Alert archive / Louisiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 1987

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS New Orleans, LA

November 16, 1987Catahoula Parish, Concordia Parish, Louisiana

NWS New Orleans, LA issued this flash flood warning at Nov 16, 1987, 12:40 PM CST for Catahoula Parish, Concordia Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 1987, 12:40 PM CST (18:40 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 1987, 5:00 PM CST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS New Orleans, LA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Catahoula Parish, LA, Concordia Parish, LA

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 178 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1987-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 166 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 1987-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 412 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
166 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-109 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
707 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
412 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
733 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KBTR 161842
FFWBTR
LAC025-029-162300-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BATON ROUGE LA
1240 PM CST MON NOV 16 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 5 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING PARISH...

IN EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA
          ...CATAHOULA...CONCORDIA

RADARS SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS ARE MOVING THROUGH
CATAHOULA AND CONCORDIA PARISHS.  HEAVY RAINS WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLOODING IN THESE PARISHES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL
HOURS.

FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 16, 9:46 AM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
945 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ASSUMPTION LOWER ST MARTIN ST MARY
AND ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA UNTIL 2 PM CST...

AT 930 AM CST NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED FROM THESE PARISHES.

RADAR WAS SHOWING THUNDERSTORMS FROM VICKSBURG MISSISSIPPI SOUTH ALONG
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE SIMMSPORT LOUISIANA AREA.

PATCHY LIGHT RAIN CONTINUED FROM THE MONTICELLO MISSISSIPPI AREA SOUTH
JUST EAST OF MC COMB MISSISSIPPI TO NEAR BOGALUSA LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 9:57 AM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BATON ROUGE LA
955 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PEOPLE IN AVOYELLES...CATAHOULA...
CONCORDIA...IBERVILLE...POINTE COUPEE...ST LANDRY...AND WEST FELICIANA
UNTIL 2 PM CST...

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CATAHOULA PARISH UNTIL 1215
PM CST...WITH REPORTS IN EXCESS OF 10 INCHES OF RAIN.

RADAR SHOWED A 25 MILE WIDE BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN FROM CATAHOULA AND CONCORDIA PARISHES ACROSS AVOYELLES INTO
ST LANDRY PARISH.  OTHER VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER
POINTE COUPEE AND WEST FELICIANA PARISHES. THE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
WAS MOVING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST.

HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS
IN THE ABOVE PARISHES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF LOUISIANA...
INCLUDING AVOYELLES...CATAHOULA...CONCORDIA...AND ST LANDRY PARISHES.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 10:41 AM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1045 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ASSUMPTION LOWER ST MARTIN ST MARY
AND ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA UNTIL 2 PM CST...

AT 1030 AM CST NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED FROM THESE PARISHES.

RADAR WAS SHOWING VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM VICKSBURG MISSISSIPPI
SOUTH ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO NATCHEZ AND EXTENDING WEST INTO
CENTRAL LOUISIANA BETWEEN ALEXANDRIA AND MONROE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING BETWEEN MC COMB AND HATTIESBURG IN
SOUTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 11:34 AM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1130 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD
SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS LOUISIANA...

VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS OVER THE BAYOU STATE TODAY
WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND SOUTHEAST PORTION
INTO THE EARLY NIGHTTIME HOURS.  SEVERE WEATHER WAS REPORTED OVER
PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN LOUISIANA LAST NIGHT INTO THIS
MORNING INCLUDING EXCESSIVE RAINS WHICH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING
IN SOME SECTIONS. THE GREATEST THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS FROM
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA NORTHEASTWARD INTO NORTHEAST SECTIONS THROUGH
EARLY AFTERNOON.  THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL INCREASE EASTWARD
THROUGH SOUTHCENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA THIS AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUE IN SOUTHEAST SECTIONS EARLY TONIGHT.

THIS OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS
ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED DEEP COLD
TROUGH ALOFT NOW MOVING EASTWARD THROUGH TEXAS.  THIS IS A
VERY DANGEROUS STORM SYSTEM AND PERSONS ARE ADVISED TO KEEP
ABREAST OF THE LATEST WARNINGS...WATCHES AND STATEMENTS ISSUED
BY LOCAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.  PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY.  FLASH FLOOD WATCHES
CONTINUE OVER NORTHERN AND WESTERN LOUISIANA THROUGH THIS
AFTERNOON WITH PORTIONS OF THE STATE UNDER A TORNADO WATCH THROUGH
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WITH ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES LIKELY
THIS AFTERNOON.

ALSO...AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT TIDES WILL INCREASE TO ABOVE NORMAL
ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST THIS AFTERNOON CONTINUING INTO THE
EVENING HOURS ALO@NG THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 11:35 AM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1145 AM CST MON NOV 16 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ASSUMPTION LOWER ST MARTIN ST MARY
AND ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA UNTIL 2 PM CST...

WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING FROM ATCHAFALAYA BAY NORTHEAST
ACROSS HAMMOND TO BOGALUSA LOUISIANA.

SCATTERED STGRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM JUST EAST OF
VICKSBURG SOUTHWESAT ACROSS ALEXANDRIA LOUISIANA INTO EAST TEXAS.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 12:11 PM CST, 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BATON ROUGE LA
1215 PM CST MON NOV 16 1987

....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA
UNTIL 8 PM THIS MONDAY EVENING...

RADAR SHOWED THE THUNDERSTORMS ACROS EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA HAS
DECREASED DURING THE PAST HOUR.  HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING
WEST OF THE AREA AND WILL MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS ALL OF EAST CENTRAL
LOUISIANA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS OVER ALL
OF EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WIND GUST TO 46
MPH WAS RECORDED AT RYAN AIRPORT DURING THE PAST HOUR.  PEOPLE IN EAST
CENTRAL LOUISIANA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR SEVnERE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY FOR A LARGE PART OF LOUISIANA
INCLUDING AVOYELLES...CATAHOULA...CONCORDIA...AND ST LANDRY PARISHES...

The office that day

Everything else NWS New Orleans, LA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 15, 10:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXAvoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia60 min
Nov 16, 12:00 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXCatahoula, Concordia60 min
Nov 16, 8:15 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningLIXCatahoula4 hr
Nov 16, 12:20 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXAvoyelles, Saint Landry70 min
Nov 16, 12:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXConcordia, Pointe Coupee, West Feliciana65 min
Nov 16, 12:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXIberville65 min
Nov 16, 2:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXEast Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, West Baton Rouge60 min
Nov 16, 2:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXLivingston, Saint Helena53 min
Nov 16, 2:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXAscension53 min
Nov 16, 3:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXAssumption, Iberia, Saint Martin, St. Mary58 min
Nov 16, 3:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXAscension, Livingston40 min
Nov 16, 4:37 PM CSTTornado WarningLIXWashington68 min
Nov 16, 5:52 PM CSTTornado WarningLIXLafourche, Saint Charles68 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Louisiana, 1987Every flash flood warning in 1987

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.