Alert archive / Louisiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 1, 2004Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this flash flood warning at May 1, 2004, 2:02 AM CDT for Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 1, 2004, 2:02 AM CDT (07:02 UTC)
Expired: May 1, 2004, 5:00 AM CDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Calcasieu Parish, LA

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 14 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:02 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 flash flood 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 00:00Z, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 16 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: 493 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -85 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 688 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 155 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 260 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.4
Supercell composite: 6.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KLCH 010703
FFWLCH
LAC019-011000-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
202 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CALCASIEU PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

* UNTIL 500 AM CDT

* AT 201 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTH OF CARLYSS...  
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CARLYSS BY 215 AM CDT
  SULPHUR BY 225 AM CDT
  LAKE CHARLES...WESTLAKE BY 240 AM CDT
  MOSS BLUFF BY 250 AM CDT

HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS AND LOW LYING AREAS RAPIDLY...SO DO NOT DRIVE
YOUR VEHICLE WHERE WATERS OF AN UNKNOWN DEPTH COVERS THE ROAD.

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

LAT...LON 3008 9354 3008 9305 3037 9306 3035 9353

$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Apr 30, 9:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 9:00 PM CDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
900 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

.DISCUSSION...
WILL UPDATE FORECAST TO LOWER TONIGHT/S LOW TEMPERATURE FORECASTS TO
MID 60S NORTH.

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
PERSISTENT CONVECTION LINGERS ACROSS EXTREME NRN PORTIONS OF
VERNON/NEWTON/JASPER AS TRAINING ECHOES FROM WWD-MOVING OUTFLOW
DRIFT EWD. MSAS OUTPUT SHOWING THETA-E RIDGING NEAR THIS AREA WHICH
SEEMS TO BE HELPING FUEL THESE STORMS. ALSO WATCHING LINE OF TRW
PROGRESSING E ACROSS NRN TX. CURRENT TRAJECTORY WOULD KEEP SRN END
OF LINE N OF MY CWA. TOO BAD I CANT SPLIT NEWTON & JASPER COUNTIES
IN HALF THEN GO CATEGORICAL FOR THE NRN ZONES...WILL MAKE A CALL ON
POPS CLOSER TO PRESS TIME.

MEANWHILE TO THE SE...NUMEROUS TRW TRYING TO MOVE ASHORE FROM THE
GULF INTO THE VERMILION BAY AREA. SO FAR THIS ACTIVITY LOOKS VERY
MUCH LIKE TYPICAL NOCTURNAL STUFF AS IT DISSIPATES NOT LONG AFTER
LANDFALL. DONT EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE AS NEXT RIPPLE IN THE
UPR FLOW PASSES TNGT. WILL RAISE POPS TO LIKELY ACROSS THE SERN
ZONES...AND MAY NEED TO ENTERTAIN THOUGHTS OF FLOOD WATCH LATER IF
ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE. SOME OF THE ACTIVITY IS
MAKING IT ASHORE ACROSS CAMERON/JEFFERSON SO WILL RAISE POPS FOR THE
SWRN ZONES TO GOOD CHC.

TEMPS TO BE ADJUSTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE AREA FOR MODIFIED AIR
BEHIND THE OUTFLOW DROPPING TEMPS TO PROJECTED VALUES PRIOR TO PRESS
TIME. -LGE
&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
LCH  66  79  59  72  /  50  50  70  30
BPT  70  80  57  74  /  40  50  70  30
AEX  63  79  59  68  /  50  70  70  20
LFT  65  82  62  68  /  60  50  70  30
&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...NONE.
TX...NONE.
&&

20

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 4:22 AM CDT, 21 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
422 AM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

GMZ450-455-470-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-
302030-
ACADIA-ALLEN-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-CALCASIEU-CAMERON-
CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX OUT 20 NM-EVANGELINE-HARDIN-IBERIA-
JASPER-JEFFERSON-JEFFERSON DAVIS-LAFAYETTE-
LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO CAMERON, LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO CAMERON, LA OUT 20 NM-LOWER ST MARTIN-
NEWTON-ORANGE-RAPIDES-ST LANDRY-ST MARY-TYLER-UPPER ST MARTIN-
VERMILION-VERNON-
422 AM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...
AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY PRODUCING
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA
WHERE A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. THE SYSTEM WILL MOVE
TO THE EAST OF THE AREA TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...
THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ON SATURDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES
ACROSS THE AREA. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL
AND GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL PUSH
OFFSHORE SATURDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WITH DRY WEATHER
RETURNING SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO MID-WEEK.
SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT
ANTICIPATED.

WILEY

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 30, 8:30 PM CDT, 5 hours 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
830 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0800 PM     HAIL             LEESVILLE               31.14N 93.27W
04/30/2004  0.88 INCH        VERNON             LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORTED BY LEESVILLE PD.

0820 PM     HAIL             NEW LLANO               31.11N 93.28W
04/30/2004  0.75 INCH        VERNON             LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORTED BY NEW LLANO PD.

&&

THM

Local storm report, Apr 30, 8:37 PM CDT, 5 hours 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
837 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0835 PM     HAIL             LEESVILLE               31.14N 93.27W
04/30/2004  0.88 INCH        VERNON             LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SHERIFFS DEPT REPORTS SHEETS OF NICKEL TO DIME SIZE HAIL.

0830 PM     HAIL             NEW LLANO               31.11N 93.28W
04/30/2004  0.88 INCH        VERNON             LA   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORTS SHEETS OF NICKEL TO DIME SIZE HAIL.

&&

THM

Local storm report, Apr 30, 8:44 PM CDT, 5 hours 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
844 PM CDT FRI APR 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0843 PM     HAIL             FORT POLK               31.05N 93.21W
04/30/2004  0.75 INCH        VERNON             LA   PUBLIC

&&

THM

Local storm report, May 1, 12:42 AM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1242 AM CDT SAT MAY 01 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1115 PM     HAIL             12 NW PORT ARTHUR       30.02N 94.07W
04/30/2004  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          TX   BROADCAST MEDIA

1117 PM     HAIL             12 NW PORT ARTHUR       30.02N 94.07W
04/30/2004  0.75 INCH        JEFFERSON          TX   PUBLIC

&&

JM

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 30, 7:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	51 min
Apr 30, 8:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	58 min
Apr 30, 10:37 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		53 min
May 1, 1:22 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron	53 min
May 1, 2:11 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	64 min
May 1, 2:26 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vermilion	94 min
May 1, 3:28 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	62 min
May 1, 4:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen	57 min
May 1, 5:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vermilion	56 min
May 1, 5:19 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	56 min
May 1, 1:23 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		67 min
May 1, 2:38 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		67 min
May 1, 2:38 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		67 min
May 1, 3:41 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		64 min
May 1, 3:41 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		64 min
May 1, 4:48 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		117 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Louisiana, 2004 Every flash flood warning in 2004

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.