Alert archive / Louisiana / Flash Flood Warnings in 2009

Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 3, 20097 parishes in Louisiana; Newton County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this flash flood warning at May 3, 2009, 10:40 AM CDT for 7 parishes in Louisiana; Newton County, Texas. It was in force for 110 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: May 3, 2009, 10:40 AM CDT (15:40 UTC)
Expired: May 3, 2009, 12:30 PM CDT
In force: 110 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Allen Parish, LA, Avoyelles Parish, LA, Beauregard Parish, LA, Evangeline Parish, LA, Rapides Parish, LA, Saint Landry Parish, LA, Vernon Parish, LA, Newton County, TX

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 3, 11:47 AM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Oakdale, LA	COOP OBSERVER REPORTS SEVERAL STREETS FLOODED IN OAKDALE.

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 flash flood warning; the first came 67 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 nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 105 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: 2267 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -21 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 533 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 182 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 308 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 3.1
Supercell composite: 14.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KLCH 031540
FFWLCH
LAC003-009-011-039-079-097-115-TXC351-031730-
/O.NEW.KLCH.FF.W.0013.090503T1540Z-090503T1730Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1040 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  AVOYELLES PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...SIMMESPORT...MOREAUVILLE...
  MARKSVILLE...EFFIE...BUNKIE...BORDELONVILLE...
  EVANGELINE PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...VILLE PLATTE...TURKEY CREEK...
  MAMOU...
  RAPIDES PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...PINEVILLE...HINESTON...GLENMORA...
  CHENEYVILLE...BOYCE...ALEXANDRIA...
  NORTHERN ST. LANDRY PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL NEWTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  ALLEN PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...REEVES...OBERLIN...OAKDALE...
  MITTIE...ELIZABETH...
  SOUTHERN BEAUREGARD PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF FIELDS...
  SOUTHEASTERN VERNON PARISH IN WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF PITKIN...

* UNTIL 1230 PM CDT

* AT 1034 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED  
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FLASH      
  FLOODING ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM FIELDS TO                     
  BORDELONVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS   
  CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS THE WARNED AREA...WITH RADAR INDICATED    
  RAIN TOTALS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES DURING THE PAST THREE HOURS.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO      
COTTONPORT...LONGVILLE...ALEXANDRIA...GLENMORA...MARKSVILLE...BUNKIE 
AND OAKDALE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3123 9202 3126 9185 3119 9174 3106 9179
      3077 9182 3052 9262 3051 9351 3044 9351
      3043 9370 3060 9366 3066 9303 3139 9284
      3139 9218

$$

24

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 May 3, 7:57 AM CDT, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 7:57 AM CDT, 2 hours 43 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
757 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

.UPDATE...HAVE UPDATED ZONES/GRIDS WITH TORNADO WATCH #232 FOR
ALONG AND NORTH OF LOUISIANA I-10. WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM.
WCN ALREADY OUT.

&&

MARCOTTE

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 557 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009/

AVIATION...
STORMS DRAGGING ACROSS CENTRAL LOUISIANA AT THIS TIME WILL EXIT TO
THE EAST WHILE A SECOND STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO EASTERN
TEXAS. THIS LATEST STORM SYSTEM IS MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. AT THIS
TIME THE STORM COMPLEX WILL SWEEP ACROSS TYLER...JASPER AND
NEWTON COUNTIES AROUND 7 AM AND INTO BEAUREGARD...VERNON
PARISHES BEFORE 8 AM. AS THE STORM SYSTEM MOVES TO THE EAST IT WILL
MOVE OUT OF THE COLD SECTOR AND INTO WARMER MORE UNSTABLE AIR
WHICH WILL MEAN STRONGER STORMS WILL DEVELOP.

BPT..LCH AND FINALLY LFT AND ARA WILL SEE SOME STORM DEVELOPMENT
ALTHOUGH THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL SWEEP WELL TO THE NORTH OF
THESE LOCATIONS. BUT WILL MONITOR THE SOUTHWARD PROGRESSION.
MVFR/IFR FOR CLOUDS AND WX FOR AEX. MVFR FOR BPT...LCH...LFT AND
ARA FOR CLOUDS AND SHWRS.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 532 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009/

UPDATE...MCS CURRENTLY OVER EAST CENTRAL TEXAS TRACKING RAPIDLY
EAST. ACTIVITY HAS BEEN ELEVATED BUT EXPECTED TO BECOME SURFACE
BASED TAPPING INTO SOME ADDITIONAL MOISTURE/INSTABILITY. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH #231 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM CDT. INCLUDES OUR
INTERIOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS COUNTIES. ALSO BEAUREGARD...VERNON AND
RAPIDES OF WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA.

MARCOTTE

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 412 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009/

DISCUSSION...ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF MCSS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS
THE ARKLATEX REGION. PROPAGATION RESULTING IN A SOUTHWARD
EXPANSION OF CONVECTION INTO CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND THE LAKES AREA
OF INTERIOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS. POST FRONTAL DEVELOPMENT ALSO OCCURRING
OVER CENTRAL/NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

FAIR WEATHER PATTERN COMING TO AN END TODAY. MID LEVEL TROF
MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO ADVANCE
A PERSISTENT FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTO THE FORECAST AREA
OVERNIGHT...STALLING NEAR THE COAST MONDAY THEN RAPIDLY WASHING
OUT. ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM AMPLE MOISTURE IN PLACE WITH
PROGGED PRECIPITABLE WATERS RUNNING AROUND 1.7 INCHES...WELL ABOVE
THE NORM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. WITH CONCERN FOR HEAVY
RAINFALL...HAVE INGESTED HPC QPF INTO GRIDS. STORM TOTAL PRECIP
RANGING FROM A MAXIMUM OF 2 INCHES ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF
THE FORECAST AREA DOWN TO NEAR 0.5 INCHES OVER COASTAL SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. WAS CONTEMPLATING THE NEED FOR A FLOOD WATCH OVER OUR
NORTHERN TIER BUT CURRENT NUMBERS BELOW FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE OF
3/4/5 INCHES FOR 1/3/6 HOURS. SPC MAINTAINING THE ENTIRE AREA IN
SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE EXPECTING SQUALL LINE DEVELOPMENT
ALONG/AHEAD OF FRONT. WIND DAMAGE APPEARS FAVORABLE FROM
UNIDIRECTIONAL WIND PROFILES...AS WELL AS HAIL AND A FEW
TORNADOES.

RAINS TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST THROUGH MONDAY.
EXACTLY WHERE FRONT WILL END UP IS PARTICULARLY SUSPECT AT THIS
TIME FROM NUMEROUS COLD POOLS SETTING UP FROM PREVIOUS AND ONGOING
CONVECTION. THUS WHETHER WE ACTUALLY SEE SOME LOWER
DEWPOINTS/HUMIDITY FILTER INTO THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS REMAINS
QUESTIONABLE. RETURN FLOW SETS UP TUESDAY WITH ANY COOLER OR DRIER
COMING TO AN END.

REMAINDER OF THE WEEK...WILL BE LOOKING FOR A DRY WEATHER PATTERN
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WEDNESDAY WHEN NEXT IMPULSE APPROACHES. AT
THIS TIME IT APPEARS MAIN ENERGY AND RAINS WILL REMAIN NORTH OF
THE FORECAST AREA SO LOW END POPS WILL BE MAINTAINED. OTHERWISE
EXPECTING TEMPERATURES ABOVE THE NORM.

MARINE...OUR PERSISTENT SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BE BRIEFLY
INTERRUPTED MONDAY AS A COLD FRONT DROPS INTO THE NORTHWEST GULF.
THIS BOUNDARY WILL RAPIDLY WASH OUT WITH A ONSHORE FLOW BECOMING
REESTABLISHED TUESDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH  83  70  81  66  86 /  50  60  40  10  10
KBPT  82  67  81  66  86 /  50  40  30  10  10
KAEX  82  64  79  61  86 /  80  60  30  10  10
KLFT  84  70  80  65  87 /  50  60  50  10  10

&&

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

Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 4:54 AM CDT, 5 hours 46 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
454 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-
TXZ180>182-201-215-216-041000-
SABINE LAKE-CALCASIEU LAKE-VERMILION BAY-
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-
454 AM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

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
ACTIVE WEATHER IS EXPECTED ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT
WILL ADVANCE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. WIND PROFILES AND
INSTABILITY ARE FAVORABLE FOR A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. PRIMARY
THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL...BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES
WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. ALONG WITH THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL
BE THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS PARTICULARLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE
10 WHERE 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE COMMON WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH MONDAY WITH AN OVERALL DRY
PATTERN EXPECTED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY AND TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 8:35 AM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
835 AM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0810 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SW TOLEDO BEND DAM    31.15N 93.59W
05/03/2009                   NEWTON             TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORTS TREES DOWN ON LAKE CABINS.

&&

MGRIFFIN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:07 AM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
907 AM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0905 AM     TSTM WND GST     8 NE PINEVILLE          31.40N 92.30W
05/03/2009  M59 MPH          RAPIDES            LA   ASOS

            ASOS AT ESLER REGIONAL AIRPORT REPORTED WIND GUST AT 59
            MPH.

&&

MGRIFFIN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:15 AM CDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
915 AM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0800 AM     TSTM WND DMG     SAM RAYBURN DAM         31.06N 94.11W
05/03/2009                   JASPER             TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORTS BOAT CAPSIZED NEAR SAM RAYBURN DAM. BOAT
            SANK AND STRANDED BOATER.

&&

MGRIFFIN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:36 AM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
936 AM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0901 AM     TSTM WND DMG     ALEXANDRIA              31.29N 92.46W
05/03/2009                   RAPIDES            LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES
            DOWN ACROSS THE CITY.

&&

MGRIFFIN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:40 AM CDT, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
940 AM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0904 AM     TSTM WND DMG     PINEVILLE               31.33N 92.42W
05/03/2009                   RAPIDES            LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN
            PINEVILLE.

&&

MGRIFFIN

Local storm report, May 3, 10:14 AM CDT, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1014 AM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

1013 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MT. UNION               30.70N 94.02W
05/03/2009                   JASPER             TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS WATER OVER HWY 1013 WEST NEAR MT.
            UNOIN.

&&

MGRIFFIN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 3, 8:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	41 min
May 3, 8:26 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides, Vernon	49 min
May 3, 8:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Rapides	46 min
May 3, 9:33 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Vernon	117 min
May 3, 9:38 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	37 min
May 3, 9:50 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Vernon	40 min
May 3, 11:30 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Vernon	3 hr
May 3, 11:41 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Rapides	47 hr
May 3, 12:31 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis and 3 more	119 min
May 3, 1:47 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin	118 min
May 3, 2:28 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis and 3 more	107 min
May 3, 3:44 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Saint Landry	2 hr
May 3, 4:18 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Rapides, Saint Landry and 1 more	3 hr
May 3, 5:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Saint Martin	18 min
May 3, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin, Vermilion	19 min
May 3, 7:18 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Hardin, Jasper, Newton, Tyler	57 min
May 3, 8:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Tyler	43 min
May 3, 8:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jasper, Tyler	42 min
May 3, 9:11 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Jasper, Tyler	25 min
May 3, 9:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jasper, Newton, Tyler	51 min
May 3, 1:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Jasper, Newton	24 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Louisiana, 2009 Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2009 Every flash flood warning in 2009

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.