Alert archive / Louisiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2000

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 81, NWS Lake Charles, LA

April 3, 2000Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 3, 2000, 4:45 AM CDT for Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 60 min. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Apr 3, 2000, 4:45 AM CDT (09:45 UTC)
Expired: Apr 3, 2000, 5:45 AM CDT
In force: 60 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Calcasieu Parish, LA

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 24 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:45 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
Apr 3, 4:52 AM CDT	Thunderstorm Wind 52 E	Vinton, LA
Apr 3, 4:53 AM CDT	Hail 0.88	Vinton, LA
Apr 3, 5:10 AM CDT	Tornado F1	Lake Charles, LA
Apr 3, 5:13 AM CDT	Hail 0.75	Westlake, 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
Apr 2, 11:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr
Apr 3, 4:45 AM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 26 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 656 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -45 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 541 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 95 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 251 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.0
Supercell composite: 9.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KLCH 030947
SVRLCH
LAC019-031045-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
445 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CALCASIEU PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

* UNTIL 545 AM CDT

* AT 435 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF VINTON...MOVING NORTHEAST
  AT 35 MPH.

* THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  SULPHUR BY 500 AM CDT
  MOSS BLUFF BY 510 AM CDT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...DESTRUCTIVE 
HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAIN. THIS STORM HAS A 
HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP SUDDENLY
FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

CALL 337-477-5285 TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 3008 9367 3008 9306 3037 9317 3039 9369

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Apr 3, 2:43 AM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 2:43 AM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before

SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
243 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

AT 07Z...QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT WAS LOCATED NEAR A KSHV-KIAH-KVCT
LINE. THE CANADIAN COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM NEAR A KIRK-KTUL-KLBB
LINE. THE CANADIAN COLD FRONT WILL CATCH UP WITH THE STATIONARY
FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND PUSH THROUGH THE ENTIRE FA BY 00Z.
UNTIL THEN WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SEVERAL MORE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS AS SEVERAL 500MB SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN THE
SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WITH THE MAIN 500 MB TROF
MOVING THROUGH OVERNIGHT. THE MAIN CONCERN TODAY WILL BE THE HEAVY
RAIN WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA.
HOWEVER...WILL NOT ISSUE A FFA AT THIS TIME. ANY FLOODING PROBLEMS
THAT OCCUR TODAY CAN BE HANDLED BY URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD
ADVISORIES. THERE WILL ALSO BE ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
THE AREA TODAY AS AIRMASS ACROSS THE AREA REMAINS RATHER UNSTABLE.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS.

SKIES WILL CLEAR OUT TONIGHT AS THE 500 MB TROF MOVES EAST OF THE
AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT.

.LCH...NONE
TX...NONE
LA...NONE

PRELIMINARY NUMBERS...
LCH 76/46/65/43 +000
BPT 74/46/67/43 +000
LFT 77/47/64/42 +200
AEX 71/45/64/39 +000

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 3, 12:29 AM CDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
1229 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

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

1203 AM    ROSEPINE                  LA   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/03/00   VERNON                         REPORTED BY SHERIFFS DEPT

FN

Local storm report, Apr 3, 12:54 AM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
1254 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....
*
1218 AM    SINGER                    LA   WIND DAMAGE
04/03/00   BEAUREGARD                     TREES DOWN ON 110 EAST

FN

Local storm report, Apr 3, 1:47 AM CDT, 2 hours 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
147 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....
c
1235 AM    GRANT                     LA   WIND DAMAGE
04/03/00   ALLEN                          TREES DOWN ON POWERLINES

FN

Local storm report, Apr 3, 2:00 AM CDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
200 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

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

1209 AM    DEVILLE                   LA   WIND DAMAGE
04/03/00   RAPIDES                        LARGE TREE DOWN ACROSS
                                          BARRON CHAPEL ROAD

FN

Local storm report, Apr 3, 2:52 AM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
252 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

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

0253 AM    SOUR LAKE                 TX   .75 INCH HAIL
04/03/00   HARDIN

0254 AM    SILSBEE                   TX   .75 INCH HAIL
04/03/00   HARDIN

0254 AM    KOUNTZE                   TEX   .75 INCH HAIL
04/03/00   HARDIN

FN

Local storm report, Apr 3, 4:44 AM CDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
444 AM CDT MON APR 3 2000

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

0329 AM    BON WIER                  TX   WIND DAMAGE
04/03/00   NEWTON                         TREES DOWN HWY 363
                                          REPORTED BY SHERIFFS DEPT

0329 AM    KIRBYVILLE                TX   WIND DAMAGE
04/03/00   JASPER                         POWERLINES DOWN

0329 AM    OLD SALEM                 TX   WIND DAMAGE
04/03/00   NEWTON                         POWERLINES DOWN

0401 AM    HAMSHIRE                  TX   TORNADO
04/03/00   JEFFERSON                      PUBLIC REPORTED TORNADO
                                          NEAR HAMSHIRE.
                                          UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF
                                          PEOPLE MISSING FROM THEIR
                                          HEAVILY DAMAGED
                                          HOME. FIRE DEPARTMENT /
                                          POLICE ENROUTE.

FN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 2, 7:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	68 min
Apr 2, 7:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson Davis	57 min
Apr 2, 7:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	65 min
Apr 2, 7:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline	61 min
Apr 2, 8:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	61 min
Apr 2, 10:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard	61 min
Apr 2, 11:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	60 min
Apr 2, 11:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Rapides	64 min
Apr 3, 12:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard	59 min
Apr 3, 3:37 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Vernon	68 min
Apr 3, 5:00 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	60 min
Apr 3, 5:22 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Jefferson Davis	53 min
Apr 3, 5:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Cameron	58 min
Apr 3, 5:51 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis	54 min
Apr 3, 5:51 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	54 min
Apr 3, 6:09 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia	66 min
Apr 3, 6:34 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Lafayette	56 min
Apr 3, 6:38 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Lafayette	67 min
Apr 3, 6:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	56 min
Apr 3, 6:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vermilion	63 min
Apr 3, 7:07 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Saint Martin	68 min
Apr 3, 7:27 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Iberia, St. Mary	63 min
Apr 3, 10:26 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu	64 min
Apr 3, 10:26 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen	64 min
Apr 3, 11:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Evangeline, Rapides	60 min
Apr 3, 11:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard	60 min
Apr 3, 11:37 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	68 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Louisiana, 2000 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2000

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.