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Panhandle, Texas

6 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1986. It stands in the Panhandle census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79068. The Survey maps it on the Panhandle West quadrangle. 2,378 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,458 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Panhandle within Carson County

On record in Panhandle

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 3 records

Population over time

2 figures

Panhandle fell from 2,452 to 2,378 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.

YearPeople Change
20102,452
20202,378-74 (-3%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 6 printed sheets

Matched 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.

Photographs

2 photographs, 2014

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Part of a large wind farm in rural Carson County in the Texas panhandle
Part of a large wind farm in rural Carson County in the Texas panhandle
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress
One of many "forever roads" in the Texas panhandle
One of many "forever roads" in the Texas panhandle
Highsmith, Carol M, 2014. Library of Congress

Fires near this place

42 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 42 fires within 5 miles of Panhandle between 2006 and 2020, burning about 2,154 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 3 were 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
Missing data/not specified/undetermined16
Equipment and vehicle use8
Debris and open burning5
Smoking3
Arson/incendiarism3
Natural2
Railroad operations and maintenance2
Recreation and ceremony2
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
25 September 2015Smokingunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWY 60 AND CR 12 GRASS FIRE 67
19 August 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined4.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWY 60 AND COUNTY ROAD R
27 July 2017Smoking1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWY 60 & CR 12
8 June 2017Natural1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFM 2462 AND COUNTY ROAD 9
28 June 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceTRAIN VS. TRAIN, PANHANDLE,TX
22 June 2006Natural25 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
20 June 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceSPOT FIRES BNSF
2 June 2017Equipment and vehicle use1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Service3 MILES EAST OF PANHANDLE ON HWY 60

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Carson County

Storms near this place

60 of 224 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Panhandle in 224 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 145 hail, 49 thunderstorm wind, 15 tornado, 10 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2001Tornado (F3)Panhandle$250,000The tornado destroyed an office building associated with a grain elevator...unroofed and severely damaged a nearby home...and tossed a pickup truck and suburban about fifty and one hundred yards respectively. Several cattle and one horse were reported killed or injured from the tornado. As many as fifty power poles and transmission lines were brought down from the storm. The tornado path and width were estimated and an official damage survey was made on the tornado.
July 1995HailPanhandle$200,000no account filed
July 1995HailPanhandle$75,000no account filed
April 2001HailPanhandle$70,000no account filed
September 2025Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$60,000Thunderstorm winds knocked down eight power poles near County Road M and 14.
September 2002Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$60,000Trucks were reported blown off the roadway and there was extensive damage to a home west of Panhandle when a large tree fell on the home.
August 1993Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$50,000no account filed
April 2007Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$34,000High winds snapped power lines and knocked over a semi-trailer truck. Also...a roof was reportedly blown off of a farm house about five miles southwest of Panhandle. No injuries were reported.
October 2002Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$30,000Damaging winds destroyed a storage building and blew a trampoline roughly four hundred yards and destroyed it.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$20,000no account filed
April 2003Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$15,000Power lines were reportedly blown down.
April 2003Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$10,000A police car side window was reportedly blown out.
April 2009Tornado (EF0)Panhandle$8,000The Carson County Sheriff's Office reported that the tornado touched down around 1736 CST near County Road 14 between Texas State Highway 207 and County Road M...about two miles north northwest of Panhandle. Six power poles were snapped and facing south. The base of the tornado was approximately seventy-five feet wide and the tornado lasted only about thirty seconds before lifting. Sparks were visible...which accounted for the power poles being snapped. The tornado may have touched down for a second time around 1739 CST. The movement of the tornado was likely to the southeast. Strong outflow winds to the north of the tornado circulation likely caused damage to an irrigation pivot four miles north of Panhandle.
April 2007Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$8,000High winds tore the roof off of an equipment barn. No injuries were reported.
August 2025HailPanhandle$5,000A supercell thunderstorm produced large hail across the city of Panhandle. Hail sizes ranged between golfball and 2 inches on the east side of Panhandle.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$5,000An outbuilding was damaged along with crops. Trees were also knocked over by the severe gusts.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$3,000A trained storm spotter estimated thunderstorm wind gusts around sixty-one knots about six miles north of Panhandle. These wind gusts knocked over some telephone poles.
June 2025Flash FloodPanhandle$1,000Fast moving flood waters covered County Road J just off HWY 60. Water was at least 6 to 8 inches deep.
June 2025Flash FloodPanhandle$1,000Highway 207 in Panhandle was closed with two feet of water that accumulated under the overpass.
September 2010Thunderstorm WindPanhandle$1,000The National Weather Service Office in Lubbock Texas relayed a report from a member of the public who said that two large trees were blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts about six miles north of Panhandles Texas. No injuries or other damages were reported.
April 1999HailPanhandle$1,000Texas Department of Public Safety trooper's car windshield was broken by the hail.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindPanhandle-From the station located near Panhandle.
July 2021Flash FloodPanhandle-Carson County also reported that a car was swept off the road and stranded in the ditch on Highway 207 1 mile north of Panhandle.
July 2021FloodPanhandle-Video by posted on KVII Facebook page showing nuisance street flooding.
August 2020Thunderstorm WindPanhandle-Wind farm with 10 meter wind sensor reported 61 mph wind gust.
August 2020HailPanhandle-A motorist drove into golf ball size hail along Highway 60 northeast of Panhandle.
June 2019FloodPanhandle-TXDOT closed Broadway Street in Panhandle due to street flooding.
June 2019FloodPanhandle-Emergency Manager reported localized street flooding in the Panhandle area.
June 2019HailPanhandle-Received a Facebook report of quarter size hail in Panhandle.
June 2019HailPanhandle-Accumulating hail up to the size of quarters was reported.
October 2019FloodPanhandle-Multiple roadways were reported as being water covered. These included State Highway 207 north and south of Panhandle, FM 294 north and south of White Deer, and US Highway 60 near Kingsmill.
June 2018HailPanhandle-Reports of hen egg to tennis ball size hail in Panhandle.
June 2018Flash FloodPanhandle-Significant flooding in and around Panhandle. Broadway from 1st to Elsie is impassible. 207 from 5th to the high school is impassible. One to two feet of water over the roadways.
June 2018Tornado (EF0)Panhandle-Brief landspout on ground a minute or less, reported by multiple chasers in the area.
May 2016HailPanhandle-Hail covering ground.
May 2016HailPanhandle-Dime to quarter size hail covering the road at Highway 60 and 207.
May 2016Flash FloodPanhandle-Water flowing across many roadways within and near panhandle, including US highway 60.
April 2016Thunderstorm WindPanhandle-A 61 mph wind gust was measured at the West Texas Mesonet site located near Panhandle.
May 2016HailPanhandle-Tennis ball size hail fell 1 miles east of Panhandle.
May 2016HailPanhandle-Golf ball size hail fell 5 miles west-southwest of Panhandle, along Highway 60 near County Road J.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindPanhandle-Five to six power lines were snapped and laid across the road.
April 2015HailPanhandle-Quarter size hail fell in Panhandle, Texas.
April 2015HailPanhandle-Half dollar size hail was observed and measured by an off duty National Weather Service employee at Euclid and 10th in Panhandle, Texas.
April 2015HailPanhandle-Tennis ball size hail fell 5 miles east-southeast of Panhandle.
April 2015HailPanhandle-Large amounts of quarter size hail was reported 9 miles east-southeast of Panhandle, Texas, by a storm chaser via Spotter Network.
April 2015HailPanhandle-Nickel to quarter size hail was reported in Panhandle.
July 2015Thunderstorm WindPanhandle-Thunderstorm winds caused a portion of the roof of a home to be blown off in Panhandle. Power lines were downed and two large trees were uprooted in the Panhandle area. Trees were blocking the road near 3rd and Elsie.
May 2015Flash FloodPanhandle-Law enforcement reported flash flooding in and around Panhandle. 6 to 12 inches of water covered numerous roads. This includes Highway 207 just south of town and 293 northwest of town.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindPanhandle-A bow echo moved across Carson County during the late night hours of the 19th. As this line moved over the city of Panhandle (Carson County), the KVII Schoolnet site at Panhandle Junior Highs School (Carson County) observed a 61 mph thunderstorm gust. The bow echo continued moving east across the Panhandle after producing this gust.
May 2013HailPanhandle-A supercell thunderstorm that developed along a retreating dryline in Deaf Smith and Oldham Counties tracked to the northeast across the southern Texas Panhandle. The supercell neared the city of Panhandle (Carson County) where it produced quarter size hail. Law Enforcement officials in Panhandle reported the hail. The supercell quickly moved to the northeast and weakened slightly. No damage or injuries were associated with this report.
June 2013Heavy RainPanhandle-Training thunderstorms brought heavy rain to Carson County during the morning hours of the 19th. A member of the public reported a storm total of 2.54 inches in Panhandle (Carson County).
June 2013HailPanhandle-A cluster of thunderstorms developed along a stalling cold front during the evening hours of the 8th. This cluster of thunderstorms moved to the south across the Texas Panhandle. A trained storm spotter reported nickel size hail (0.88 inch) on Farm-to-Market Road 2880 9 miles south-southwest of White Deer (Carson County). The storm that produced this hail continued moving to the south across the county after producing this hail.
June 2013Flash FloodPanhandle-Training thunderstorms brought heavy rain to Carson County during the morning hours of the 19th. This heavy rain caused flash flooding which stranded a motorist 3 miles north of Panhandle on Farm-to-Market Road 207 three miles north of Panhandle (Carson County). The flood water was reported to be 3 to 4 feet deep where the vehicle came to a rest. No injuries to the motorist were reported.
June 2013Flash FloodPanhandle-Training thunderstorms brought heavy rain to Carson County during the morning hours of the 19th. This heavy rain caused flash flooding which swept a vehicle off of County Road 293 between County Roads J and H. A high water rescue was performed and the occupants in the vehicle were rescued uninjured.
August 2013HailPanhandle-A cluster of thunderstorms moved southward across the southern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 14th. A trained storm spotter reported quarter size hail (1.00 inch) near the town of Panhandle (Carson County). The thunderstorms continued moving southward after producing this hail.
July 2010Flash FloodPanhandle-Local law enforcement officials reported that Farm to Market Road 293 west between Farm to Market Road 1342 and Farm to Market Road 2373 was closed due to high water and also that U.S. Highway 60 near Pantex was closed.
May 2009HailPanhandle-The Cooperative Observer reported nickel to quarter size hail.
August 2009HailPanhandle-The general public reported that the nickel to quarter size hail was covering the ground.
June 2008HailPanhandle-The report of hail was relayed by the National Weather Service Office in Lubbock.
June 2008HailPanhandle-The hail was accompanied by estimated wind gusts to forty-three knots.

Every storm recorded in Carson County

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 PlaceDistance Sheets
Abell5.3 miles6
Cuyler6.4 miles7
Lee6.9 miles6
Pomeroy9.4 miles7
Conway9.5 miles8
Lark12.1 miles7
Yarnall12.5 miles8
White Deer12.6 miles6

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 PanhandleAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q972961The 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 1364746. 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.