Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 82, NWS Lake Charles, LA

September 12, 20084 parishes in Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Sep 12, 2008, 4:39 PM CDT for 4 parishes in Louisiana. It was in force for 36 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Sep 12, 2008, 4:39 PM CDT (21:39 UTC)
Expired: Sep 12, 2008, 5:15 PM CDT
In force: 36 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Acadia Parish, LA, Cameron Parish, LA, Jefferson Davis Parish, LA, Vermilion Parish, LA

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:42 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	Remark
Sep 12, 4:41 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 N Gueydan, LA	POSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED NEAR GUEYDAN.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 2 minutes after it went out.

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 12, 12:46 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 95 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: 122 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -186 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 662 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 220 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.

000 
WFUS54 KLCH 122139
TORLCH
LAC001-023-053-113-122215-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0082.080912T2139Z-080912T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
439 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN ACADIA PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES  MERMENTAU...
  NORTHEASTERN CAMERON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES  KLONDIKE...
  SOUTHEASTERN JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES  LAKE ARTHUR...
  VERMILION PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES...INTRACOASTAL CITY...GUEYDAN...FORKED ISLAND...

* UNTIL 515 PM CDT

* AT 437 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
  INTRACOASTAL CITY...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 62 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  FORKED ISLAND BY 445 PM CDT...
  GUEYDAN BY 505 PM CDT...
  KLONDIKE BY 510 PM CDT...
  LAKE ARTHUR AND MERMENTAU BY 515 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 1000 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA.

LAT...LON 3008 9277 3024 9260 2978 9206 2972 9213
      2973 9215 2976 9213 2976 9214 2975 9216
      2975 9219 2972 9217 2971 9214 2965 9221
TIME...MOT...LOC 2139Z 133DEG 54KT 2978 9221

$$

LANDRENEAU

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 12, 4:30 PM CDT, 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 12, 4:30 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
430 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

.DISCUSSION...AS HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE HE ENTERED THE GULF OF
MEXICO...IKE HAS REMAINED UNABLE TO DEVELOP A SOLID INNER CORE.
BURSTS OF CONVECTION...AT TIMES QUITE INTENSE...HAVE CONTINUED TO
DEVELOP ON PRIMARILY THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN QUADRANTS...THEN
ROTATE AROUND THE LARGE CIRCULATION...WEAKENING ON THE WESTERN
FLANK. RADAR VELOCITIES IN THESE OUTER BANDS RANGE FROM 90 TO 100
KT AT GREATER THAN 5 KFT. FIRST SIGNIFICANT RAIN BANDS NOW ONSHORE
THE LOUISIANA AND TEXAS COASTLINES.

IN SHORT...THE WORST IS YET TO COME.

NO MAJOR TRACK/INTENSITY/WIND FIELD CHANGES ON THE LATEST NHC
ADVISORY...SO NO CHANGES WERE REQUIRED TO THE HAZARD OR WIND
GRIDS.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER PILING ON THE COAST IN BASICALLY AN EAST
NORTHEAST FLOW HAS BEEN STAGGERING. 9 FEET AT CALCASIEU PASS SOUTH
OF CAMERON THAT HAS ONLY LEVELED OFF RECENTLY AS WE APPROACH
ASTRONOMICAL LOW TIDE. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT THAT VALUE WILL
CLIMB TO ONCE THE HURRICANE FORCE SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH WINDS
COMMENCE...WHICH UNFORTUNATELY WILL COINCIDE WITH THE HIGH TIDE
LATER THIS EVENING.

AFTER IKE...MODELS ARE STILL IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT IN BRINGING A
FRONT...THE ONE THAT PICKS UP IKE...THROUGH THE AREA EARLY MONDAY.
THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL 2 PLUS INCHES OF AREAWIDE
RAINFALL...WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY EXACERBATE ANY FLOODING BROUGHT
ABOUT BY IKE. ON THE PLUS SIDE...THE FRONT WILL BRING IN COOLER
AND DRIER CONDITIONS.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.

&&

.AVIATION...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WIND GUSTS ARE ALREADY IMPACTING
THE 1-10 CORRIDOR TERMINALS. KAEX NEAR TROPICAL STORM FORCE...AND
WILL BE THERE SHORTLY. CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE.

&&

.MARINE...RECENT GUST OF 75 MPH REPORTED BY MRSL1...MARSH ISLAND.
ANOTHER REPORT CAME IN FROM A PLATFORM 30 SE OF SABINE PASS WITH A
102 MPH WIND GUST. WAVE HEIGHTS CURRENTLY RUNNING AROUND 16-17
FEET WITHIN THE 20 NM ZONES...AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHATS GOING
ON BEYOND THERE.

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR
     LAZ027>029-031>033-042>045-055.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR LAZ027>033-041>045-
     051>055.

     HURRICANE WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR LAZ030-041.

     HURRICANE WARNING FOR LAZ051>054.

TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR TXZ180>182-201-215-
     216.

     HURRICANE WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR TXZ180>182-
     201-216.

     HURRICANE WARNING FOR TXZ215.

GM...HURRICANE WARNING FOR GMZ450-452-455-470-472-475.

&&

PUBLIC/MARINE...13
AVIATION...23

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 12, 6:09 AM CDT, 10 hours 30 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
609 AM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

GMZ450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-
201-215-216-131115-
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-
609 AM CDT FRI SEP 12 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

HURRICANE IKE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS THE UPPER TEXAS COAST
TODAY AND IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL NEAR GALVESTON TONIGHT.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER ARE EXPECTED TO
SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA BY
THIS AFTERNOON. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS OF 75 MPH OR HIGHER ARE
EXPECTED ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
LOUISIANA ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM DERIDDER TO LAKE CHARLES
TO GRAND CHENIER LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT.

MAJOR STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL BE SIGNIFICANT TO DEVASTATING IN
MANY AREAS...WITH A 20 TO 25 FOOT STORM SURGE EXPECTED ALONG THE
JEFFERSON COUNTY COAST AND AROUND SABINE LAKE...AND SLIGHTLY
LESSER VALUES ALONG THE CAMERON PARISH COAST AND AROUND VERMILION
BAY.

TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL AREAS TODAY THROUGH
SATURDAY. INLAND FLOODING WILL ALSO BE LIKELY WHERE ANY PERSISTENT
RAIN BANDS SET UP ACROSS THE AREA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

HURRICANE IKE WILL MOVE NORTHWARD AWAY FROM THE REGION ON
SATURDAY...WITH RAIN CHANCES DIMINISHING FROM SUNDAY THROUGH
TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED TODAY INTO TOMORROW.

SHAMBURGER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 12, 2:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
244 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

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

0243 PM     HURRICANE        CAMERON                 29.80N 93.30W
09/12/2008                   CAMERON            LA   OTHER FEDERAL

            WINDS AT THE NOS STATION AT CALCASIEU PASS REPORTS
            SUSTAINED WINDS OF 47 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 59 MPH.

&&

BRAZZELL

Local storm report, Sep 12, 2:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
245 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

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

0245 PM     HURRICANE        SABINE PASS             29.73N 93.89W
09/12/2008                   JEFFERSON          TX   OTHER FEDERAL

            NOS STATION IN SABINE PASS REPORTS SUSTAINED WINDS FO 39
            MPH WITH GUSTS TO 54 MPH.

&&

BRAZZELL

Local storm report, Sep 12, 2:59 PM CDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
259 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

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

0245 PM     HURRICANE        30 SE SABINE PASS       29.43N 93.54W
09/12/2008                   GMZ470             LA   BROADCAST MEDIA

            OIL PLATFORM 30 SE OF SABINE PASS REPORTED A 102 MPH WIND
            GUST RELAYED BY MEDIA.

&&

GRIFFIN

Local storm report, Sep 12, 3:19 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
319 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

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

0310 PM     HURRICANE        CAMERON                 29.80N 93.30W
09/12/2008                   CAMERON            LA   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            WIND GUST TO 64 KNOTS OR 74 MPH AT CALCASIEU PASS.

&&

GRIFFIN

Local storm report, Sep 12, 3:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
335 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

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

0310 PM     HURRICANE        CAMERON                 29.80N 93.30W
09/12/2008                   CAMERON            LA   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            WIND GUST TO 64 MPH AT CALCASIEU PASS. CORRECTED FROM 74
            MPH REPORTED EARLIER.

&&

BRAZZELL

Local storm report, Sep 12, 4:37 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
437 PM CDT FRI SEP 12 2008

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

0430 PM     TORNADO          MAMOU                   30.63N 92.42W
09/12/2008                   EVANGELINE         LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO IN MAMOU NEAR FRED ST
            AND HWY 95 WITH DAMAGE TO HOMES.

&&

GRIFFIN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 12, 6:03 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Landry, Saint Martin	27 min
Sep 12, 6:33 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Landry	27 min
Sep 12, 4:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline, Rapides, Vernon	37 min
Sep 12, 4:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion	37 min
Sep 12, 5:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin, St. Mary, Vermilion	29 min
Sep 12, 5:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Vernon	35 min
Sep 12, 5:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, Vermilion	37 min
Sep 12, 5:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin, St. Mary, Vermilion	27 min
Sep 12, 5:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Iberia, Saint Martin, St. Mary	35 min
Sep 12, 6:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin	36 min
Sep 12, 6:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Landry, Saint Martin	24 min
Sep 12, 6:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline, Rapides, Vernon	30 min

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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.