Alert archive / Texas / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Lake Charles, LA

April 2, 2012Jasper County, Orange County, Tyler County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this special weather statement at Apr 2, 2012, 9:45 AM CDT for Jasper County, Orange County, Tyler County, Texas. It was in force for 60 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: Apr 2, 2012, 9:45 AM CDT (14:45 UTC)
Expired: Apr 2, 2012, 10:45 AM CDT
In force: 60 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA

Counties Jasper County, TX, Orange County, TX, Tyler County, TX

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:45 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 87 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: 3588 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 441 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 104 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 119 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.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Apr 2, 7:32 AM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 7:32 AM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
732 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

.DISCUSSION...
12Z TAFS

&&

.AVIATION...
A FEW SHOWERS AND MINOR REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY WERE SEEN THIS
MORNING BUT LIFT APPEARED TO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT ANY
SIGNIFICANT FOG FROM DEVELOPING.

A PERSISTANT MCS CONTINUES TO PUSH EAST ACROSS COASTAL PORTIONS
OF TEXAS THIS MORNING. EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO REACH OUR AREA
LATER THIS MORNING AND BEGIN IMPACTING TERMINALS FROM WEST TO
EAST. EXACT TIMING OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN
BUT BASED ON MOVEMENT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS...EXPECT BPT TO
BEGIN SEEING EFFECTS BY 15Z.

SOME PRECIPITATION LOADING HAS BEEN NOTED WITH SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EARLIER THIS MORNING. THE THREAT FOR DOWNBURSTS
WILL EXIST AT ALL SITES IN AND AROUND DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS. IN
ADDITION THE THREAT WILL EXIST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HAIL.

BY LATE THIS EVENING A BREAK IN THE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED. SOME
GUIDANCE ATTEMPTS TO DEVELOP FOG BY EARLY TOMORROW MORNING BUT
GIVEN THEIR DISAGREEMENT I OPTED TO HOLD OFF FOR THE TIME BEING.

ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOOKS TO BE IN STORE
FOR TUESDAY AS AN UPPER LOW PUSHES OUT OF THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND
INTO THE PLAINS.

&&

66

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 511 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012/

DISCUSSION...
LATEST WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY/UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWED A
DIGGING UPPER TROF ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS...WITH A DOWNSTREAM
RIDGE STRETCHING FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST INTO THE NORTHEAST GULF
COAST REGION. A SMALL AND RELATIVELY WEAK MID/UPPER LOW WAS NOTED
AHEAD OF THE WRN CONUS TROF OVER SE TX...IN THE GENERAL VICINITY
OF COLLEGE STATION.

SHORT TERM FORECAST PRESENTS QUITE A CONUNDRUM AS IT IS DOMINATED
BY MESOSCALE FEATURES WHICH HAVE EITHER BEEN POORLY INITIALIZED
OR MISSED COMPLETELY BY HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS AND
ENSEMBLES...NEVERMIND THEIR GLOBAL COUSINS.

A NWD PROPAGATING GRAVITY WAVE FROM CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY THAT
DECAYED OVER THE GOMEX YESTERDAY HAS SERVED AS A FOCUS FOR
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AND
ADJACENT COUNTIES/PARISHES THIS MORNING. THE 4KM WRF DID SHOW THIS
ACTIVITY...BUT WAS TOO FAST AND MAINTAINED IT TOO FAR
INLAND...ITS 09Z DEPICTION HAVING A BROKEN LINE OF CONVECTION
STRETCHING FROM JASPER TO ALEXANDRIA. IT APPEARS TO BE DOING A
LITTLE BETTER WITH THE LINE OF CONVECTION WEST OF CORPUS...BUT IN
THIS CASE SEEMS A BIT SLOW. THE SREF FARED BETTER WITH THE
ACTIVITY OFF OUR COAST...BUT IS COMPLETELY MISSING THE CONVECTION
OVER S TEXAS.

IN ANY CASE...COVERAGE/INTENSITY CLOSER TO HOME HAS DECREASED A
BIT PER RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY...AND THIS IS WHERE THE
DIFFICULTIES BEGIN. THE SREF AND GLOBAL MODELS SUGGEST THAT
COVERAGE SHOULD BE ON THE INCREASE...WHILE THE HREF AND 4KM WRF
INDICATE A RELATIVE LULL IN ACTIVITY UNTIL LATE THIS MORNING INTO
THE AFTERNOON AS THE S TX CONVECTION HEADS TWD THE ENE.  MY GUESS
IS THAT SOMETHING IN BETWEEN WILL PLAY OUT...WITH AT LEAST SOME
ACTIVITY CONTINUING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...WHILE MORE ROBUST
AND WIDESPREAD CONVECTION OCCURS THIS AFTERNOON...EITHER FROM THE
S TX CONVECTION OR FROM NEW/ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF THE
MID/UPPER LOW...WHICH IS PROGGED TO KICK OUT TO THE NORTHEAST
AHEAD OF THE DIGGING WEST COAST TROF. BOTTOM LINE IS THE LIKELY
POPS I INHERITED WILL BE MAINTAINED AS IS.

DECENT INSTABILITY AND MARGINALLY SUFFICIENT SHEAR PROGS HAVE
PROMPTED SPC TO OUTLINE A GOOD PART OF THE AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK
OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR TODAY. DAMAGING WINDS AND/OR LARGE HAIL
WOULD BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS. GIVEN THE OVERALL LOW
DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN EXACTLY WHAT WILL TRANSPIRE...I HAVE HELD
SEVERE WORDING OUT OF THE ZFP FOR THE TIME BEING.

A BRIEF BREAK IN SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED
TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE MID/UPPER LOW...BEFORE CHANCES START TO
RAMP UP AGAIN TUESDAY AS SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT INCREASES WITH THE
APPROACH OF THE WRN CONUS TROF...WHICH IS PROGGED TO CUT OFF TODAY
OVER THE FOUR CORNERS AND MEANDER SLOWLY EASTWARD TWD THE TX/OK
PANHANDLES BY TUESDAY. THE PROBABILITY WILL INCREASE FURTHER LATE
TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE LOW LIFTS OUT INTO THE PLAINS AND
ITS ASSOCIATED SFC BOUNDARY MOVES INTO THE REGION.

DRIER AIR IS PROGGED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA FROM WEST TO EAST IN
THE WAKE OF THIS FEATURE...THOUGH THIS IS WHERE THE GLOBAL MODELS
BEGIN TO DIVERGE A BIT...WITH THE GFS MAINTAINING AN ACTIVE MOIST
TONGUE OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OR SO OF THE AREA INTO
THURSDAY...WHILE THE ECMWF DRIES US OUT. FOR NOW WILL HANG
ONTO SILENT 10S AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR TRENDS. THIS MODEL
DIVERGENCE CONTINUES TO GROW HEADING THROUGH THE REST OF THE
WEEK...WITH THE GFS HOLDING A RIDGE OVER THE SE CONUS INTO EARLY
NEXT WEEK WHILE THE ECMWF QUICKER TO BREAK IT DOWN. CHANGES WERE
KEPT TO A MINIMUM.

MARINE...
A DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL
MAINTAIN A SOUTHERLY WIND REGIME ACROSS THE NORTHWEST GULF OF
MEXICO. PASSING DISTURBANCES ALOFT WILL SET OFF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH  81  69  83  69  83 /  60  20  40  50  40
KBPT  82  69  81  70  83 /  60  20  40  50  30
KAEX  81  65  83  66  81 /  60  30  40  50  30
KLFT  82  68  84  68  82 /  60  20  40  40  50

&&

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

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 5:38 AM CDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
538 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-
031045-
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-
538 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED
ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA TODAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY
HAZARDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY AS A SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MOVES
THROUGH THE PLAINS. NO ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED EITHER
DAY AT THIS TIME...THOUGH THERE IS A LEAST A VERY LOW RISK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TODAY.

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-031045-
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-
538 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED
ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA TODAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY
HAZARDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY AS A SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MOVES
THROUGH THE PLAINS. NO ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED EITHER
DAY AT THIS TIME...THOUGH THERE IS A LEAST A VERY LOW RISK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
MARINE INTERESTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
TODAY...AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE HARBOR SHOULD SPECIAL MARINE
WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

13

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 2, 9:14 AM CDT, 31 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
914 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

LAZ073-TXZ180-201-215-216-021515-
HARDIN TX-TYLER TX-JEFFERSON TX-ORANGE TX-WEST CAMERON LA-
914 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARDIN...TYLER...JEFFERSON AND
ORANGE COUNTIES...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CAMERON PARISH
UNTIL 1015 AM CDT...

AT 908 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF SARATOGA TO 48 MILES SOUTH OF SABINE PASS...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  BATSON BY 920 AM...
  NOME AND HAMSHIRE BY 935 AM...
  SARATOGA BY 945 AM...
  SOUR LAKE BY 950 AM...
  FANNETT AND CHINA BY 955 AM...
  LA BELLE BY 1010 AM...

THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND WIND
GUSTS TO NEAR 40 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 3055 9449 2992 9386 2987 9391 2978 9392
      2985 9380 2974 9369 2971 9378 2966 9386
      2967 9403 2958 9430 2969 9436 2988 9436
      2989 9445 3011 9445 3011 9459 3028 9467

RUA

Special weather statement, Apr 2, 9:45 AM CDT, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
945 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

LAZ030-041-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-021545-
HARDIN TX-NORTHERN JASPER TX-NORTHERN NEWTON TX-TYLER TX-JEFFERSON TX-
BEAUREGARD LA-CALCASIEU LA-ORANGE TX-SOUTHERN JASPER TX-
SOUTHERN NEWTON TX-WEST CAMERON LA-EAST CAMERON LA-
945 AM CDT MON APR 2 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARDIN...JASPER...NEWTON...
TYLER...JEFFERSON AND ORANGE COUNTIES...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY
FOR BEAUREGARD...CALCASIEU AND CAMERON PARISHES UNTIL 1045 AM CDT...

AT 941 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 19 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CHESTER TO 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF EVADALE TO 48 MILES
SOUTH OF CAMERON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  MAURICEVILLE AND GIST BY 950 AM...
  CANEY HEAD...WEST ORANGE...WARREN AND ORANGE BY 955 AM...
  SABINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE...SABINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND BUNA
  BY 1000 AM...
  WRIGHTS SETTLEMENT BY 1005 AM...

THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...PEA TO
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 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 3106 9457 3104 9447 3106 9437 3070 9367
      2975 9310 2977 9327 2973 9375 2984 9381
      2997 9377 2998 9381 2993 9387 3020 9404
      3049 9457 3051 9455 3101 9467

RUA

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 2, 8:22 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		68 min
Apr 2, 9:07 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		53 min
Apr 2, 9:44 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		61 min
Apr 2, 10:31 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		59 min
Apr 2, 10:37 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis	53 min
Apr 2, 11:17 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		58 min
Apr 2, 11:27 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Lafayette, Vermilion, Vernon	63 min
Apr 2, 11:55 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		65 min
Apr 2, 12:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides	45 min
Apr 2, 12:36 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Avoyelles, Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Landry	54 min
Apr 2, 12:59 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		61 min
Apr 2, 1:21 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Avoyelles, Iberia, Saint Martin, St. Mary	39 min
Apr 2, 1:57 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Saint Martin, St. Mary	63 min
Apr 2, 9:14 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Hardin, Jefferson	61 min
Apr 2, 1:59 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Hardin	61 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Texas, 2012 Every special weather statement 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.