Alert archive / Louisiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS New Orleans, LA

June 28, 1989Iberia Parish, Saint Martin Parish, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana

NWS New Orleans, LA issued this flash flood warning at Jun 28, 1989, 7:57 AM CDT for Iberia Parish, Saint Martin Parish, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 28, 1989, 7:57 AM CDT (12:57 UTC)
Expired
Jun 28, 1989, 10:00 AM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS New Orleans, LA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Iberia Parish, LA, Saint Martin Parish, LA, St. Mary 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

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 156 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1989-06-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 229 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1989-06-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -25 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
229 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
607 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
5 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KNEW 281258
FFWNEW
LAC045-099-101-281500-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
757 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW ORLEANS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING PARISHES...
 
IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
          ...IBERIA...ST.MARTIN...ST.MARY
 
RADAR AND SATELLITE INDICATE A LINE OF THUNDERSTORM EXTENDING
NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ACROSS BATON ROUGE AND ACROSS IBERIA PARISH.
THIS LINE HAS BEEN STATIONARY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS WITH HEAVY
RAIN DREDGING THE AREA. HEAVY RAINS IN EXCESS OF FIVE INCHES HAVE BEEN
REPORTED AND FLASH FLOODING IS ALREADY OCCURING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
A 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, Jun 28, 3:47 AM CDT, 4 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
340 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATACH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING PARISHES IN
   SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA  ASSUMPTION.. IBERIA.. NORTH SAFOURCHE.. ST JAMES
   ST JOHN THE BAPTIST.. ST MARTIN.. ST MARY AND TANGIPAHOA...

A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS OCCURRING FROM JACKSON
MISSISSIPPI SOUTHACROSS MC COMB TO BATON ROUGE TO MORGAN CITY TO THE
COASTLINE SOUTH OF HOUMA. THE AREA IS MOVING SLOWLY EAST.
PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AEA ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR
TGEIR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO. BE
PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE EVENT" THAT FLOODING BEGINS
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

ELSEWHERE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH PATCHY LIGHT RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 4:41 AM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
440 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING PARISHES IN
   SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA  ASSUMPTION.. IBERIA.. NORTH LAFOURCHE.. ST JAMES
   ST JOHN THE BAPTIST.. ST MARTIN.. ST MARY AND TANGIPAHOA...

A BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS OCCURRING FROM JACKSON
MISSISSIPPI SOUTH TO JUST  WEST OF MC COMB. LARGE PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN
WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS A LARGE
PART OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA.

PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AEA ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THEIR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHE[R RADIO. BE
PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE EVENT THAT FLOODING BEGINS
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

ELSEWHERE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH PATCHY LIGHT RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHCENTRAL LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 4:43 AM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BATON ROUGE LA
440 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA
FOR TODAY...

RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN WEST OF A LINE FROM JACKSON MS TO MC COMB MS TO DENHAM SPRING TO
NEAR HOUMA.  THE AREA EXTENDED WESTWARD TO NEAR A FORT POLK/LAKE CHARLES
LINE.  HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE MOVING NORTHWARD ACROSS MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL
LOUISIANA WEST OF THE BATON ROUGE METROPOLITAN AREA. THIS HAS RESULTED
IN THE FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS.

IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE THE LAST HEAVY RAIN PASSED OVER THE BATON
ROUGE METROPOLITAN AREA...SO MOST OF THE STREETS HAVE BECOME PASSABLE.
HOWEVER...RADAR SHOWED SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL TO THE SOUTH OF THE CITY
AND THIS RAINFALL WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE METROPOLITAN AREA IN THE
NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS...MAKING TRAVELING HAZARDOUS AGAIN.  THIS SITUATION
WILL CONTIN\UE THROUGH THE MORNING RUSH HOUR...SO MOTORISTS SHOULD ALLOW
EXTRA TIME TO GET TO AND FROM WORK.

REMEMBER...DO NOT ATTEMP TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS.  MOST DEATHS
ASSOCIATED WITH FLASH FLOODING ARE AUTOMOBILE RELATED.
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 5:37 AM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
540 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING PARISHES IN
   SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA  ASSUMPTION.. IBERIA.. NORTH LAFOURCHE.. ST JAMES
   ST JOHN THE BAPTIST.. ST MARTIN.. ST MARY AND TANGIPAHOA...

PATCHY RAIN WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED
FROM JACKSON SOUTHWET TO NEAR ALEXANDRIA LOUISIANA THEN SOUTH TO THE
COSTLINE SOUTH OF LAFAYETTE.

PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AEA ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THEIR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO. BE
PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE EVENT THAT FLOODING BEGINS
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 6:37 AM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
630 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING PARISHES IN
   SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA  ASSUMPTION.. IBERIA.. NORTH LAFOURCHE.. ST JAMES
   ST JOHN THE BAPTIST.. ST MARTIN.. ST MARY AND TANGIPAHOA...

LIGHT RAIN WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WAS OCCURRING ALONG A BROAD
BAND FROM VICKSBURG MISSISSIPPI SOUTH ACROSS SIMMESPORT TO BATON ROUGE
TO THE COASTLINE NEAR VERMILLION AND ATCHAFALAYA BAYS.

PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AEA ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THEIR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO. BE
PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE EVENT THAT FLOODING BEGINS
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 7:40 AM CDT, 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
730 AM CDT WED JUN 28 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING PARISHES IN
   SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA  ASSUMPTION.. IBERIA.. NORTH LAFOURCHE.. ST JAMES
   ST JOHN THE BAPTIST.. ST MARTIN.. ST MARY AND TANGIPAHOA...

LIGHT RAIN WITH SCATTERED TO OCCASIONALLY NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WAS
OCCURRING FROM BETWEEN MONROE AND JACKSON MISSISSIPPI SOUTH ACROSS
NATCHEZ TO THE BATON ROUGE AND LAFAYETTE AREAS. THE STRONGER
THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM NEAR WOODVILLE MISSISSIPPI SOUTH ACROSS BATON
ROUGE BETWEEN LAFAYETTE AND THIBODAUX.

PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THEIR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO. BE
PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE EVENT THAT FLOODING BEGINS
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 27, 11:46 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLIXEast Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Baton Rouge4 hr
Jun 27, 11:46 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLIXIberville4 hr
Jun 28, 5:50 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLIXEast Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana4 hr
Jun 28, 9:55 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLIXEast Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, West Feliciana4 hr
Jun 28, 9:55 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLIXEast Baton Rouge, Iberville4 hr
Jun 28, 10:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLIXIberia, Saint Martin, St. Mary4 hr
Jun 28, 5:02 PM CDTTornado WarningLIXAvoyelles43 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Louisiana, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989

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.