Alert archive / Louisiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 38, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 12, 1990LaSalle Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 12, 1990, 3:50 PM CDT for LaSalle Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 12, 1990, 3:50 PM CDT (20:50 UTC)
Expired
May 12, 1990, 4:50 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County LaSalle 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, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 200 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 1990-05-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1655 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 1990-05-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 280 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1655 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
555 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
280 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
430 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.6
Supercell composite
16.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KESF 112055 COR
SVRESF
LAC059-122150-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ...CORRECTED PARISH CODE AND PARISH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALEXANDRIA LA
350  PM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALEXANDRIA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 450 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING PARISHES...

IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA
          ...LASALLE

AT 345 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR GEORGETOWN IN NORTHERN GRANT PARISH
THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN  LASALLE PARISH...HEAVY
RAIN STRONG WINDS AND HAIL POSSIBLE FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM...

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, May 12, 12:17 PM CDT, 3 hours 33 minutes before
TXZ033-047-121815-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
1217 PM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR MUCH OF EAST TEXAS UNTIL 2PM CDT.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE TEXAS PORTION OF THE WATCH
AREA SINCE SINCE A SEVERE STORM MOVED ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN 7 AND
9AM THIS MORNING.

AT NOON RADAR SHOWS LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINS MOVING QUICKLY ACROSS THE
WATCH AREA AT 45 TO 50 MPH.  DUE TO THE FAST MOVEMENT RAINFALL SHOULD
BE BRIEF ALTHOUGH IT COULD BECOME HEAVY IF THUNDERSTORMS ONCE AGAIN
DEVELOPE.
DJ

NNNN
Special weather statement, May 12, 12:32 PM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
LAZ005-006-007-008-011-012-121845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1235 AM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM CDT THAT INCLUDES
   VERNON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND GRANT...LA SALLE
   ...AND RAPIDES PARISHES IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VERNON PARISH FOR THIS
   AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 1230 AM VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
LOUISIANA AND PART OF EAST TEXAS. THEY WERE GENERALLY NORTH OF AN
ALEXANDRIA...LUFKIN TEXAS LINE.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 44 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 12, 12:36 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
LAZ005-006-007-008-011-012-121845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1235 PM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM CDT THAT INCLUDES
   VERNON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND GRANT...LA SALLE
   ...AND RAPIDES PARISHES IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VERNON PARISH FOR THIS
   AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 1230 PM VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
LOUISIANA AND PART OF EAST TEXAS. THEY WERE GENERALLY NORTH OF AN
ALEXANDRIA...LUFKIN TEXAS LINE.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 12, 1:37 PM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before
LAZ005-006-007-008-011-012-121945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
135 PM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM CDT THAT INCLUDES
   VERNON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND GRANT...LA SALLE
   ...AND RAPIDES PARISHES IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VERNON PARISH FOR THIS
   AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 130 PM VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN
LOUISIANA FROM WINNFIELD TO NEAR SHREVEPORT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS
NORTH OF A LINE FROM ALEXANDRIA TO DE RIDDER TO GALVESTON TEXAS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 12, 2:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
TXZ033-046-122030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
223 PM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

THE TORNADO WATCH ISSUED EARLIER FOR MUCH OF EAST AND NORTHEAST TEXAS
HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 9PM CDT TONIGHT.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN DEEP EAST TEXAS SINCE THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVED INTO LOUISIANA AROUND 9AM CDT.  AT 220PM CDT
RADAR SHOWS A FEW RAIN SHOWERS BETWEEN HOUSTON AND BEAUMONT EXTENDING
NORTHWARD INTO THE EAST TEXAS LAKES AREA.  SHOWERS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  A FEW STRONGER STORMS WERE DEVELOPING ON THE
LOUISIANA SIDE OF LAKE TOLEDO BEND.

DJ

NNNN
Special weather statement, May 12, 2:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
LAZ005-006-007-008-011-012-122040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
235 PM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THAT INCLUDES
   VERNON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND GRANT...LA SALLE
   ...AND RAPIDES PARISHES IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VERNON PARISH FOR THIS
   AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 225 PM VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ACROSS CENTRAL LOUISIANA
FROM MANY TO WINNFIELD.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMOS
WERE SCATTERED ACROSS NORTHERN..CENTRAL AND..AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lake Charles, LA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 12, 7:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHGrant60 min
May 12, 10:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHGrant, Rapides60 min
May 12, 2:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHGrant, LaSalle60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Louisiana, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.