers (5.8 × 10 cubic miles). The gulf is one of the most important offshore petroleum production regions in the world, making up one-sixth of the United States' total production. The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southeast limit of the Gulf of Mexico as: A line joining Cape Catoche Light ( 21°37′N 87°04′W / 21.617°N 87.067°W / 21.617; -87.067 ) with
14525-514: The basin was associated with zones of weakness within Pangaea, including sutures where the Laurentia , South American , and African plates collided to create it. First, there was a late Triassic–early Jurassic phase of rifting during which rift valleys formed and filled with continental red beds . Second, as rifting progressed through early and middle Jurassic times, the continental crust
14700-664: The building amounted to around $ 1 million (equivalent to $ 7.8 million in 2023). Signs were ripped from the roof of the Lubbock National Bank Building while the Citizens National Bank Building and Lubbock County Courthouse sustained primarily minor window damage. The two-story plate glass windows on the eastern side of the Lubbock City Hall were shattered, leading to the collapse of some interior walls; overall
14875-535: The building when the tornado hit; they took shelter in the lobby as the tornado passed nearby. The predominantly glass north and southern façades of the 15-story First National Bank–Pioneer Natural Gas Building (now the Wells Fargo Building) were largely destroyed. The marble veneer of the building's eastern and western ends were ripped from their copper wire anchor. Strong winds penetrated the buildings interior, damaging suspended ceilings. Total damage to
15050-543: The captain of the next expedition to Yucatán. In 1523, a treasure ship was wrecked en route at Padre Island , Texas. When word of the disaster reached Mexico City, the viceroy requested a rescue fleet and sent Ángel de Villafañe from Mexico City, marching overland to find the treasure-laden vessels. Villafañe traveled to Pánuco and hired a ship to transport him to the site, which had already been visited from that community. He arrived in time to greet García de Escalante Alvarado (a nephew of Pedro de Alvarado ), commander of
15225-405: The city hall sustained moderate damage. Federal government buildings in downtown Lubbock avoided significant damage, with occupied and operational buildings collectively sustaining only around $ 2,000 in damage. However, $ 150,000-worth of construction materials were damaged at the site of the eight-story Federal Office Building, which was under construction at the time. Several churches were damaged:
15400-575: The city on May 11 – produced a damage path 8.5 mi (13.7 km) long and extending across 15 sq mi (39 km) of ground, beginning at 9:35 p.m. in southwestern Lubbock, tracking through downtown Lubbock, and lifting shortly after 10 p.m. near the Lubbock Municipal Airport This damage path covered nearly a quarter of the city. The tornado was 1.5 mi (2.4 km) wide when it formed and when it tracked through downtown, tying it with
15575-540: The city. It was established in August 1941, during the defense build-up prior to World War II (1941–1945), by the United States Department of War and the U.S. Army as Lubbock Army Airfield. It served the old U.S. Army Air Forces , and later the U.S. Air Force (USAF), after reorganization and establishment in 1947. The USAF base's primary mission throughout its existence was pilot training. The base
15750-495: The coast. On April 7, 1528, they spotted land north of what is now Tampa Bay . They turned south and traveled for two days looking for a great harbor the master pilot Miruelo knew of. Sometime during these two days, one of the five remaining ships was lost on the rugged coast, but nothing else is known of it. In 1697 French sailor Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville was chosen by the Minister of Marine to lead an expedition to rediscover
15925-497: The coastline spans 1,680 miles (2,700 km), receiving water from 33 major rivers that drain 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. The southwestern and southern shores lie along the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and the northernmost tip of Quintana Roo. The Mexican coastline spans 1,743 miles (2,805 km). On its southeast quadrant, the gulf is bordered by Cuba. It supports major American, Mexican and Cuban fishing industries. The outer margins of
16100-407: The combination of crustal stretching and cooling caused about 5–7 km (3.1–4.3 mi) of tectonic subsidence of the central thin transitional and oceanic crust. Because subsidence occurred faster than sediment could fill it, the basin expanded and deepened. Later, loading of the crust within the basin and adjacent coastal plain by the accumulation of kilometers of sediments during the rest of
16275-474: The damage and the force required to displace heavy objects as much as was observed indicated that winds produced by vortices within the tornado may have exceeded 290 mph (470 km/h). Although skies were clear, dry, and sunny in Lubbock during the afternoon of May 11, the westward push of a dry line brought moist air into West Texas , providing suitable conditions for thunderstorm development. After 6:30 p.m., thunderstorms were in progress over
16450-566: The damage swath. The severity of damage along the tornado's path varied considerably, a phenomenon the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) ascribed to both the varied structural integrity of the buildings impacted and the varied wind patterns generated by the tornado. In some areas, homes with minor shingle damage remained standing next to homes with total loss of their roofs. While an NBS investigation concluded that two tornadoes touched down east of Texas Tech University before merging into
16625-662: The delimitation of the continental shelf in the western Gulf of Mexico beyond 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi), of June 9, 2000. On December 13, 2007, Mexico submitted information to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) regarding the extension of Mexico's continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. Mexico sought an extension of its continental shelf in the Western Polygon based on international law, UNCLOS, and bilateral treaties with
16800-401: The depths and making it less likely that further hurricanes will follow in its wake (warm water being one of the preconditions necessary for their formation). However, the gulf is shallower; when a hurricane passes over the water temperature may drop but it soon rebounds and becomes capable of supporting another tropical storm. From 1970 to 2020, surface temperatures warmed at approximately twice
16975-410: The disaster. Despite the destruction wrought by the tornado, the recovery effort revitalized the stagnating Lubbock economy and helped to bring about a period of sustained economic and physical growth. Numerous buildings throughout Lubbock were damaged beyond repair and were demolished after the tornado. This included the northwestern section of downtown, whose demolition made way for the construction of
17150-425: The drink" sales, except at private establishments such as country clubs . Inside the city limits, the situation was reversed, with restaurants and bars able to serve alcohol, but liquor stores forbidden. After news broke about Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas hiring for a Lubbock location, Senator Charles Perry started a petition to keep Planned Parenthood out of Lubbock. On September 9, 2020, Senator Perry held
17325-495: The early 1980s, shipping up to 5,000 computers a day from the Lubbock factory, TI briefly dominated the U.S. home computer market. In August, 1988, tens of thousands of people came to Lubbock, drawn by an apparition of Mary . On August 12, 2008, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce announced they would lead the effort to get enough signatures to have a vote on allowing county-wide packaged alcohol sales. The petition effort
17500-642: The economic center of the Lubbock metropolitan area , which had an estimated population of 360,104 in 2023. Lubbock's nickname, "Hub City", derives from it being the economic, educational, and health-care hub of the multicounty region, north of the Permian Basin and south of the Texas Panhandle , commonly called the South Plains . The area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in
17675-516: The economy, with about $ 297.5 million from student shopping alone. The Scrub-A-Dubb Barrel Company, in the north of the city, had been the cause of public complaints, and committed numerous environmental violations, since the 1970s. Local KCBD News undertook several investigations into the barrel recycling company's waste-handling practices, and when the business closed in 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency
17850-621: The event. On the first Friday of each month, Lubbock hosts a free art walk in downtown called the First Friday Art Trail. The event, which is managed by the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts and has been held since 2004, attracts around 20,000 people monthly. In July 2024, the Lubbock City Council voted to strip $ 30,000 in funding for the event after council member David Glasheen claimed
18025-472: The explosion destroyed the #3 hold, vented through the B and C decks and damaged the engines, the radio compartment and the steering gear. After the attack she was under escort by USS PC-566 , captained by Lieutenant Commander Herbert G. Claudius, en route to New Orleans . PC-566 began dropping depth charges on a sonar contact, sinking U-166 . The badly damaged Robert E. Lee first listed to port then to starboard and finally sank within about 15 minutes of
18200-542: The extinct Caribbean monk seal ) are living in the Gulf of Mexico. Recently, resident Bryde's whales within the gulf were classified as an endemic, unique subspecies and making them as one of the most endangered whales in the world. The Gulf of Mexico yields more fish, shrimp, and shellfish annually than the south and mid-Atlantic , Chesapeake , and New England areas combined. The Smithsonian Institution Gulf of Mexico holdings are expected to provide an important baseline of understanding for future scientific studies on
18375-409: The gross rent for Lubbock was $ 976. Lubbockites had a median household income of $ 52,254 in 2019, and a mean income of $ 72,144. In 2011, the estimated median income for a household in the city was $ 43,364, and for a family was $ 59,185. Male full-time workers had a median income of $ 40,445 versus $ 30,845 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 23,092. About 11.4% of families and 20.8% of
18550-440: The gulf on the north, are often referred to as the " Third Coast " of the United States (in addition to its Atlantic and Pacific coasts). The Gulf of Mexico took shape approximately 300 million years ago as a result of plate tectonics . The Gulf of Mexico basin is roughly oval in shape and is approximately 810 nautical miles (1,500 km; 930 mi) wide. Its floor consists of sedimentary rocks and recent sediments. It
18725-499: The gulf's first such study estimated concentrations that rival the highest globally reported. There are frequent " red tide " algae blooms that kill fish and marine mammals and cause respiratory problems in humans and some domestic animals when the blooms reach close to shore. This has especially been plaguing the southwest and southern Florida coast, from the Florida Keys to north of Pasco County, Florida . The gulf contains
18900-505: The gulf's shoreline is fringed by numerous bays and smaller inlets. Stream that empty into the gulf include the Mississippi River and the Rio Grande in the northern gulf, and the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers in the southern gulf. The land that forms the gulf's coast, including many long, narrow barrier islands, is almost uniformly low-lying and is characterized by marshes and swamps as well as stretches of sandy beach. The Gulf of Mexico
19075-523: The gulf. These have generally not been checked for potential environmental problems. In 1973 the United States Environmental Protection Agency prohibited the dumping of undiluted chemical waste by manufacturing interests into the gulf, and the military confessed to similar behavior in waters off Horn Island . Microplastics within semi-enclosed seas like the gulf have been reported in high concentrations, and
19250-486: The impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill . In Congressional testimony, Dr. Jonathan Coddington, associate director of Research and Collections at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History , provides a detailed overview of the Gulf collections and their sources which Museum staff have made available on an online map. The samples were collected for years by the former Minerals Management Service (renamed
19425-491: The increasingly conducive atmospheric conditions for the formation of severe thunderstorms, the NSSFC did not issue a severe thunderstorm watch or tornado watch for the region before storms developed. The Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA) wrote in a service assessment of the weather event that the lack of such of a watch from the NSSFC demanded "some explanation," but also noted that their absence did not affect
19600-526: The interchange between U.S. 82 and Parkway Drive, which was under construction at the time. There, 13 concrete beams weighing 109,000 lb (49,000 kg) each and doubly weighted with chains were blown down from a partially-built overpass by the tornado. At 8:40 p.m., the NSSFC issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the entirety of the Southern Plains . Concurrently, two thunderstorms quickly developed 8 mi (13 km) southwest of
19775-510: The light towers at the Jones Stadium on the campus of Texas Tech was destroyed while three others on the stadium's eastern side were bent by the tornado's winds. The stadium itself sustained light damage; this was the extent of the tornadic damage on the university's campus. After the tornado reached the intersection of University Avenue and 4th Street, it looped eastward and intensified, becoming increasingly destructive. Student housing in
19950-801: The lower estimate made the Lubbock tornado the costliest tornado in Texas history. It also became the costliest tornado in U.S. history, incurring more damage than the tornado that struck Topeka, Kansas , on June 8, 1966; the Lubbock tornado's toll was later surpassed by a tornado that struck Omaha, Nebraska , in 1975. According to the National Weather Service, 8,800 homes were damaged, of which 430 were destroyed. The American Red Cross enumerated damage to 1,713 single family homes, of which 460 were destroyed. Additionally, 600 apartment units were destroyed and 250 businesses were damaged or destroyed. Ten thousand vehicles were also damaged or destroyed; some cars were compacted to
20125-495: The mainland being considered to be within the Gulf. The consensus among geologists is that before the late Triassic , the Gulf of Mexico did not exist. Before the Late Triassic, the area consisted of dry land, which included continental crust that now underlies Yucatán , within the middle of the supercontinent Pangaea . This land lay south of a continuous mountain range that extended from north-central Mexico, through
20300-520: The mainland, Biloxi , with his brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville . On May 1 he completed Fort Maurepas on the northeast side of the Bay of Biloxi. On May 4 d'Iberville sailed for France leaving his teenage brother, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne , as second in command to the French commandant. The Gulf of Mexico's eastern, northern, and northwestern shores lie along the US states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The US portion of
20475-486: The money was being used to promote drag shows and LGBTQ+ workshops, a move which attracted complaints from Lubbock residents and members of the Lubbock arts community. The West Texas arts scene has created a " West Texas Walk of Fame " within Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza in the historic Depot District, which details musicians such as Buddy Holly , who came from the local area. Lubbock continues to play host to rising and established alt-country acts at venues such as
20650-499: The most severe damage from Lubbock as F5, the highest practical rating on the scale. John A. Shanahan of Stone & Webster analyzed several instances of severe damage produced by the tornado, finding that horizontal winds may have ranged between 150–250 mph (240–400 km/h). Supporting evidence for winds of such strength included a steel tank weighing 37,570 lb (17,040 kg) being displaced 2,700 ft (820 m) from its initial supporting structure. Downtown Lubbock
20825-613: The mouth of the Mississippi River and to colonize Louisiana which the English coveted. D'Iberville's fleet sailed from Brest on October 24, 1698. On January 25, 1699, d'Iberville reached Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola founded by the Spanish; he sailed from there to Mobile Bay and explored Massacre Island, later renamed Dauphin Island . He cast anchor between Cat Island and Ship Island ; and on February 13 he went to
21000-547: The nearby airport reached 77 kn (89 mph; 143 km/h) at 10:03 p.m., likely coinciding with the tornado's passage over the airport and the Weather Bureau office. The tornado lifted near the airport shortly thereafter. All weather warnings were called off by the Lubbock WBO at 11:30 p.m. once thunderstorms had lessened to a more moderate intensity around Lorenzo, Texas . The primary Lubbock tornado – the second of two tornadoes that struck
21175-409: The new townsite. Lubbock became the county seat in 1891, and was incorporated on March 16, 1909. In the same year, the first railroad train arrived. Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) was founded in Lubbock in 1923. A separate university, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , opened as Texas Tech University School of Medicine in 1969. Both universities are now overseen by
21350-487: The number of employees are Texas Tech University , Covenant Health System , Lubbock Independent School District , University Medical Center , United Supermarkets , City of Lubbock, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , AT&T , and Lubbock County . A study conducted by a professor at the Rawls College of Business determined Texas Tech students, faculty, and staff contribute about $ 1.5 billion to
21525-462: The oil. Cleanup operations were resumed after conditions became favorable. On May 27 the USGS had revised the estimate of the leak from 5,000 barrels per day (790 m /d) to 12,000–19,000 barrels per day (3,000 m /d) an increase from earlier estimates. On July 15 BP announced that the leak had stopped for the first time in 88 days. In July BP reached an $ 18.7bn settlement with the U.S. government,
21700-488: The operations of the Lubbock WBO. Large hail the size of grapefruits were reported in the thunderstorm 5 mi (8.0 km) south of Lubbock at around 8 p.m., with baseball-sized hail reaching southeastern Lubbock by 8:13 p.m. Severe Weather Statements were transmitted by the Lubbock WBO over the Weather Wire Service to relay the hail reports as the storm neared Lubbock. Radar data indicated that
21875-699: The original Fort Worth & Denver South Plains Railway Depot which stood on the site. The Buddy Holly Center, a museum highlighting the life and music of Buddy Holly, is also in the Depot District, as is the restored community facility, the Cactus Theater . Lubbock is also home to the Silent Wings Museum . Located on North I-27, Silent Wings features photographs and artifacts from World War II-era glider pilots. Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( Spanish : Golfo de México )
22050-612: The past three decades in the region. According to the September 11, 2006 issue of The Tampa Tribune , earthquake tremors were last felt in Florida in 1952, recorded in Quincy , 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Tallahassee . Cuba and Mexico: Exchange of notes constituting an agreement on the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone of Mexico in the sector adjacent to Cuban maritime areas (with map), of July 26, 1976. Cuba and United States: Maritime boundary agreement between
22225-528: The path of a single tornado," becoming a seminal work in understanding the relationship between tornado subvortices and extreme damage. The degrees of damage wrought by the tornado also became the basis for the six tiers of the Fujita tornado scale, which served as the standard for classifying tornadoes until it was superseded by the Enhanced Fujita Scale in 2007. Fifty years after the disaster,
22400-454: The population in 2019, 125,685 were male and 133,185 were female. There were 94.4 males per 100 females in the city limits. In 2019, the median age was 29.8 years; according to Move.org in 2016, Lubbock and its metropolitan area was the 6th best for residents aged 20 and older. The Lubbock area was also first in Texas for Millennial home-ownership, and 14th in the U.S. in 2020. The median value of owner-occupied housing units were $ 152,800 and
22575-502: The population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over. The city's median household income in 2000 was $ 31,844, and for the median family income was $ 41,418. Males had a median income of $ 30,222 versus $ 21,708 for females. The city's per capita income was $ 17,511. About 12.0% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over. In 2019, Lubbock had
22750-642: The population. Christianity is the dominant religion in Lubbock and its metropolitan area, being part of the Bible Belt . As of 2020, the largest Christian groups were Baptists , followed by the Catholic Church and Methodism . The largest Baptist denominations within the Lubbock area are the Southern Baptist Convention and Baptist General Convention of Texas . Catholics within the metropolitan area are primarily served by
22925-489: The previous tornadoes, touched down near the intersection of 19th Street and University Avenue and began to track towards the north-northeast. The WSR-1 radar site in Lubbock simultaneously observed a hook echo in the thunderstorm coincident with the newly formed tornado. This prompted the Lubbock WBO to alert the Lubbock Civil Defense EOC, which, in combination with a spotter report of a funnel cloud in
23100-401: The racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 47.58% non-Hispanic white, 9.57% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American or Alaska Native, 3.59% Asian alone, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.32% some other race, 2.81% multiracial, and 35.6% Hispanic or Latino American of any race. The diversifying population reflected state- and nationwide trends among traditional minority populations. In 2010,
23275-474: The rate observed for the global ocean surface. The gulf is considered aseismic ; however, mild tremors have been recorded throughout history (usually 5.0 or less on the Richter magnitude scale ). Earthquakes may be caused by interactions between sediment loading on the sea floor and adjustment by the crust. On September 10, 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center reported that
23450-620: The region. The National Ranching Heritage Center , also part of the Museum of Texas Tech University, houses historic ranch-related structures from the region. During World War II, airmen cadets from the Royal Air Force, flying from their training base at Terrell, Texas, routinely flew to Lubbock on training flights. The town served as a stand-in for the British for Cork, Ireland, which was the same distance from London, England, as Lubbock
23625-474: The salvage operation, when Alvarado arrived by sea on July 22, 1554. The team labored until September 12 to salvage the Padre Island treasure. This loss, in combination with other ship disasters around the Gulf of Mexico, gave rise to a plan for establishing a settlement on the northern Gulf Coast to protect shipping and more quickly rescue castaways. As a result, the expedition of Tristán de Luna y Arellano
23800-525: The second in 1519 under the command of Hernán Cortés , which led to the Spanish exploration, military invasion, and ultimately settlement and colonization known as the Conquest of Mexico . Hernández did not live to see the continuation of his work: he died in 1517, the year of his expedition, as the result of the injuries and the extreme thirst suffered during the voyage, and disappointed in the knowledge that Diego Velázquez had given precedence to Grijalva as
23975-416: The site into nearby Blackwater Draw and subsequently through Mackenzie recreational park. The runoff is easily accessible to children at play in the park, golfers, and the park's wildlife." Remediation of the site was expected to take at least five months, at a cost of $ 3.5 million in federal dollars. Every year on July 4, Lubbock hosts the 4th on Broadway event, an Independence Day festival. The event
24150-457: The size of golf balls and baseballs. After around 9 p.m., the radar echoes associated with the storms in the Lubbock area began to congeal, resulting in a singular, larger echo. This coalescence had been previously observed in connection with tornadogenesis. By 9:14 p.m., the severe thunderstorm was 10–15 mi (16–24 km) in diameter based on radar data. At 9:35 p.m., the main Lubbock tornado, much larger and more destructive than
24325-584: The skies over Lubbock. The WSR-57 weather radar site in Amarillo, Texas , began detecting radar echoes south of Lubbock at 6:30 p.m. Lubbock radar later picked up on a thunderstorm with a diameter of approximately 10 mi (16 km) forming near Woodrow, Texas , 15 mi (24 km) south of the Lubbock Municipal Airport . Satellite imagery from the ATS-3 satellite showed that
24500-438: The southern and western portions of Lubbock. The Lubbock Urban Renewal Agency rebuilt the largely destroyed Guadalupe neighborhood, though progress was slow for many years before substantial reconstruction occurred. The damage path of the Lubbock tornado was the subject of a detailed mapping carried out by Ted Fujita. Researcher Thomas P. Grazulis described this mapping as the "most detailed mapping ever done, up to that time, of
24675-565: The southern edge, and Amarillo denoting the northern boundary. According to the United States Census Bureau , as of 2022, the city has a total area of 135.85 sq mi (351.85 km ), of which 134.605 sq mi (348.63 km ) (99.08%) are land and 1.244 sq mi (3.22 km ), or (0.92%), is covered by water. The population density was 1,900 inhabitants per square mile (730/km ). The tallest buildings in Lubbock are listed below. Lubbock has
24850-409: The states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, as well as 400 local authorities. As of 2015 BP's cost for the clean-up, environmental and economic damages and penalties has reached $ 54bn. On May 12, 2016, a release of oil from subsea infrastructure on Shell's Brutus oil rig released 2,100 barrels of oil. This leak created a visible 2 by 13 miles (3.2 by 20.9 km) oil slick in
25025-417: The storm approaching and threatening to become severe, Alan Johnson of the Weather Bureau called Bill Payne, the director of Lubbock Civil Defense, to provide notice of the inclement weather. The emergency operations center (EOC) at the basement of the Lubbock city hall was activated at 7:45 p.m. Following discussion between forecasters at the local Weather Bureau office in Lubbock (Lubbock WBO, located at
25200-523: The storm emerged about 15–20 mi (24–32 km) behind the leading edge of the advancing mass of moist air originating from the Gulf. Although the westward retreat of this boundary – known as a dry line – would typically coincide with nightfall and a stabilizing of the atmosphere, it did not move far from Lubbock during the evening, maintaining a local area of converging winds and moist rising air supportive of thunderstorm growth. These conducive conditions were also bolstered by
25375-560: The strongest ocean currents known, originates in the gulf as a continuation of the Caribbean Current –Yucatán Current– Loop Current system. Other circulation features include a permanent cyclonic gyre in the Bay of Campeche, as well as anticyclonic gyres which are shed by the Loop Current and travel westward where they eventually dissipate. The Bay of Campeche constitutes a major arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally,
25550-463: The surrounding cities. The National Cowboy Symposium and Celebration, an annual event celebrating the prototypical Old West cowboy , takes place in Lubbock. The event, held in September, features art, music, cowboy poetry , stories, and the presentation of scholarly papers on cowboy culture and the history of the American West. A chuckwagon cook-off and horse parade also take place during
25725-478: The temperature fails to rise above freezing. The lowest recorded temperature was −17 °F (−27.2 °C) on February 8, 1933. Lubbock can experience severe thunderstorms during the spring, and occasionally the summer. The risk of tornadoes and very large hail exists during the spring in particular, as Lubbock sits on the far southwestern edge of Tornado Alley . The 2019 American Community Survey 's demographic and housing estimates program determined Lubbock had
25900-623: The thunderstorm's cloud tops had increased to 55,000 ft (17,000 m) by 8:10 p.m. At around the same time, an off-duty policeman reported a funnel cloud 7 mi (11 km) southeast of the Lubbock airport and 3 mi (4.8 km) east of the city limits. This, along with the detection of a hook echo on radar, prompted the Lubbock Weather Bureau office to issue a tornado warning for Crosby, eastern Floyd, western Hale, and Lubbock counties at 8:15 p.m. with an expiration time of 9:00 p.m. At 8:30 p.m.,
26075-524: The thunderstorm's cloud tops were rising to at least 46,000 ft (14,000 m). Ironically, at the time the storm was developing, the Lubbock Civil Defense was holding a meeting to discuss disaster preparation plans, highlighted by showing the documentary film Tornado! (1966). The Lubbock Tornado itself became the subject of another documentary, Twister , with a subtle emphasis on a bumper sticker: "Lucky Me! I Live in Lubbock!" With
26250-518: The time it lifted. Severe damage was wrought to high-rises and other buildings in downtown Lubbock, including the 20-story Great Plains Life Building . The tornado briefly moved west and weakened, causing light damage to the campus of Texas Tech University before reintensifying and resuming a northward path. The tornado's most destructive impacts were observed in the Guadalupe barrio , north of 4th Street, along Texas State Highway Loop 289 , and near
26425-418: The tornado events, a map of the destructive paths overlaid on a street map of the city at the time, and location references on the map indexed to the individual names and ages of the 26 victims who died as a result of the second tornado. There are also quotes from survivors and other details. Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( / ˈ l ʌ b ə k / LUB -ək ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and
26600-608: The tornado or died due to injuries received during the storm. Hospitals turned away people with minor injuries due to the sheer number of casualties inflicted by the tornado. With its water pumps rendered inoperable, the city relied on external sources of water including the Pearl Brewing Company in San Antonio . After the storm, Mayor Jim Granberry imposed a curfew , and Police Chief J.T. Alley issued orders that looters would be shot on sight. No looting
26775-643: The tornado passed over the Lubbock WBO. With the Lubbock WBO no longer fully operational, dissemination of subsequent tornado warnings were carried out by the agency using the VHF-FM radio of the Lubbock Fire Department; this was ultimately the only line of communication between the Lubbock WBO and the surrounding area and allowed tornado warnings to be communicated to the Abernathy , New Deal , and Petersburg areas at 10:10 p.m. Wind gusts at
26950-412: The tornado struck after nightfall, no photographs were taken of the twister. There were 26 fatalities and numerous injuries, with estimates of the lower-bound on the number of casualties ranging from 500 to as high as 2,000. Approximately 1,500 people were treated for injuries and 96 people were hospitalized, with many of the injuries caused by broken glass in the downtown area. Estimates of
27125-447: The tornado tore through Lubbock and triggered widespread power outages. At 9:43 p.m., Bud Andrews, the radio announcer on KFYO, directed listeners to take shelter shortly before the AM station stopped transmitting. The Lubbock Civil Defense headquarters lost commercial power and communications at 9:46 p.m. with the exception of a single telephone line. The Lubbock WBO was able to reach
27300-514: The tornado's damage toll vary: the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in Lubbock and the National Centers for Environmental Information Storm Events Database lists the tornado as having caused $ 250 million (equivalent to $ 1.96 billion in 2023) in damage. The May 1970 edition of Storm Data initially estimated a $ 135 million (equivalent to $ 1.06 billion in 2023) property damage toll. Nonetheless,
27475-533: The tornado, including several warehouses. Buildings with large segments of exposed and unsupported roofs suffered greatly, experiencing heavy damage or total destruction. Five of the cylindrical grain bins at the Goodpasture Inc. grain elevator , each covered by 10-inch (25 cm) thick and steel-reinforced concrete, were blown open by the tornado. Damage to public facilities amounted to roughly $ 10 million (equivalent to $ 78.5 million in 2023). Both
27650-504: The tornado. Two homes in the path of one of these small vortices were pulverized, with the remaining debris carried 200 ft (61 m) away onto a field. One empty fertilizer tank weighing 16 short tons (15 t) was displaced 890 m (2,920 ft), with the tank likely remaining airbone for 700 m (2,300 ft), being lofted by a tornadic vortex above US-87 before rolling to its final position. When Fujita proposed his eponymous scale for rating tornado damage in 1971, he rated
27825-414: The wide continental shelves of Yucatán and Florida receive cooler, nutrient-enriched waters from the deep by a process known as upwelling , which stimulates plankton growth in the euphotic zone . This attracts fish, shrimp, and squid. River drainage and atmospheric fallout from industrial coastal cities also provide nutrients to the coastal zone. The Gulf Stream , a warm Atlantic Ocean current and one of
28000-538: The world and is heavily dependent on water from the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation . Lubbock is home to Texas Tech University , the sixth-largest college by enrollment in the state. In 1867, the land that would become Lubbock was the heart of Comancheria , the shifting domain controlled by the Comanche . Lubbock County was founded in 1876. It was named after Thomas Saltus Lubbock , former Texas Ranger and brother of Francis Lubbock , governor of Texas during
28175-457: Was called in to begin cleaning up the site, which they described as "a threat to public health, welfare, and the environment". Greg Fife, the EPA's on-site coordinator, said: "Out of the 60,000 [barrels] we have on site, we think there are between 2,000 and 4,000 that have significant hazardous waste in them". Local residents were informed, "hazardous substances have overflowed the vats and flowed off
28350-462: Was claimed by BP that approximately 1,000 barrels (160 m ) of oil per day were issuing from the wellhead , about 1-mile (1.6 km) below the surface on the ocean floor. On April 29, the U.S. government revealed that approximately 5,000 barrels (790 m ) per day, five times the original estimate, were pouring into the gulf from the wellhead. The resulting oil slick quickly expanded to cover hundreds of square miles of ocean surface, posing
28525-643: Was closed 30 September 1997, after being selected for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 1995, and is now a research and business park called Reese Technology Center . The city is home to the Lubbock Lake Landmark , part of the Museum of Texas Tech University . The landmark is an archaeological and natural-history preserve at the northern edge of the city. It shows evidence of almost 12,000 years of human occupation in
28700-419: Was directly in the path of the center of the tornado and was bombarded by quickly-moving debris, resulting in loss of the motel's brick veneer; the motel's carport was lofted 40 ft (12 m) northward. At two mobile home parks north of downtown, some homes were blown off of their chassis, overturned, and crushed by the tornado; 80 mobile homes in total were destroyed, with another 30 taking severe damage. It
28875-564: Was first starting out. John Denver got his start in Lubbock and as a freshman student at Texas Tech in 1966 could be found playing in the Student Union for free. His father was a colonel in the USAF stationed at Reese Air Force Base west of the city. The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1946 and performs at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Theatre . The Moonlight Musicals Amphitheater
29050-402: Was heavily impacted by the tornado, with skyscrapers and buildings subjected to the tornado's violent winds. The tornado also narrowed during its traversal of downtown to a diameter of roughly 0.4 mi (0.64 km), producing in a corresponding increase of winds around the tornado. Eighty percent of the plate glass windows in the downtown district were shattered. The tornado's periphery struck
29225-555: Was involved during the latest Cretaceous and early Paleogene periods in a compressive deformation episode, the Laramide Orogeny , which created the Sierra Madre Oriental of eastern Mexico. In 2014, Erik Cordes of Temple University and others discovered a brine pool 3,300 feet (1,000 m) below the gulf's surface, with a circumference of 100 feet (30 m) and 12 feet (3.7 m) feet deep, which
29400-402: Was not covered by the sea until the latest Jurassic or the beginning of Cretaceous time. The Yucatán Platform was emergent until the mid-Cretaceous. After both platforms were submerged, the formation of carbonates and evaporites has characterized the geologic history of these two stable areas. Most of the basin was rimmed during the early Cretaceous by carbonate platforms, and its western flank
29575-482: Was reported throughout the ordeal. The city council was directed to lead the rebuilding process, which continued under Granberry's successor, Morris W. Turner . The Lubbock Tornado also served as a model for the development of the Fujita scale , developed a year later. Bud Andrews and Ernesto Barton, Lubbock radio broadcasters, were given Presidential Citations from then U.S. President Richard M. Nixon for coverage of
29750-514: Was sent and landed at Pensacola Bay on August 15, 1559. On December 11, 1526, Charles V granted Pánfilo de Narváez a license to claim what is now the Gulf Coast of the United States, known as the Narváez expedition . The contract gave him one year to gather an army, leave Spain, be large enough to found at least two towns of 100 people each, and garrison two more fortresses anywhere along
29925-419: Was stretched and thinned. This thinning created a broad zone of transitional crust, which displays modest and uneven thinning with block faulting and a broad zone of uniformly thinned transitional crust, which is half the typical 40- kilometer (25 mi ) thickness of continental crust. It was at this time that rifting first created a connection to the Pacific Ocean across central Mexico and later eastward to
30100-569: Was successful and the question was put to the voters. On May 9, 2009, Proposition 1, which expanded the sale of packaged alcohol in Lubbock County, passed by a margin of nearly two to one, with 64.5% in favor. Proposition 2, which legalized the sale of mixed drinks in restaurants county-wide, passed with 69.5% in favor. On September 23, 2009, The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission issued permits to more than 80 stores in Lubbock. Prior to May 9, 2009, Lubbock County allowed "package" sales of alcohol (sales of bottled liquor from liquor stores), but not "by
30275-435: Was surveyed by meteorologist Ted Fujita in what researcher Thomas P. Grazulis described as "the most detailed mapping ever done, up to that time, of the path of a single tornado." Originally, the most severe damage was assigned a preliminary F6 rating on the Fujita scale , making it one of only two tornadoes to receive the rating, alongside the 1974 Xenia tornado . Later, it was downgraded to an F5 rating . The extremity of
30450-434: Was the second tornado strike in two years for one of the mobile home parks; many of the complex's residents took shelter in the basement of a nearby house. The most severe residential damage was wrought in the Guadalupe neighborhood, between Avenues A and Q north of 4th Street, along the northern part of Loop 289, and in the Lubbock Country Club west of the Amarillo Highway. The tornado inflicted considerable damage to homes near
30625-404: Was warm and dry in Lubbock with the temperature rising above 90 °F (32 °C) and the dew point remaining at around 40 °F (4 °C). As the air mass over the region became increasingly unstable , the forecast agency later advised of the possibility that some of the isolated thunderstorms could become severe . However, the atmospheric conditions aloft were generally unsupportive of
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