LBBPNSAMA NOUS44 KAMA 132200 PNSAMA OKZ001>003-TXZ001>020-132200- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AMARILLO TX 500 PM CDT FRI APR 13 2007 ...PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE APRIL 12 2007 AMARILLO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WIND EVENT... A NWS SURVEY TEAM ASSESSED MUCH OF THE WIND DAMAGE FROM THE STORMS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS NORTHERN AMARILLO DURING THE EVENING HOURS OF APRIL 12 2007. THE TEAM FOUND SCATTERED WIND DAMAGE IN A BROAD AREA ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF AMARILLO. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE OCCURRED NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40...WITH MOST OF THE DAMAGE OCCURRING ALONG A 4 TO 5 MILE WIDE SWATH...ALONG AND EITHER SIDE OF AMARILLO BLVD. SOME WIND DAMAGE WAS EVEN NOTED OUTSIDE (NORTH) OF LOOP 335 (ST FRANCIS). THE SURVEY TEAM CONCLUDED THAT ALL OF THE DAMAGE ASSESSED WAS CONSISTENT WITH...AND THE RESULT OF...DOWNBURST WINDS. THERE WAS NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF TORNADIC DAMAGE. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED AT THE MEDIPARK AREA NEAR THE DISCOVERY CENTER. AT LEAST TWENTY LARGE TREES WERE EITHER UPROOTED...OR HAD SNAPPED NEAR THEIR BASES. A ROOF HAD COMPLETELY BLOWN OFF A RESTROOM IN THE PARK...A FEW LIGHT POLES HAD BLOWN DOWN...AND SEVERAL PICNIC SHELTERS WERE BADLY DAMAGED. THE SURVEY TEAM ESTIMATED THAT PEAK WINDS RANGED FROM 90 TO 110 MPH. OTHER SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS SCATTERED ACROSS NORTHERN AMARILLO. THE NEW LIGHT MINISTRY CHURCH AT NE 24TH STREET AND OSAGE LOST ALMOST ITS ENTIRE ROOF...WHERE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AROUND 100 MPH. THREE VACANT MOBILE HOMES ROLLED AND WERE BADLY DAMAGED ALONG AMARILLO BLVD. TWO WERE AT A MANUFACTURED HOME DEALERSHIP AT EASTERN STREET AND THE THIRD MOBILE HOME DAMAGED WAS NEAR MIRROR STREET. THESE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO RANGE BETWEEN 95 AND 100 MPH. ACROSS NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF AMARILLO THERE WERE A FEW HOMES AND BUSINESSES WHICH SUFFERED WINDOW AND ROOF DAMAGE. DAMAGE TO THESE STRUCTURES WERE LIKELY THE RESULT OF WINDS BETWEEN 80 AND 90 MPH. THE ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORTS THAT THERE WAS WIDESPREAD 60 TO 70 MPH WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN HALF OF AMARILLO. COUNTLESS TREE LIMB DAMAGE AND FENCE DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED. POWER LINES WERE ALSO DOWNED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. WIND DAMAGE REPORTS ARE STILL BEING RECEIVED FROM CARSON AND ARMSTRONG COUNTIES. AT LEAST EIGHT IRRIGATION PIVOTS WERE DAMAGED ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF CLAUDE. A ROOF WAS REPORTEDLY BLOWN OFF OF A FARM HOUSE ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PANHANDLE. $$ DRILLETTE