Amherst, Texas
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Sudan-Amherst census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79312. The Survey maps it on the Amherst quadrangle. 678 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,652 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresAmherst fell from 721 to 678 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 721 | |
| 2020 | 678 | -43 (-6%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 9 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1954 USGS Clovis quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1958 USGS Clovis quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Amherst quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1985 USGS Muleshoe quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
7 since 2010Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 7 fires within 5 miles of Amherst between 2010 and 2014, burning about 604 acres in total. 3 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 3 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 2 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 June 2012 | Natural | 400 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS 2012-4 |
| 1 June 2010 | Natural | 120 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS 10 |
| 10 May 2014 | Natural | 75 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS14-17 |
| 4 April 2013 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS 2013-2 |
| 10 April 2010 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | 1004101 |
| 11 March 2014 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS14-7 |
| 22 February 2010 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | GRASS 2 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
55 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Amherst in 55 storm reports between 1997 and 2025: 42 thunderstorm wind, 12 hail, 1 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2003 | Hail | Amherst | $150,000 | The public reported golfball to baseball size hail in and around town. The hail damaged homes and buildings, knocked out windows, and damaged vehicles. The storm also resulted in significant crop damage between Sudan and Amherst. |
| October 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | $50,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind gusts damaged the roofs and siding of several homes. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | $26,000 | Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet stations measured wind gusts ranging from 58 mph south of Olton to 81 mph near Amherst. Damage was noted to about a dozen power poles and a few dilapidated outbuildings. |
| August 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | $15,000 | The public estimated that thunderstorm wind gusts near 70 mph accompanied very heavy rainfall in Amherst around 16:15 CST. These estimates were confirmed by a nearby Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet station which measured a 73 mph gust just east of the town. At least one irrigation pivot was destroyed by the winds north of Amherst. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | $15,000 | Strong thunderstorm wind blew down several utility poles. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured severe wind gusts from 1842 CST through 1844 CST. A peak wind gust of 81 mph was measured at 1843 CST. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Amherst | - | A trained spotter reported quarter size hail at the intersection of Farm to Market Road 37 and US Highway 385 north of Littlefield. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured severe wind gusts from 1635 CST through 1640 CST. A peak wind gust of 62 mph was measured at 1636 CST. |
| September 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured a wind gust of 60 mph. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Two separate severe thunderstorms affected Amherst in close proximity in time. The first storm produced severe wind gusts from 1645 CST through 1650 CST. A peak wind gust of 66 mph was measured at 1650 CST from a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Two separate severe thunderstorms affected Amherst in close proximity in time. The second storm produced severe wind gusts from 1700 CST through 1706 CST. A peak wind gust of 87 mph was measured at 1702 CST from a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet. |
| May 2022 | Hail | Amherst | - | Law enforcement in Amherst reported quarter size hail. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured a severe wind gust of 61 mph. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured a wind gust of 64 mph. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured a wind gust of 60 mph. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured severe wind gusts from 1934 CST through 1943 CST. A peak wind gust of 76 mph was measured at 1941 CST. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured a severe wind gust of 64 mph. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured intermittent severe wind gusts from 1830 CST through 1836 CST. A peak wind gust of 68 mph was measured at 1836 CST. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured severe wind gusts of 85 mph from 2037 CST through 2038 CST. |
| September 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured a severe wind gust to 61 mph. |
| September 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Amherst measured severe wind gusts from 1853 through 1854 CST. A peak wind gust of 66 mph was measured at 1853 CST. |
| March 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet station near Amherst recorded a 61 mph wind gust as a thunderstorm moved overhead. |
| June 2015 | Hail | Amherst | - | Quarter size hail was measured by a HAM radio spotter. No damage was noted. |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet station in Amherst recorded severe wind gusts of up to 60 mph. |
| May 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet station. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet station. |
| March 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet located 1NE Amherst. At 1635 CST, another Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet located 6S Olton measured a gust to 61 mph. |
| December 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by a Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site. |
| April 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet station located 1NE Amherst measured two severe wind gusts. A 59 mph gust was measured at 1945 CST followed by a gust to 64 mph at 2020 CST. |
| May 2010 | Hail | Amherst | - | Multiple reports of large hail were received from the Amherst vicinity around 13:00 CST. Initial reports indicated that quarter size hail was falling in the city at 13:00 CST. Additional reports from the broadcast media suggested that hailstones increased to the size of golfballs by 13:03 CST. No damage was reported. |
| December 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Thunderstorms produced a swath of severe winds and blowing dust over portions of Lamb County. A 76 mph gust was initially measured by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet near Amherst at 19:35 CST. A subsequent wind gust of 59 mph was measured at the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site south of Olton at 19:50 CST. No significant damages were reported. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site near Amherst recorded a thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph at 20:35 CST. No damage was reported. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | A downburst resulted in intense thunderstorm winds over portions of Lamb County around 21:30 CST. The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site near Amherst recorded a peak gust of 76 mph. No significant damages were reported. |
| April 2009 | Hail | Amherst | - | The public reported quarter size hail from a severe thunderstorm in Amherst. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Amherst | - | The public reported penny size hail in Amherst. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | |The Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet site near Amherst recorded a peak thunderstorm wind gust of 59 mph. No damage was reported. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | An isolated severe thunderstorm produced severe wind gusts up to at least 66 mph as measured by the University of Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet site near Amherst. The automated station was actually damaged and became inoperable during the storm, therefore the maximum wind gust is unknown. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by the Texas Tech/West Texas mesonet station. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | Measured by the Texas Tech/West Texas mesonet station. |
| August 2005 | Flash Flood | Amherst | - | Several areas of flooded roadway stretching from 4 to 8 miles west of Amherst, TX. One stranded motorist was rescued by First Responders. |
| June 2004 | Hail | Amherst | - | Law enforcement reported golfball size hail. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet station northeast of town measured a 77 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet station northeast of town measured a 69 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet station northeast of town measured a 77 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet station northeast of town measured a 64 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet station northeast of town measured 62 mph thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| May 2001 | Hail | Amherst | - | Dime to nickel size hail damaged crops. |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet site northeast of Amherst measured a 65 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Amherst | - | The West Texas Mesonet site northeast of Amherst measured a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Amherst | - | no account filed |
| May 2005 | Hail | Amherst | - | no account filed |
| May 1997 | Hail | Amherst | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cofferville | 4.8 miles | 9 | |
| Sudan | 7.0 miles | 9 | |
| Beck | 7.4 miles | 7 | |
| Littlefield | 8.0 miles | 8 | |
| Friendship | 8.5 miles | 7 | |
| Fieldton | 10.4 miles | 9 | |
| Lums Chapel | 13.1 miles | 7 | |
| Bainer | 13.9 miles | 9 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Amherst | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q978696 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1351078. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.



