Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 55, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 10, 1999Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at May 10, 1999, 12:03 PM CDT for Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 47 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
May 10, 1999, 12:03 PM CDT (17:03 UTC)
Expired
May 10, 1999, 12:50 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

County Saint Martin Parish, LA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 10, 12:20 PM CDTThunderstorm WindSt Martinville, 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 10, 11:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 5.1 hours before the alert went out and 153 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 1999-05-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1626 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 1999-05-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 40 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
1626 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
624 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
3.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLCH 101703 RRA
TORLCH
LAC099-101750-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1203 PM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  UPPER ST. MARTIN PARISH IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA

* UNTIL 1250 PM CDT

* AT 1202 PM CDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR
  INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 10
  MILES NORTH OF ST. MARTINVILLE OR 3 MILES SOUTH OF HENDERSON
  MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR
  HENDERSON BY 1204 PM CDT
  BUTTE LA ROSE BY 1210 PM CDT

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...SEEK SHELTER
IN AN INTERIOR ROOM jSUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE
BLANKETS...PILLOWS OR CUSHIONS TO PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM FLYING
DEBRIS.

K. KUYPER

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 May 10, 10:22 AM CDT, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 10, 10:22 AM CDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1022 AM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

COORD WITH SPC...CAN EXPECT WATCH TO BE DROPPED BEHIND THE LINE OF
TSTMS. WILL UPDATE WRKLC1.

11

BPT   LCH
LFT   AEX

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 10, 10:32 AM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1032 AM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0750 AM    5 E WOODVILLE             TX   TORNADO
05/10/99   TYLER                          POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          5 E WOODVILLE ON HWY 190.
                                          NUMEROUS TREES BLOWN DOWN.
                                          EYEWITNESSES SAW DEBRIS
                                          FLYING IN THE AIR.

0755 AM    5 E KOUNTZE               TX   TORNADO
05/10/99   HARDIN                         TIN BUILDING DESTROYED,
                                          NUMEROUS TREES DOWNED
                                          BETWEEN KOUNTZE AND SILSBEE.

0800 AM    BEAUMONT                  TX   WIND DAMAGE
05/10/99   JEFFERSON                      TREES DOWNED ACROSS BEAUMONT

0810 AM    BUNA                      TX   TORNADO
05/10/99   JASPER                         TORNADO TOUCHDOWN BETWEEN
                                          EVADALE AND BUNA. SEVERAL
                                          HOMES DAMAGED ALONG HWY 96.

0840 AM    BURKEVILLE                TX   TORNADO
05/10/99   NEWTON                         WINDOWS BLOWN OUTOF
                                          BUILDINGS AND TREES DOWNED
                                          IN BURKEVILE.

0830 AM    ORANGE                    TX   WIND DAMAGE
05/10/99   ORANGE                         TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED

ERICKSON
Special weather statement, May 10, 10:35 AM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
TXZ180>182-201-215-216-101600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1035 AM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELED...

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED OUT OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
INTO CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN LOUISIANA. THESE STORMS WILL
PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. SHOWERS AND A FEW ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NOON HOUR TAPERING OFF
TOWARDS THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEB PAGE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH/DROUGHT.HTM

K. KUYPER
Special weather statement, May 10, 10:35 AM CDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
TXZ180>182-201-215-216-101600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1035 AM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS HAS BEEN CANCELED...

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED OUT OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
INTO CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN LOUISIANA. THESE STORMS WILL
PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. SHOWERS AND A FEW ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NOON HOUR TAPERING OFF
TOWARDS THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEB PAGE AT
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH/DROUGHT.HTM

K. KUYPER
Local storm report, May 10, 11:55 AM CDT, 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1155 AM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0853 AM    MERRYVILLE                LA   WIND DAMAGE
05/10/99   BEAUREGARD                     NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AROSS
                                          WESTERN PORTIONS OF
                                          BEAUREGARD PARISH FROM
                                          SHERIFFS OFFICE

0930 AM    LEESVILLE                 LA   WIND DAMAGE
05/10/99   VERNON                         TREES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 8
                                          WEST OF LEESVILLE BETWEEN
                                          930 TO 945 AM REPORTED BY
                                          SHERIFFS OFFICE.
Local storm report, May 10, 11:55 AM CDT, 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1155 AM CDT MON MAY 10 1999

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0853 AM    MERRYVILLE                LA   WIND DAMAGE
05/10/99   BEAUREGARD                     NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AROSS
                                          WESTERN PORTIONS OF
                                          BEAUREGARD PARISH FROM
                                          SHERIFFS OFFICE

0930 AM    LEESVILLE                 LA   WIND DAMAGE
05/10/99   VERNON                         TREES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 8
                                          WEST OF LEESVILLE BETWEEN
                                          930 TO 945 AM REPORTED BY
                                          SHERIFFS OFFICE.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 10, 8:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCH59 min
May 10, 8:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHBeauregard, Vernon50 min
May 10, 8:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHCalcasieu, Cameron50 min
May 10, 9:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen, Rapides57 min
May 10, 9:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJefferson Davis57 min
May 10, 9:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHBeauregard, Calcasieu, Vernon48 min
May 10, 9:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHCameron48 min
May 10, 10:47 AM CDTTornado WarningLCHEvangeline48 min
May 10, 10:59 AM CDTTornado WarningLCHAvoyelles51 min
May 10, 11:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHIberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin77 min
May 10, 11:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHSaint Landry77 min
May 10, 11:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHSaint Martin, St. Mary60 min
May 10, 12:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHSaint Martin, St. Mary63 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.