Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 72, NWS Lake Charles, LA

July 20, 2012Jefferson County, Orange County, Texas; Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 2012, 10:24 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Orange County, Texas; Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 51 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 20, 2012, 10:24 PM CDT (03:24 UTC)
Expired: Jul 20, 2012, 11:15 PM CDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Calcasieu Parish, LA, Cameron Parish, LA, Jefferson County, TX, Orange County, TX

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:24 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 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 50 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: 2837 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1302 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 62 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

542 
WUUS54 KLCH 210324
SVRLCH
LAC019-023-TXC245-361-210415-
/O.NEW.KLCH.SV.W.0072.120721T0324Z-120721T0415Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1024 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  THIS INCLUDES...SABINE PASS...PORT NECHES...PORT ARTHUR...
  NEDERLAND...GROVES...CENTRAL GARDENS...
  SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...
  THIS INCLUDES...WEST ORANGE...ORANGE...BRIDGE CITY...
  SOUTHWESTERN CALCASIEU PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  WESTERN CAMERON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES...SABINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE...SABINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE
  REFUGE...JOHNSON BAYOU...JOHNSONS BAYOU...CAMERON...

* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT

* AT 1024 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
  HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...FROM ORANGE TO
  CAMERON...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 30 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HOLLY
  BEACH...ORANGEFIELD...SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL AIRPORT AND PORT
  ACRES

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN. STAY INDOORS...
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND LARGE
DAMAGING HAIL. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY
FROM WINDOWS.

STRONG WINDS MAY KNOCK DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES...AND EVEN DAMAGE
BUILDINGS. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT
337-477-5285 EXTENSION 1.

LAT...LON 2967 9400 2970 9407 3000 9421 3024 9368
      2994 9354 2988 9340 2986 9343 2983 9338
      2983 9334 2986 9336 2976 9312 2975 9314
      2977 9323 2975 9335 2976 9351 2973 9374
      2966 9386
TIME...MOT...LOC 0324Z 063DEG 24KT 3011 9374 2989 9364
          2975 9331

$$

23
MM

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 20, 8:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 8:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
811 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

.DISCUSSION...
QUICK EARLY EVENING UPDATE TO ADJUST POPS/WX BASED ON LATEST
RADAR/MODEL TRENDS. N-S ORIENTED BAND OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY
HEADED WWD THRU AND JUST WEST OF THE I-49 CORRIDOR. UNCERTAIN AS
TO EXACTLY HOW LONG IT WILL MAINTAIN ITSELF AND/OR HOW FAR WEST
IT WILL GET...BUT GUIDANCE FROM HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS SUGGESTS IT
WILL CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER 2-3 HRS AT LEAST...WHICH BASED ON
CURRENT MOTION WOULD BRING IT INTO SW LA. WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR TRENDS FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES.

13

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 635 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012/

AVIATION UPDATE...A STRONG DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS THE REGION
ALOFT WILL MAINTAIN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER
ARA...LFT AND AEX FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. THIS ACTIVITY IS
EXPECTED TO WEAKEN TOWARD SUNSET...THEN SLOWLY DISSIPATE. OUTSIDE OF
CONVECTION...VFR WILL PREVAIL.

MARCOTTE

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 418 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012/

DISCUSSION...
AXIS OF STORMS EXTENDS FROM EASTERN LOUISIANA SOUTHWEST TO BEYOND
60 NM MILES OFF THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA. STORMS ARE
TRAVELING TO THE SOUTHWEST. A FEW STORMS WERE NOTED MOVING INTO
AVOYELLES PARISH ON THE WAY TO THE COAST. PRECIP WATER WAS ABOVE
TWO INCHES FROM THE MORNING SOUNDING THIS MORNING BUT WITH THE
STORMS OVER SOUTH CNTRL LA TODAY THIS HAS KEPT THE ACTVTY FROM
DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THEREFORE
HAVE LOWERED THE CHANCE FOR STORMS THIS EVE ACROSS THIS REGION.

DEW POINTS ARE RUNNING IN THE MID 70S AND WITH CLOUDS TONIGHT NOT
LOOKING TO SEE THIS DROP ALL THAT MUCH... THEREFORE ANOTHER WARM
OVERNIGHT IS EXPECTED...WITH THE THREAT OF STORMS OVER SOUTH
CENTRAL LOUSIANA AND THE COASTAL WATERS.

TMRW THE RIDGE OVER THE PLAIN STATES WILL GENERALLY HOLD THE
MOISTURE FROM SPREADING TO FAR TO THE WEST AND HAVE LOWERED POPS
FOR SE TX AND RAISE TEMPS. LOOKING AT ANOTHER DAY WHERE THE HEAT
INDEX WILL CLIMB ABOVE THE CENTURY MARK... THE HEAT WILL CONTINUE
INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS BEFORE FINALLY DROPPING. SATURDAY
NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING WILL SEE INCREASING CLOUDS AND ANOTHER
WARM NIGHT ON TAP.

THE THREAT FOR SOME STORMS THOUGH WILL INCREASE ON SUNDAY AFTN AS
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL MOVE OFF TO THE WEST AND INTO SOUTHEAST
TEXAS. TEMPERATURES WILL FINALLY BREAK A BIT WITH AFTERNOON TEMPS
FALLING BACK INTO THE LWR 90S.

RAINS LOOK TO TAPER OFF NEXT WEEK WITH AFTN TEMPS CLIMBING A BIT.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH  76  93  75  92 /  50  40  20  50
KBPT  77  92  76  91 /  30  30  30  30
KAEX  75  94  75  93 / 100  40  20  50
KLFT  76  93  76  92 / 100  50  20  50

&&

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

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 4:45 PM CDT, 5 hours 39 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
445 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-
211115-
VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-
CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-
VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-LOWER ST. MARTIN-WEST CAMERON-
EAST CAMERON-TYLER-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-NORTHERN JASPER-
NORTHERN NEWTON-SOUTHERN JASPER-SOUTHERN NEWTON-
445 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH
THE EVENING. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL, FREQUENT LIGHTNING, GUSTY WINDS, AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE
OF QUARTERS. STORMS WILL BE MOST NUMEROUS GENERALLY EAST OF A LINE
FROM FORT POLK TO LAKE CHARLES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ON SATURDAY.
LOCAL HEAVY RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY...WITH
THE ACTIVITY DECREASING FROM EAST TO WEST.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-211115-
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 FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM  INTRACOASTAL CITY TO CAMERON LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LA FROM
20 TO 60 NM-
442 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
A FEW MIDWEST DISTURBANCES ALOFT WILL TRAVEL SOUTH ACROSS
LOUISIANA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ARE LIKELY...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COAST. LOCAL HEAVY RAINFALL AND
DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE BOTH TODAY AND TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ON SATURDAY.
LOCAL HEAVY RAINFALL AND DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY...WITH
THE ACTIVITY DECREASING FROM EAST TO WEST.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 20, 9:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
914 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

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

0905 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PITKIN                  30.94N 92.94W
07/20/2012                   VERNON             LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SHERIFFS DEPT REPORTS SEVERAL TREES DOWN.

&&

MOGGED

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 9:25 PM CDT, 59 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
925 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

LAZ052-074-210330-
VERMILION LA-EAST CAMERON LA-
925 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR VERMILION AND CAMERON PARISHES
UNTIL 1030 PM CDT...

AT 924 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 8 MILES EAST OF LACASSINE NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE TO 5 MILES WEST OF PECAN ISLAND...MOVING WEST AT 15
MPH.

THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...
ROCKEFELLER WILDLIFE RANGE...ROCKEFELLER WILDLIFE REFUGE...
GIBBSTOWN...GRAND CHENIER...HACKETTS CORNER AND SWEET LAKE.

THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING...PEA
TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS 35 TO 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN
TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A
SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...RESULTING IN PONDING OF WATER AROUND LOW LYING
ROADWAYS. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATER COVERED
ROADWAYS. THE DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW A SAFE CROSSING.

LAT...LON 2957 9260 2961 9275 2971 9299 3004 9320
      3003 9270 2960 9239 2956 9254

MM

Local storm report, Jul 20, 9:33 PM CDT, 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
933 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

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

0930 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SULPHUR                 30.23N 93.36W
07/20/2012                   CALCASIEU          LA   NWS EMPLOYEE

            NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTS 2 TREES DOWN.

&&

MOGGED

Local storm report, Jul 20, 9:36 PM CDT, 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
936 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

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

0932 PM     TSTM WND DMG     LAKE CHARLES            30.21N 93.20W
07/20/2012                   CALCASIEU          LA   NWS EMPLOYEE

            NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTS TREE FELL ON HOUSE.

&&

MOGGED

Local storm report, Jul 20, 9:51 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
951 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

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

0931 PM     TSTM WND DMG     LAKE CHARLES            30.21N 93.20W
07/20/2012                   CALCASIEU          LA   PUBLIC

            WINDS BLEW OFF SHED ROOF AND KNOCKED OUT SUPPORT TO
            GARAGE JUST NORTH OF HAM REID RD.

&&

MOGGED

Local storm report, Jul 20, 10:08 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1008 PM CDT FRI JUL 20 2012

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

0955 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 NE GRAND LAKE         30.07N 93.22W
07/20/2012  E60 MPH          CALCASIEU          LA   NWS EMPLOYEE

0939 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SSE LAKE CHARLES      30.17N 93.18W
07/20/2012                   CALCASIEU          LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAKE CHARLES PD REPORTS TELEPHONE POLES DOWN AT HWY 14
            AND SMITH RD.

&&

MOGGED

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 3:45 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Orange	60 min
Jul 21, 4:32 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Jefferson	58 min
Jul 20, 7:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides	39 min
Jul 20, 7:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides	56 min
Jul 20, 8:13 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Jefferson Davis	62 min
Jul 20, 8:21 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Allen	54 min
Jul 20, 9:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis	44 min
Jul 20, 9:25 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Cameron	65 min
Jul 20, 9:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron	43 min
Jul 20, 9:51 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		54 min
Jul 20, 10:30 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		60 min
Jul 20, 10:34 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		56 min
Jul 20, 11:32 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		58 min
Jul 21, 9:54 AM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	LCH	Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin	6 hr
Jul 21, 12:18 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		57 min
Jul 21, 1:10 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		2 hr
Jul 21, 1:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Jefferson Davis	59 min
Jul 21, 1:49 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Acadia, Lafayette, Saint Martin	56 min
Jul 21, 1:59 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis	61 min
Jul 21, 2:10 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Cameron	50 min
Jul 21, 2:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron	54 min
Jul 21, 2:41 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Vermilion	79 min
Jul 21, 2:48 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		117 min
Jul 21, 3:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron	41 min
Jul 21, 4:47 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		58 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 2012 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Louisiana, 2012 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012

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.