Overview

• A rare meteorological event, known as a virga bomb, generated 111 mph wind gusts near Midland International Airport on April 22, 2025.
• The National Weather Service confirmed the event was a dry microburst, not a tornado, despite wind speeds equivalent to an EF2 tornado.
• The virga bomb caused significant structural damage, including downed power poles, an overturned semi-truck, roof damage, and uprooted trees in Midland and Odessa.
• Virga bombs occur when evaporating rain cools the air, causing it to rush downward at extreme speeds, and are more common in the dry air of West Texas.
• Meteorological experts are using the incident to refine detection and safety protocols, emphasizing the hazards such phenomena pose, particularly in aviation.