BlockBefore

Shallowater, Texas

10 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1986. It stands in the Shallowater census division. It lies in ZIP code area 79363. The Survey maps it on the Shallowater quadrangle. 2,964 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,294 feet above sea level.

Shallowater within Lubbock County

Population over time

2 figures

Shallowater grew from 2,484 to 2,964 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
20102,484
20202,964+480 (+19%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 10 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.

Fires near this place

74 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 74 fires within 5 miles of Shallowater between 2006 and 2018, burning about 655 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 2 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
Debris and open burning24
Missing data/not specified/undetermined22
Equipment and vehicle use10
Railroad operations and maintenance7
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Smoking2
Arson/incendiarism2
Misuse of fire by a minor1
Other causes1
Natural1

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
10 August 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Service2012-80
9 July 2016Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreTexas A & M Forest Service2016-77
4 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Service2018145
4 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined2.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Service2018137
4 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined4.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Service2018138
4 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest Service2018136
4 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest Service2018143
4 July 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest Service2018139

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Lubbock County

Storms near this place

60 of 83 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Shallowater in 83 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 51 hail, 28 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2015Thunderstorm WindShallowater$50,000A series of downbursts moved over much of Lubbock County over the span of 35 minutes. The path length included in this entry is greatly simplified considering there were multiple, complex swaths of damaging winds that spread eastward across northern and central Lubbock County. Wind gusts were measured as high as 76 mph at the Lubbock International Airport at 1816 CST. The worst damage consisted of a roof barn being blown off in Shallowater around 1810 CST. Several locations in the city of Lubbock either measured or estimated winds ranging from 59 mph to 63 mph. Some buildings in north Lubbock sustained minor roof and shingle damage, although the majority of damage reports in the city were comprised of fallen tree limbs and branches.
March 2011HailShallowater$50,000A supercell storm moved east-northeast from Hockley County and produced large hail along a swath from Shallowater to Lubbock's Preston Smith International Airport. Numerous reports of hail as large as golfballs, and briefly larger, were received. Minor damage to vehicles was reported.
June 2000HailShallowater$50,000Large hail destroyed more than 5000 acres of cotton.
May 1996HailShallowater$50,000no account filed
September 2017Thunderstorm WindShallowater$40,000Downburst winds around 75 mph downed several power lines along Farm-to-Market Road 2528 east of Shallowater. Some roof damage was also reported to a single family residence in the area.
March 2011HailShallowater$30,000The public reported baseball size hail just east of Shallowater shortly before 20:00 CST. One residence suffered damage when a skylight was broken by the hail. Damage to several roofs was additionally reported.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindShallowater$25,000Law enforcement and Skywarn storm spotters estimated thunderstorm wind gusts up to 65 mph and damage along a swath from north of Shallowater to southwest of Idalou in northern Lubbock County between 19:31 CST and 19:40 CST. Power poles and lines were downed in areas between Lubbock and Idalou along U.S. Highway 62/82. In addition, a metal roof was blown off of a structure just northeast of Lubbock.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindShallowater$15,000Strong thunderstorm winds damaged mobile homes.
June 2003Thunderstorm WindShallowater$5,000Strong thunderstorm wind blew down trees and power poles.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindShallowater$5,000no account filed
May 2015Thunderstorm WindShallowater$4,000A microburst downed a power line in Shallowater which knocked out power for SPEC customers.
December 2012Thunderstorm WindShallowater$3,000An amateur radio operator and broadcast media reported downed power lines and snapped utility poles near the corn maze along FM Road 1294.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindShallowater$2,000no account filed
March 2026Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured severe wind gusts from 1623 CST through 1638 CST. A peak wind gust of 72 mph was measured at 1638 CST.
April 2025HailShallowater-Numerous reports were received of a swath of hail from approximately Shallowater to Lubbock International Airport. Hail ranged in size from pennies to half dollar size.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindShallowater-Several Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet sites across the city of Lubbock measured severe wind gusts. A peak wind gust of 71 mph was measured at 1916 CST. A supercell thunderstorm with a history of producing numerous tornadoes ripped through the city of Lubbock causing an enormous amount of damage to homes and businesses across western and southwestern portions of the city of Lubbock. A swath of thunderstorm outflow winds and hail up to tennis ball size swept across the city. An NWS storm survey revealed roof and tree damage maximized along and north of Texas State Highway 114 consistent with maximum winds up to 115 mph. Broken windows, skylights, and additional tree and roof damage was reported as far south as Wolfforth and east into central Lubbock. Most hail reports across the southwestern portion of the city of Lubbock were between half dollar and golf ball size. However, wind gusts between 70 and 80 mph allowed this hail to become wind driven and cause extensive damage.
June 2025HailShallowater-Several reports were received of a swath of severe hail from Shallowater along US Highway 84 into northern portions of the city of Lubbock. Hail ranged in size from quarters in Shallowater to tennis ball size in Lubbock. No damage was reported at the time.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured a severe wind gust of 58 mph.
April 2024Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A porch awning and storage shed were heavily damaged near Shallowater.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured a severe wind gust of 58 mph.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A large swath of severe thunderstorm winds affected a substantial portion of Lubbock County including most of the city of Lubbock. Numerous Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet sites measured severe wind gusts from 2053 CST through 2149 CST. The first severe wind gust was measured near Shallowater at 2053 CST while the final severe wind gust was measured at 2149 CST by a mesonet four miles east of Lubbock. Additionally, the Automated Surface Observing System at Lubbock International Airport measured severe wind gusts from 2120 CST through 2126 CST with a maximum wind gust of 72 mph at 2126 CST. Maximum wind gusts from the Texas Tech University West Texas mesonets are listed below:||81 mph at Reese Center,|68 mph at Shallowater,|64 mph at Lubbock 4SE,|63 mph at New Deal, and|62 mph at Lubbock 4E.
November 2024Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured a severe wind gust of 61 mph.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A swath of severe thunderstorms winds impacted an area from north of Shallowater to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport. A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured a severe wind gust of 63 mph at 1656 CST. The Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport measured a severe wind gust of 59 mph at 1703 CST.
April 2023HailShallowater-A swath of severe hail was observed beginning northwest of Shallowater and continuing through western and southern portions of the city of Lubbock. Most hail ranged from dime to quarter size but hail up to half dollar size was reported. Additionally, copious amount of hail fell with this storm covering the ground in and around Shallowater. Area roadways became ice covered and made it look like snowfall. In some spots the hail didn't completely melt off until the next morning.
May 2023Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A swath of severe thunderstorm winds were observed from just north of Shallowater to Lubbock International Airport. A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured severe wind gusts to 59 mph from 0710 CST through 0711 CST. The Automated Surface Observing System at Lubbock International Airport measured a severe wind gust to 62 mph.
May 2023HailShallowater-Numerous reports were received of a swath of hail from north of Shallowater westward to the Lubbock/Hockley County line. Hail ranged in size from quarters to as large as baseballs. Multiple vehicles were reported as damaged along US Highway 84.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured severe wind gusts from 1929 CST through 1932 CST. A peak wind gust of 64 mph was measured at 1932 CST.
September 2023Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A swath of severe thunderstorm winds affected an area from Shallowater to Texas Tech University. On the campus of Texas Tech University, several utility poles were blown down. A Texas Tech University West Texas mesonet site near Shallowater measured a wind gust to 64 mph. Another mesonet on the campus of Texas Tech University measured severe wind gusts from 2117 CST through 2118 CST. A peak wind gust of 66 mph was measured at 2117 CST. Additionally, the Automated Surface Observing System at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport measured a severe wind gust of 61 mph at 2115 CST.
May 2021HailShallowater-Photographs on social media were received of hail up to quarter size in the town of and to the east of Shallowater.
June 2019HailShallowater-An off duty NWS employee reported ping pong ball size hail in Shallowater.
May 2019HailShallowater-A swath of hail was reported with hail sizes ranging from golf ball up to baseball. No damage was reported.
May 2019HailShallowater-A member of the public submitted a picture that showed 2.25 inch diameter hail. No damage was reported.
September 2014HailShallowater-Hail estimated up to quarter size fell between New Deal and Shallowater.
June 2014FloodShallowater-A NWS employee reported flooding of some streets in Shallowater.
October 2012HailShallowater-A trained spotter estimated quarter size hail near Shallowater. No damage was observed.
June 2012HailShallowater-An off duty NWS employee reported quarter size hail in Shallowater persisting for ten minutes. No damage was reported.
March 2011HailShallowater-A storm chaser reported golfball size hail along Farm to Market Road 179 in extreme northwestern Lubbock County.
June 2010HailShallowater-Farmers reported that dime to penny size hail destroyed 560 acres of cotton just north of Shallowater shortly after 17:30 CST.
June 2009HailShallowater-Skywarn storm spotters reported penny size hail along U.S. Highway 84 northwest of Shallowater as renewed convection developed over northwestern Lubbock County.
May 2008HailShallowater-Multiple reports of dime to nickel size hail were received as a storm impacted Shallowater just before 16:00 CST on the 27th. The hail reportedly covered the ground.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A National Weather Service CoCoRaHS observer recorded a severe thunderstorm wind gust of 62 mph with his Davis Instruments home weather station. No damage was reported.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindShallowater-A second round of thunderstorms that moved over the Lubbock metro during the 20:00 CST hour produced intermittent severe wind gusts. A public estimate of wind gusts that approached 80 mph was received from areas just northwest of Shallowater at 20:15 CST. Nearby storm spotters and mesonet sites did not confirm these extreme wind speeds, however, and no damage was reported. The storm went on to produce occasional gusts near 60 mph as it moved east-southeastward over Lubbock, however, a 58 mph wind gust was measured by the Texas Tech University West Texas Mesonet near Slaton at 20:40 CST. No significant damage was reported.
May 2007HailShallowater-|A second severe storm impacted portions of northwestern Lubbock County with large hail up to the size of nickels.
April 2007Tornado (EF0)Shallowater-Multiple public reports were received of a tornado between Shallowater and Roundup around 12:30 CST. A local farmer described observing the tornado at close range as it moved across his fields, and indicated that no damage occurred. The tornadic circulation was apparently intermittent at the ground, with a continuous funnel that visibly extended from the base of the storm for approximately ten minutes.
May 2006HailShallowater-Storm spotters reported nickel size hail on U.S. Highway 84 along the Hockley and Lubbock County line between Anton and Shallowater.
May 2006HailShallowater-Storm spotters reported quarter size hail just east of Shallowater.
August 2004HailShallowater-A retired NWS employee reported baseball size hail.
June 2003HailShallowater-A retired NWS employee reported golfball size hail.
June 2002HailShallowater-The public reported hail larger than golfball size south of town.
June 2002HailShallowater-Wind-driven hail up to golfball size destroyed more than 11,000 acres of cotton.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindShallowater-Trees were uprooted and large limbs were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds. The public estimated 70 to 80 mph winds in the area.
October 2002Flash FloodShallowater-Flooding was reported in and around Shallowater; some roads were impassable.
May 2001HailShallowater-Wind-driven hail devastated crops.
May 2000Tornado (F0)Shallowater-A storm spotter reported a tornado touchdown in an open field east of Farm-to-Market Road 179 and south of Farm-to-Market Road 2641. The tornado remained over open country during its lifetime resulting in no damage. No NWS storm survey was conducted.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindShallowater-Strong thunderstorm wind blew down 4-inch diameter tree limbs on Farm-to-Market Road 597.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindShallowater-Strong thunderstorm wind blew over a pivot sprinkler system along Farm-to-Market Road 2641 and Farm-to-Market Road 179.
May 1995HailShallowater-Early morning severe storms uprooted a few trees in northwest Bailey County. One tree fell on a house but only slightly damaged it. The public reported quarter- to golf ball-size hail near Smyer and Shallowater. Winds damaged a shed and barn near Smyer.
May 1995HailShallowater-Early morning severe storms uprooted a few trees in northwest Bailey County. One tree fell on a house but only slightly damaged it. The public reported quarter- to golf ball-size hail near Smyer and Shallowater. Winds damaged a shed and barn near Smyer.
May 2020HailShallowater-no account filed
March 2011HailShallowater-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Lubbock 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
Broadview5.2 miles10
Caldwell5.7 miles10
Reese Village6.6 miles9
West Carlisle7.6 miles10
Carlisle7.7 miles10
Hurlwood8.0 miles9
West End Place8.2 miles10
New Deal9.2 miles10

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 ShallowaterAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q975871The 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 1368047. 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.