Alert archive / Louisiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 65, NWS Lake Charles, LA

July 24, 2002Acadia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 24, 2002, 6:19 PM CDT for Acadia Parish, Lafayette Parish, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 41 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jul 24, 2002, 6:19 PM CDT (23:19 UTC)
Expired: Jul 24, 2002, 7:00 PM CDT
In force: 41 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Acadia Parish, LA, Lafayette Parish, LA, Vermilion Parish, LA

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 98 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:19 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 96 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: 1240 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -77 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1229 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 15 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.

576 
WUUS54 KLCH 242319
SVRLCH
LAC001-055-113-250000-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
618 PM CDT WED JUL 24 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ACADIA PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA
  WESTERN LAFAYETTE PARISH IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA
  VERMILION PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT

* AT 614 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER RAYNE...MOVING SOUTH AT 15 TO 20 MPH.

* THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MAURICE BY 645 PM CDT
  MEAUX...KAPLAN BY 655 PM CDT
  ABBEVILLE...ERATH BY 700 PM CDT

THIS THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY LARGE HAIL WHICH COULD
CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.

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

LAT...LON 3035 9219 3029 9239 2983 9226 2991 9198

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 Jul 24, 1:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 1:50 PM CDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
150 PM CDT WED JUL 24 2002

OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM CONVECTION IN MS COOLED PARTS OF RAPIDES AND
AVOYELLES TO THE MID 80S THIS AFTERNOON...AND IS SETTING OFF TSRA
OVER C LA AT THE MOMENT. TEMPS AT 1 PM ELSEWHERE ARE IN THE MID
90S. BEING IN A SLIGHT RISK TODAY IS UNDERSTANDABLE WITH THE
PROXIMITY OF THE WEAK FRONT AND REMAINING OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES...SOME
LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING TSRA WILL BE SEVERE WITH DOWNBURST WINDS
AND HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT. WILL RE-ISSUE THIS MORNINGS SPS TO
LAST INTO THE EVENING FOR SVR WX THREAT.

THIS FRONT WILL INCH A BIT FURTHER SOUTH TONIGHT AND THU BEFORE
STALLING ACROSS THE E TX LAKES REGION TO C LA.  THE COMBINATION OF
THE MID/UPPER TROF OVER THE MS VALLEY...AND THE STALLING FRONT
WILL ENHANCE OUR POPS TONIGHT AND THU. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE WITH THE
AMPLE VVS AND MRHS 70-80% RANGE DURING THIS TIME. THIS EVENINGS
TSRA WILL LIKELY LAST FOR MOST OF THE EVENING. AFTER THE TSRA
DISSIPATES...LINGERING CLOUDINESS AND TEMPS IN THE MID 70S (UPPER 70S
SOUTH) WILL BE THE RULE.

INCREASING CLOUDINESS AND TSRA WILL START A LOT EARLIER TOMORROW.
WITH THIS...TEMPS WILL ONLY HAVE A CHANCE TO REACH THE LOWER 90S
AREAWIDE BEFORE THE CONVECTION STARTS FIRING UP BY LATE MORNING INTO
EARLY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL LINGER INTO THU EVENING.

FRI WILL SEE A WEAKENING AND RETREAT IN THE MID/UPPER TROF...TO BE
REPLACED BY A MID/UPPER HIGH RETROGRADING FROM THE WEST. THE SFC
FRONT WILL BE MOVING N AND DISSIPATING BY THIS TIME ALSO. THIS...
COMBINED WITH THE DRYING IN THE MID LEVELS WILL PUT A CAP ON THE
WIDESPREAD TSRA OF THU TO ONLY ABOUT A 30% COVERAGE. SAT AND SUN...
THE HIGH WILL BE OVER THE N GULF..WITH ONLY 20% COVERAGE EXPECTED.
BY MON THROUGH WED...THE HIGH WILL MOVE A BIT EAST...RETURNING A SE
FLOW AT THE SFC AND ALOFT...ALONG WITH INCREASED MOISTURE...TO GIVE
THE USUAL 30% COVERAGE.

DML

.LCH...OZONE ACTION DAY FOR SE TX...TXZ201-215-216

.PRELIMINARY NUMBERS...
AEX 73/92/75/95/75/97/75 4653222
BPT 77/91/77/93/77/94/76 4653222
LCH 77/91/77/93/76/94/76 4653222
LFT 76/91/76/93/76/95/76 4653222

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 24, 3:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before

GMZ450-455-470-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-
250300-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
330 PM CDT WED JUL 24 2002

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES IN THE MID TO
UPPER 90S...COMBINING WITH AN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND A WEAK
COLD FRONT TO THE NORTH...WILL SET THE STAGE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO
DEVELOP. A FEW OF THE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS
AND HAIL THE PRIMARY THREAT. SOME OF THESE STRONG STRONG STORMS WILL
MOVE INTO THE COASTAL WATERS LATE THIS EVENING...CAUSING STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND LOCALLY HIGHER SEAS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM
SPOTTER GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS
SITUATION AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN
YOUR AREA.

Local storm report, Jul 24, 4:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
411 PM CDT WED JUL 24 2002

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

0405 PM    PINEVILLE                 LA   .75 INCH HAIL
07/24/02   RAPIDES                        REPORTED BY LOCAL
                                          TELEVISION.

THM

Local storm report, Jul 24, 4:19 PM CDT, 2 hours before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
419 PM CDT WED JUL 24 2002

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

0402 PM    PINEVILLE                 LA   LIGHTNING
07/24/02   RAPIDES                        LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED
                                          HOUSE FIRE AND SMOKE IN
                                          NURSERY AT HUEY P. LONG
                                          HOSPITAL AS REPORTED BY
                                          RAPIDES 911.

THM

Local storm report, Jul 24, 4:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
430 PM CDT WED JUL 24 2002

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

0413 PM    LONGVILLE                 LA   .75 INCH HAIL
07/24/02   BEAUREGARD                     REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

THM

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 23, 7:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	59 min
Jul 23, 7:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jefferson Davis	27 min
Jul 24, 9:06 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		54 min
Jul 24, 3:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard	42 min
Jul 24, 4:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides	63 min
Jul 24, 4:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Beauregard	37 min
Jul 24, 6:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin	38 min
Jul 24, 6:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin	34 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Louisiana, 2002 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.