Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 70, NWS Lake Charles, LA

September 3, 2008Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Sep 3, 2008, 2:17 PM CDT for Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 28 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: Sep 3, 2008, 2:17 PM CDT (19:17 UTC)
Expired: Sep 3, 2008, 2:45 PM CDT
In force: 28 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Saint Landry Parish, LA

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Sep 3, 12:39 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 126 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: 3154 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 470 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 82 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 144 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.8
Supercell composite: 13.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KLCH 031917
TORLCH
LAC097-031945-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0070.080903T1917Z-080903T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
217 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN ST. LANDRY PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...

* UNTIL 245 PM CDT

* AT 214 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 9 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF WASHINGTON...OR ABOUT NEAR OPELOUSAS...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 29 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WASHINGTON BY 230 PM CDT...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.
GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE...SEEK
SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR
ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND
ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA.

LAT...LON 3085 9208 3078 9186 3050 9213 3052 9218
TIME...MOT...LOC 1917Z 208DEG 25KT 3055 9215

$$

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 Sep 3, 1:07 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 3, 1:07 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
107 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008

.UPDATE...
UPDATED ZONES TO REFLECT NEW TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 7 PM
TONIGHT FOR OUR EASTER AREAS.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1237 PM CDT WED SEP 3 2008/

DISCUSSION...
UPDATED FORECAST TO REMOVE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SINCE WINDS HAVE
ABATED. SMALL CRAFTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AS 4 TO 5 FOOT SEAS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO ABATE.
ALSO...CANCELLED COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY AS POINTS ALONG THE
COASTAL AREAS ARE SHOWING TIDE HEIGHTS FALLING TO NEAR NORMAL LEVELS.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 955 AM CDT WED SEP 3 2008/

DISCUSSION...
DRIER AIR WORKING INTO TEXAS AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL
LOUISIANA AT THE PRESENT TIME. WILL NEED TO PARE DOWN POPS TO
ACCOUNT FOR THIS. GREATEST MOISTURE AND HIGHEST POPS WILL BE CONFINED
TO THE EAST PART OF THE AREA WHERE THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS
INDICATED TO BE UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING. WILL CANCEL THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH FOR OUR WESTERN LOUISIANA AREA THAT WAS VALID TIL 1 PM.

GREAT CONCERN STILL EXISTS FOR AREAS TO EAST AS WSR-88D RADARS
CONTINUE TO INDICATE CIRCULATIONS EMBEDDED IN SOME OF THE STORMS.
A TORNADO WATCH IS VALID TILL 1 PM FOR THE I-10 CORRIDOR FROM
JEFFERSON DAVIS EAST SAINT MARTIN...AND NORTH TO RAPIDES AND
AVOYELLES PARISHES.

THIS TORNADO AND HEAVY RAIN EVENT SHOULD BEGIN TO WANE TOWARD THE LATE
AFTERNOON HOURS AS THE DRIER AIR SPREADS EASTWARD.

AVIATION...MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. IN LOUISIANA...
MVFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL IN THE THUNDERSTORM AND HEAVY RAIN
AREAS...OTHERWISE...VFR WHERE RAIN IS ABSENT.

MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE UNTIL 1
PM...WILL PROBABLY ALLOW SCA TO EXPIRE UNLESS BORDERLINE SCA WINDS CONTINUE
TO HANG ON. WINDS LOOK TO TAPER OFF THIS AFTERNOON.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH  75  86  69  88  71 /  60  30  10  10   0
KBPT  71  89  70  92  71 /  30  10  10  10   0
KAEX  69  87  68  89  68 /  40  10  10  10   0
KLFT  74  85  70  88  72 /  60  30  10  10   0

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: ACADIA...AVOYELLES...EVANGELINE...IBERIA...
     LAFAYETTE...LOWER ST. MARTIN...RAPIDES...ST. LANDRY...ST.
     MARY...UPPER ST. MARTIN AND VERMILION PARISHES.

     A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 7 PM CDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: RAPIDES...AVOYELLES...EVANGELINE...SAINT LANDRY...
     ACADIA...LAFAYETTE...SAINT MARTIN...VERMILION AND IBERIA
     PARISHES.

TX...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

06

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 3, 6:37 AM CDT, 7 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
637 AM CDT WED SEP 3 2008

GMZ450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-
201-215-216-041100-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO CAMERON, LA OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY,
LA OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX EXTENDING FROM 20 NM
TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY, LA TO CAMERON, LA EXTENDING FROM
20 NM TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY, LA
EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM-VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-
ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-
LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-CAMERON-VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-
LOWER ST. MARTIN-TYLER-JASPER-NEWTON-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-
637 AM CDT WED SEP 3 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO...CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A TORNADO WATCH 885 IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA UNTIL 1 PM CDT.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL
...AND CENTRAL LOUISIANA FOR TODAY.

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR NUISANCE FLOODING AND A
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR MODERATE WINDS AND SEAS.

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN
LOUISIANA TODAY...BECOMING LESS NUMEROUS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH TORNADOES AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

THE ACTIVATION OF SPOTTERS IS POSSIBLE FOR TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 3, 10:50 AM CDT, 3 hours 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1050 AM CDT WED SEP 03 2008

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

1049 AM     FLASH FLOOD      EGAN                    30.24N 92.51W
09/03/2008                   ACADIA             LA   BROADCAST MEDIA

            SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING REPORTED IN EGAN

&&

BRAZZELL

Local storm report, Sep 3, 11:59 AM CDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1159 AM CDT WED SEP 03 2008

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

1157 AM     TORNADO          CROWLEY                 30.21N 92.38W
09/03/2008                   ACADIA             LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE EAST SIDE
            OF CROWLEY NEAR CAPITAL RD.

&&

GRIFFIN

Local storm report, Sep 3, 12:05 PM CDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1205 PM CDT WED SEP 03 2008

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

1205 PM     FLASH FLOOD      ALEXANDRIA              31.29N 92.46W
09/03/2008                   RAPIDES            LA   CO-OP OBSERVER

            CO-OP OBSERVER REPORTS THAT SIGNIFICANT FLOODING
            CONTINUES IN AND AROUND ALEXANDRIA

&&

BRAZZELL

Local storm report, Sep 3, 12:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1211 PM CDT WED SEP 03 2008

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

0830 AM     TSTM WND DMG     EFFIE                   31.22N 92.16W
09/03/2008                   AVOYELLES          LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SHERRIFFS DEPT REPORTS 2 HOMES WITH ROOFS REMOVED.
            POSSIBLE TORNADO.

&&

MOGGED

Local storm report, Sep 3, 2:05 PM CDT, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
205 PM CDT WED SEP 03 2008

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

0150 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     ARNAUDVILLE             30.42N 91.93W
09/03/2008                   ST. LANDRY         LA   PUBLIC

            TWO REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR ARNAUDVILLE FROM THE
            PUBLIC RELAYED BY SHERIFFS OFFICE.

&&

JNUNN

Local storm report, Sep 3, 2:10 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
210 PM CDT WED SEP 03 2008

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

0153 PM     TORNADO          NNE ARNAUDVILLE         30.42N 91.93W
09/03/2008                   ST. LANDRY         LA   BROADCAST MEDIA

            DAMAGE REPORTED ON HEBERT ROAD

&&

KKUYPER

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 2, 7:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen	30 min
Sep 2, 7:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen	32 min
Sep 2, 7:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	41 min
Sep 2, 8:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline, Rapides	33 min
Sep 2, 8:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	35 min
Sep 2, 8:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	29 min
Sep 2, 9:14 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	3 hr
Sep 2, 10:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	34 min
Sep 2, 11:38 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	20 hr
Sep 3, 1:20 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Saint Landry	3 hr
Sep 3, 1:51 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Beauregard, Evangeline, Rapides	3 hr
Sep 3, 2:10 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Saint Landry	25 min
Sep 3, 2:32 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline, Rapides	28 min
Sep 3, 2:47 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline	28 min
Sep 3, 3:16 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Evangeline	29 min
Sep 3, 3:18 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	27 min
Sep 3, 3:18 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Rapides	27 min
Sep 3, 3:44 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	16 min
Sep 3, 3:46 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Saint Landry	29 min
Sep 3, 3:50 AM CDT	Coastal Flood Advisory	LCH		8 hr
Sep 3, 4:12 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	33 min
Sep 3, 4:25 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Rapides	20 min
Sep 3, 4:27 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides, Saint Landry, Vernon	3 hr
Sep 3, 5:40 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	35 min
Sep 3, 6:16 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Rapides	29 min
Sep 3, 7:05 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline, Rapides	40 min
Sep 3, 7:31 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	3 hr
Sep 3, 7:47 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline, Rapides	28 min
Sep 3, 8:15 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	30 min
Sep 3, 8:27 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Saint Landry	33 min
Sep 3, 9:04 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Allen	49 hr
Sep 3, 9:04 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Allen	5 days
Sep 3, 9:04 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	4 days
Sep 3, 9:21 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Saint Landry	24 min
Sep 3, 9:26 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Rapides	64 min
Sep 3, 9:54 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Saint Landry	6 hr
Sep 3, 10:20 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia	3 min
Sep 3, 10:22 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia	38 min
Sep 3, 10:23 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis and 3 more	6 hr
Sep 3, 10:45 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin and 1 more	3 hr
Sep 3, 11:55 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia	35 min
Sep 3, 12:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	36 min
Sep 3, 12:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Cameron	27 min
Sep 3, 12:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Saint Landry	24 min
Sep 3, 1:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Lafayette	30 min
Sep 3, 1:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	33 min
Sep 3, 1:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin	29 min
Sep 3, 1:59 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Cameron, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Saint Landry and 2 more	3 hr
Sep 3, 2:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Landry, Saint Martin	29 min
Sep 3, 2:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin	37 min
Sep 3, 2:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Lafayette	27 min
Sep 3, 2:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Lafayette, Vermilion	34 min
Sep 3, 3:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	28 min
Sep 3, 3:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Lafayette	27 min
Sep 3, 3:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	24 min
Sep 3, 4:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Lafayette, Saint Landry	28 min
Sep 3, 4:17 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Rapides, Saint Landry and 1 more	6 hr
Sep 3, 6:15 PM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Lafayette, Rapides, Saint Landry and 1 more	7 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 2008 Every tornado warning in 2008 Tornadoes in 2008

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.