Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 1999
Tornado Warning 35, NWS Lake Charles, LA
NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 1999, 7:30 PM CST for Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 60 min. 3 reports 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 2, 1999, 7:30 PM CST (01:30 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 2, 1999, 8:30 PM CST
- In force
- 60 min
- Issued by
- NWS Lake Charles, LA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Calcasieu Parish, LA
The radar
The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 18 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:31 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 7:55 PM CST | Tornado F2 | Sulphur, LA | |
| Mar 2, 7:57 PM CST | Hail 1 | Sulphur, LA | |
| Mar 2, 8:08 PM CST | Hail 0.75 | Sulphur, LA |
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.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 4:30 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2326 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -18 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 553 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 38 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 198 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 259 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.6
- Supercell composite
- 15.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
999 WFUS1 KLCH 030131 RRA TORLCH LAC019-030230- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 730 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... CALCASIEU PARISH IN SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA * UNTIL 830 PM CST * AT 727 PM CST... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO 36 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAKE CHARLES OR 17 MILES NORTHWEST OF DEQUINCY MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. * THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR DEQUINCY BY 745 PM CST GILLIS BY 810 CST IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS OR CUSHIONS TO PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS.
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.
NWS Lake Charles, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Mar 2, 1:54 PM CST, 5 hours 36 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 1:54 PM CST, 5 hours 36 minutes before
SOUTHWEST...CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 154 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999 DIFFICULT FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON WITH FA UNDER MODERATE RISK OF SVR WX PER LATEST SWODY1. CURRENTLY...SFC LOW LOCATED NEAR PALESTINE TX WITH COOL FRONT EXTENDING SW TOWARD VCT. SHARP DWPT GRADIENT ALONG FRONT WITH DWPTS SURGING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 60S AHEAD OF FRONT OVER SE TX / LA. ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITIES MODERATE TO HIGH WITH CAPES APPROACHING 3000 J/KG OVER EAST TX WITH DAYTIME HEATING. MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM WILL BE WHEN AND WHERE TSRA INITIALLY DEVELOPS. ETA DIVES STRONG 300 MB JET STREAK INTO SC TX BY 00Z WITH LEFT FRONT QUAD OVER EASTERN TX / CENTRAL LA AND MASSIVE DIVERGENCE. LINEAR TSRA WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ALONG BOUNDARY IN WARM SECTOR... PROPAGATING EASTWARD ALONG THE FRONT DURING THE EVENING HOURS. GIVEN THE STEEP LAPSE RATES AND MODERATE LOW LEVEL SHEAR (HELICITIES AROUND 350)...ANY CONVECTION THAT DEVELOPS HAS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF BECOMING SEVERE. MAIN THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. GREATEST SVR THREAT WILL BE OVER CENTRAL LOUISIANA WHERE ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER. SQUALL LINE WILL MOVE EAST OF THE REGION AROUND 06Z WITH SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDENCE / DRYING AT ALL LEVELS. GIVEN WESTERN ZONES WILL BE RIGHT ON EDGE FOR ADEQUATE MOISTURE WILL BLEND POPS FROM WEST TO EAST WITH CENTRAL / SC LA HAVING THE BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP. WEDNESDAY WILL BE PLEASANT AS SFC HIGH MOVES INTO REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. WILL HAVE A COOL NIGHT WED WITH GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING UNDER LIGHT WINDS / DRY AIR. 12 LCH 46/61/38/67 4000 LFT 49/59/38/66 5000 AEX 42/55/32/69 6000 BPT 46/62/39/69 3000
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 2, 2:47 PM CST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-030400- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 247 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999 ...MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA...MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN LOUISIANA THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS... ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL LOUISIANA. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS IN RESPONSE TO A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED OVER EAST-CENTRAL TEXAS. THE SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE ENTIRE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ENDING. ACTIVATION OF SKYWARN STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NECESSARY LATER THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL LOUISIANA. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS SITUATION CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA. WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED THROUGH OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH.
Special weather statement, Mar 2, 2:47 PM CST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-030400- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 247 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999 ...MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA...MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN LOUISIANA THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS... ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL LOUISIANA. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS IN RESPONSE TO A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED OVER EAST-CENTRAL TEXAS. THE SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE ENTIRE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ENDING. ACTIVATION OF SKYWARN STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NECESSARY LATER THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL LOUISIANA. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS SITUATION CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA. WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED LATER TODAY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED THROUGH OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH.
Local storm report, Mar 2, 5:45 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
545 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM 7 SW BURKEVILLE TX 1.50 INCH HAIL
03/02/99 NEWTONLocal storm report, Mar 2, 5:45 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
545 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM 7 SW BURKEVILLE TX 1.50 INCH HAIL
03/02/99 NEWTONLocal storm report, Mar 2, 6:19 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
619 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0612 PM 5 W BURKEVILLE TX TORNADO
03/02/99 NEWTON SHERIFF REPORTE VISUAL
SIGHTING OF TORNADO AND MANY
TREES BLOWN DOWN BEAR HWY
63/FM 1012 INTERSECTION.Local storm report, Mar 2, 6:52 PM CST, 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
652 PM CST TUE MAR 2 1999
TIME(CST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0643 PM JUNCTION LA 1.75 INCH HAIL
03/02/99 BEAUREGARDThe office that day
Everything else NWS Lake Charles, LA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2, 6:35 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LCH | Beauregard | 60 min |
| Mar 2, 6:54 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Vernon | 66 min |
| Mar 2, 7:26 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LCH | Beauregard | 64 min |
| Mar 2, 7:45 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Rapides | 65 min |
| Mar 2, 7:58 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Allen | 47 min |
| Mar 2, 8:03 PM CST | Tornado Warning | LCH | Calcasieu | 47 min |
| Mar 2, 8:19 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Vermilion | 46 min |
| Mar 2, 8:32 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Cameron | 63 min |
| Mar 2, 8:43 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Lafayette | 47 min |
| Mar 2, 10:50 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Saint Martin | 35 min |
| Mar 2, 11:16 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | Iberia | 34 min |
| Mar 2, 11:41 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LCH | St. Mary | 64 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes in 1999
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.