Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Lake Charles, LA

April 28, 1991Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Apr 28, 1991, 7:02 PM CDT for Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 28 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 28, 1991, 7:02 PM CDT (00:02 UTC)
Expired
Apr 28, 1991, 7:30 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County Calcasieu Parish, LA

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 0.0 hours before the alert went out and 19 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 00:00Z on 1991-04-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2308 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 00:00Z on 1991-04-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 190 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
2308 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-72 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
581 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
190 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
195 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.4
Supercell composite
7.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLCH 290002 RRA
TORLCH
LAC019-290030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
702 PM CDT SUN APR 28 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  730 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA
 
   ...CALCASIEU PARISH
 
PUBLIC REPORTED SIGHTING OF A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR NELSON RD NEAR
SKATECITY MOVING NORTHEAST. FUNNEL DIPPED DOWN ALMOST TOUCHING
THE GROUND BEFORE RECEDING INTO THE CLOUD.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY
REINFORCED BUILDING.  GET UNDER A PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE
PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS
OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Apr 28, 3:30 PM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
TXZ033-046-048-282130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
330 PM CDT SUN APR 28 1991

TORNADO WATCHES NUMBER 224 AND 225 BLANKET ALL OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS AND THE ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 10PM CDT TONIGHT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE EAST TEXAS
LAKES AREA INCLUDING LUFKIN..NACOGDOCHES AND HEMPHILL.

AT 330PM VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ROUGHLY FROM LONGVIEW
TO SOUTH OF COLLEGE STATION.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
TO 45 MPH WHILE THE ENTIRE AREA MARCHES EASTWARD AT ABOUT 20 MPH.

LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS SYSTEM AS IT
MOVED THROUGH CENTRAL AND NORTHERN TEXAS.
 1
RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT A MINIMUM OF GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS FROM
THESE STORMS.  SPECIFIC WARNINGS WILL MOSTLY LIKELY BE NEEDED ON THE
STRONGEST OF THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS.

STAY TUNE FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
DJK

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 4:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
LAZ001>003-005>009-011>014-MSZ010-TXZ028-032-033-045>049-282240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
440 PM CDT SUN APR 28 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 425 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE SHOWN ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER MIDWAY BETWEEN BATON ROUGE AND NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI.

OTHERWISE...AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS FROM NORTH OF NATCHEZ
MISSISSIPPI...TO WELL EAST OF BATON ROUGE...TO JUST EAST OF ALEXANDRIA.

ISOLATED SHOWERS WERE SHOWN NEAR MORGAN CITY AND NEAR OAKDALE.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
Local storm report, Apr 28, 4:54 PM CDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
SEVERE STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
445 PM CDT SUN APR 28 1991

TIME      PARISH     CITY          REPORT
2:22 PM   ALLEN      KINDER        MARBLE SIZE HAIL (AZRAN 41/29)
2:50 PM   LASALLE    8 W JENA      1/2 INCH HAIL (AZRAN 31/109)
3:10 PM   LAFAYETTE  LAFAYETTE     PEA SIZE HAIL ON THE WEST SIDE OF
                                   LAFAYETTE
3:13 PM   LAFAYETTE  LAFAYETTE     1/2 TO 1 INCH HAIL IN CITY
3:15 PM   LAFAYETTE  YOUNGSVILLE   GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL (AZRAN 91/63)
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 5:16 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
TXZ033-046-048-282315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
516 PM CDT SUN APR 28 1991

TORNADO WATCHES NUMBER 224 AND 225 COVER ALL OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS AND THE ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 10PM CDT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE EAST TEXAS
LAKES AREA INCLUDING LUFKIN..NACOGDOCHES AND HEMPHILL.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ANDERSON AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES
TEXAS UNTIL 715PM CDT.  HIGH WATER WAS REPORTED OVER THE ROAD ON
HIGHWAY 294 WEST OF ELKHART IN ANDERSON COUNTY.

AT 510PM THE LEAD EDGE OF THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE NORTH OF
NACOGDOCHES ACROSS LAKE LIVINGSTON TO NORTH OF CONROE.  THE STORMS
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH WHILE THE ENTIRE AREA WAS MOVING
EASTWARD AT 20 TO 25 MPH.

HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED FROM MOST OF THESE STORMS
WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL WARNINGS.

STAY TUNE FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND WATCH INFORMATION.
DJK

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 6:46 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
LAZ001>003-005>009-011>014-MSZ010-TXZ028-032-033-045>049-290045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
640 PM CDT SUN APR 28 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 625 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE SHOWN FROM NORTHEAST
OF LAFAYETTE TO 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NATCHEZ MISSISSIPPI.

AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS SHOWN JUST SOUTHEAST
OF BATON ROUGE.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE INDICATED
FROM NEAR SHREVEPORT TO LAKE LIVINGSTON TEXAS.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 28, 9:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen32 min
Apr 28, 10:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHGrant, Rapides66 min
Apr 29, 1:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen, Evangeline59 min
Apr 29, 3:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen, Beauregard55 min
Apr 29, 4:03 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHGrant, LaSalle, Rapides3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

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.