Alert archive / Louisiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 11, NWS New Orleans, LA

December 3, 1990Lafourche Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

NWS New Orleans, LA issued this flash flood warning at Dec 3, 1990, 2:22 AM CST for Lafourche Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 3, 1990, 2:22 AM CST (08:22 UTC)
Expired
Dec 3, 1990, 5:30 AM CST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS New Orleans, LA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Lafourche Parish, LA, Terrebonne 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

Slidell Radar S, LA (KSIL), launched 00:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 128 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, Slidell Radar S, LA at 00:00Z on 1990-12-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 20 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, Slidell Radar S, LA at 00:00Z on 1990-12-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 130 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
20 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-117 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
847 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
130 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
155 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KNEW 030837
FFWNEW
LAC057-089-109-031130-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
222 AM CST MON DEC 3 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW ORLEANS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 AM CST
FOR RESIDENTS IN THE FOLLOWING PARISHES
 
IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA
 
   ...NORTHERN LAFOURCHE PARISH...ST.CHARLES PARISH
   ...NORTHERN TERREBONNE PARISH
 
AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN HAS PERSISTED OVER A
SMALL AREA OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA FROM THE HOUMA AREA NORTH ACROSS THE
SCHRIEVER AND THIBADAUX AREAS INTO ST. CHARLES PARISH. PRECIPITATION
ESTIMATES FROM RADAR INDICATES 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS LIKELY FALLEN
ACROSS THIS AREA SINCE 1100 PM. THE LAFOURCHE SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTS
THAT WATER HAS ENTERED SEVERAL HOMES IN NORTHERN LAFOURCHE PARISH. AT
23O AM RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTING OVER THE AREA WITH
ADDITIONAL FLOODING OF ROADWAYS AND SOME HOMES POSSIBLE. THE AREA OF
THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST.
 
REMEMBER MOST FATALITIES IN FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT
DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY
ESPECIALLY NEAR CANALS AND DRAINAGE DITCHES. 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.

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, Dec 3, 12:55 AM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
LAZ010-012-013-014-030750-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1255 PM CST MON DEC 3 1990

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED BETWEEN
VERMILLION AND ATCHAFALAYA BAYS AND THE NEW ORLEANS AREA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

IN ADDITION THESE THUNDERSTORMS AREA CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MORE HEAVY
RAINFALL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WIND...AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF SMALL HAIL. MARINE INTERESTS ALONG INLAND LAKES AND COASTAL WATERS
AREA ADVISED TO KEEP ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER.

MOTORISTS IN THE METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AREA ARE ADVISED TO KEEP
ALERT FOR FLOODING OF STREETS AND OVERPASSES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE
THROUGH HIGH WATER.

THIS ACTIVITY WAS EMBEDDED IN A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT RAIN THAT
COVERED MOST OF E\ASTERN LOUISIANA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Dec 3, 12:59 AM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
LAZ006-008-009-030730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BATON ROUGE LA
1255 AM CST MON DEC 3 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...

RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS OVER MOST OF
EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA FROM SOUTH OF HOUMA...MORGAN CITY AND LAFAYETTE
NORTH TO NEAR FORT POLK AND ALEXANDRIA...NATCHEZ AND MC COMB MS.  THE
STRONGEST STORMS WERE NEAR OPELOUSAS AND FROM MORGAN CITY TO LA PLACE.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

PEOPLE IN EAST CENTRAL LOUISIANA CAN EXPECT STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY
RAIN WITH FLOODING OF STREETS AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE SOME HAIL _THIS MORNING AS A STRONG COLD FRONT
APPROACHES THE STATE FROM THE NORTHWEST.
Special weather statement, Dec 3, 1:06 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
LAZ010-012-013-014-030750-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...COR TO TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1255 AM CST MON DEC 3 1990

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED BETWEEN
VERMILLION AND ATCHAFALAYA BAYS AND THE NEW ORLEANS AREA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

IN ADDITION THESE THUNDERSTORMS AREA CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MORE HEAVY
RAINFALL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WIND...AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF SMALL HAIL. MARINE INTERESTS ALONG INLAND LAKES AND COASTAL WATERS
AREA ADVISED TO KEEP ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER.

MOTORISTS IN THE METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AREA ARE ADVISED TO KEEP
ALERT FOR FLOODING OF STREETS AND OVERPASSES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE
THROUGH HIGH WATER.
THIS ACTIVITY WAS EMBEDDED IN A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT RAIN THAT
CiOVERED MOST OF EASTERN LOUISIANA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Dec 3, 1:44 AM CST, 38 minutes before
LAZ010-012-013-014-030850-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
145 AM CST MON DEC 3 1990

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED BETWEEN
VERMILLION AND ATCHAFALAYA BAYS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

IN ADDITION THESE THUNDERSTORMS AREA CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MORE HEAVY
RAINFALL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WIND...AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF SMALL HAIL. MARINE INTERESTS ALONG INLAND LAKES AND COASTAL WATERS
ARE ADVISED TO KEEP ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER.

MOTORISTS IN THE METROPOLITAN NEW ORLEANS AREA ARE ADVISED TO KEEP
ALERT FOR FLOODING OF STREETS AND OVERPASSES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE
THROUGH HIGH WATER.

THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS OCCURRING IN THUNDERSTORMS CLUSTERS
SOUTHWEST OF THIBODAUX...AND BETWEEN HOUMA AND WEST LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

THIS ACTIVITY WAS EMBEDDED IN A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT RAIN THAT COVERED
MOST OF EASTERN LOUISIANA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Local storm report, Dec 3, 2:09 AM CST, 13 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
205 AM CDT MON DEC 2 1990

1215AM CST  SCHRIEVER...TERREBONE PARISH. TWO MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED BY
            THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS. REPORT FROM TERREBONE PARISH
            SHERIFFS OFFICE.
Special weather statement, Dec 3, 2:21 AM CST, 1 minute before
LAZ006-008-009-030730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BATON ROUGE LA
220 AM CST MON DEC 3 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE  MOVING ACROSS MOST OF EAST CENTRAL
LOUISIANA...

RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
HOUMA...MORGAN CITY AND LAFAYETTE NORTHWARD ACROSS BATON ROUGE...DENHAM
SPRINGS AND OPELOUSAS CONTINUING TO NEAR ALEXANDRIA...NATCHEZ MS AND
MC COMB MS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 20 MPH.

AS THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA...THEY WILL PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL.  THE HEAVY RAIN MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF STREETS...UNDERPASSES
AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS.  MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION
AND NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADWAYS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY
CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
.
THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAUSED BY A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT IS ENTERING
NORTHWEST LOUISIANA THIS MORNING AND WILL MOVE THROUGH THE BATON ROUGE
AREA SOMETIME AFTER NOON TODAY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 3, 2:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningLIXSaint Charles3 hr
Dec 3, 4:24 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXOrleans, Saint Tammany66 min
Dec 3, 5:18 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLIXWashington57 min
Dec 3, 6:32 AM CSTTornado WarningLIXLafourche, Saint Charles58 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Louisiana, 1990Every flash flood 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.