Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 1995

Tornado Warning 23, NWS Lake Charles, LA

March 14, 1995Calcasieu Parish, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Mar 14, 1995, 6:37 PM CST for Calcasieu Parish, Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 38 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 14, 1995, 6:37 PM CST (00:37 UTC)
Expired
Mar 14, 1995, 7:15 PM CST
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Calcasieu Parish, LA, Jefferson Davis Parish, LA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 14, 6:55 PM CSTTornado F0Holmwood, LATornado touched down in a rice field.

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 18 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 1995-03-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 767 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 1995-03-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -19 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
767 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1085 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
0 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 KLCH 150037
TORLCH
LAC019-053-150115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
637 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  715 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA
 
   ...CALCASIEU PARISH...JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH
 
AT 635 PM...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SPOTTED BY WEATHER
SERVICE EMPLOYEES 16 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LAKE CHARLES. MOVEMENT
WAS EAST AT 15 MPH.
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS 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, Mar 14, 3:04 PM CST, 3 hours 33 minutes before
TXZ165-201-181-511-215-182-152-216-167-166-180-142300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ...CORRECTED..
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
304 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...UNTIL 9 PM CST...

AT 300 PM...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTREME WESTERN LOUISIANA FROM FORT
POLK TO MANSFIELD. THIS AREA WAS MOVING NORTH AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

ANOTHER AREA OF RAINSHOWERS STRETCHED ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS FROM
COLLEGE STATION...NORTH TO CORSICANA.  THIS AREA OF SHOWERS WAS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS WERE DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS NEAR
WOODVILLE...WITH LITTLE MOVEMENT.

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN UNSTABLE AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE AREA DRIFTS SLOWLY SOUTHEASTWARD OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
AREAS OF SHOWERS CAN DEVELOP INTO THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY OVER AND NEAR
THE WATCH AREA...AND COULD PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER WITH VERY LITTLE
NOTICE .

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
UPDATES AND WARNINGS AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

JH

NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 14, 3:12 PM CST, 3 hours 25 minutes before
TXZ165-201-181-511-215-182-152-216-167-166-180-142300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ...CORRECTED..
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
304 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...UNTIL 9 PM CST...

AT 300 PM...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTREME WESTERN LOUISIANA FROM FORT
POLK TO MANSFIELD. THIS AREA WAS MOVING NORTH AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

ANOTHER AREA OF RAINSHOWERS STRETCHED ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS FROM
COLLEGE STATION...NORTH TO CORSICANA.  THIS AREA OF SHOWERS WAS
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS WERE DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS NEAR
WOODVILLE...WITH LITTLE MOVEMENT.

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN UNSTABLE AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW
PRESSURE AREA DRIFTS SLOWLY SOUTHEASTWARD OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
AREAS OF SHOWERS CAN DEVELOP INTO THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY OVER AND NEAR
THE WATCH AREA...AND COULD PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER WITH VERY LITTLE
NOTICE .

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
UPDATES AND WARNINGS> AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

JH

NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 14, 4:33 PM CST, 2 hours 4 minutes before
TXZ165-201-511-215-182-152-216-180-150030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
433 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 430 PM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED
IN HARDIN COUNTY. A RESIDENT IN THE COMMUNITY OF THICKET REPORTED
MARBLE-SIZED HAIL FROM THIS THUNDERSTORM.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST NEAR 15 MPH.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM NEAR WESTERN NACOGDOCHES COUNTY TO
TYLER TEXAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

RESIDENTS ACROSS EAST AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO CHANGING
AND THREATENING WEATHER.  STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND
SMALL HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADAR OR LOCAL NEWS SOURCES FOR
FURTHER UPDATES OR WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

COLBY

&
NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 14, 5:29 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
TXZ165-201-181-511-215-182-152-216-167-166-180-150130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
529 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST AND SOUTHEAST
TEXAS...AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...UNTIL 9 PM CST...

AT 525 PM CST...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS BUILDING OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS BETWEEN HOUSTON...AND
WOODVILLE...AND LUFKIN.  THESE STORMS WERE DRIFTING SLOWLY TO THE
EAST...PRODUCING MARBLE SIZED HAIL.

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER EAST AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE AS AN
UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA DRIFTS SLOWLY OVER THE AREA TO THE
SOUTHEAST.  SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND DISSIPATE
RAPIDLY OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE EVENING...SOME PRODUCING LARGE HAIL
AND ISOLATED GUSTY WINDS BEFORE DYING OUT.

RESIDENTS OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS EVENING...AND STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES OR WARNINGS AS REQUIRED.

JH

NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 14, 6:17 PM CST, 20 minutes before
TXZ165-201-181-511-215-182-152-216-167-166-180-150115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
620 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR EAST AND
SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 620 PM DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED FROM JUST WEST OF WOODVILLE TO SOUR LAKE TO TRINITY BAY TO NEAR
GALVESTON. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN EXTREME
NORTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY NEAR THE COMMUNITIES OF NOME AND CHINA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DRIFTING EASTWARD NEAR 15 MPH.

OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT...THE MID COUNTY
AREA...KOUNTZE...AND SILSBEE CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL...DEADLY CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES OR
WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

COLBY

NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 14, 6:20 PM CST, 17 minutes before
TXZ165-201-181-511-215-182-152-216-167-166-180-150115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
620 PM CST TUE MAR 14 1995

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR EAST AND
SOUTHEAST TEXAS UNTIL 900 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 620 PM DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED FROM JUST WEST OF WOODVILLE TO SOUR LAKE TO TRINITY BAY TO NEAR
GALVESTON. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN EXTREME
NORTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY NEAR THE COMMUNITIES OF NOME AND CHINA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DRIFTING EASTWARD NEAR 15 MPH.

OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT...THE MID COUNTY
AREA...KOUNTZE...AND SILSBEE CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL...DEADLY CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES OR
WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

COLBY

NNNN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 14, 7:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHCalcasieu, Jefferson Davis66 min
Mar 14, 8:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen, Beauregard48 min
Mar 14, 8:46 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJefferson Davis59 min
Mar 15, 2:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJefferson Davis56 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 1995Every tornado warning in 1995Tornadoes in 1995

Sources

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