Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 29, NWS Lake Charles, LA

February 18, 20124 parishes in Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Feb 18, 2012, 8:51 AM CST for 4 parishes in Louisiana. It was in force for 24 min. 3 reports 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
Feb 18, 2012, 8:51 AM CST (14:51 UTC)
Expired
Feb 18, 2012, 9:15 AM CST
In force
24 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), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:51 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 18, 8:53 AM CSTTORNADO 01 Sw Klondike, LAA WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 14 AND 717 NEAR KLONDIKE...RIPPED PART OF A METAL ROOF OFF A BARN...SNAPPED A COUPLE OF TELEPHONE POLES AND TREES. THIS TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR 2.5 MILES AND WAS 20 YARDS WIDE. IT MOVED INTO VERMILION PARISH ALON
Feb 18, 9:00 AM CSTTSTM WND DMGJennings, LAA TREE WAS BLOWN ONTO A HOUSE ON SHANNON DRIVE AND POWER LINES WERE DOWNED.
Feb 18, 9:10 AM CSTTSTM WND DMGLyons Point, LAPOWER POLES WERE BLOWN DOWN.

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Feb 18, 4:46 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 62 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 2012-02-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 2012-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 359 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
564 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
75 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
359 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
635 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

366 
WFUS54 KLCH 181451
TORLCH
LAC001-023-053-113-181515-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0029.120218T1451Z-120218T1515Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
851 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN ACADIA PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES...MERMENTAU...CROWLEY...
  NORTHEASTERN CAMERON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES KLONDIKE...
  SOUTHEASTERN JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES...LAKE ARTHUR...JENNINGS...
  NORTHWESTERN VERMILION PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...
  THIS INCLUDES...KAPLAN...GUEYDAN...

* UNTIL 915 AM CST

* AT 846 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR LAKE
  ARTHUR...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  RICEVILLE...GUEYDAN AND MORSE BY 900 AM CST...
  WRIGHT AND EGAN BY 905 AM CST...
  LYONS POINT...KAPLAN AND CROWLEY BY 910 AM CST...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATES A TORNADO MAY FORM AT ANY
TIME. TAKE COVER NOW! ABANDON MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES. MOVE TO AN
INTERIOR ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM CST
SATURDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 2994 9273 3018 9277 3035 9234 2999 9222
TIME...MOT...LOC 1451Z 258DEG 44KT 3004 9263

$$

21
1 follow-up statement
305 
WWUS54 KLCH 181507
SVSLCH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
907 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

LAC023-053-181516-
/O.CAN.KLCH.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-120218T1515Z/
JEFFERSON DAVIS LA-CAMERON LA-
907 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CAMERON AND SOUTHEASTERN
JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISHES IS CANCELLED...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST
SATURDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

LAT...LON 3013 9258 3026 9231 3025 9231 3004 9224
      3002 9254
TIME...MOT...LOC 1506Z 258DEG 44KT 3010 9242

$$

LAC001-113-181515-
/O.CON.KLCH.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-120218T1515Z/
ACADIA LA-VERMILION LA-
907 AM CST SAT FEB 18 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 AM CST FOR NORTH
CENTRAL VERMILION AND SOUTHERN ACADIA PARISHES...

AT 901 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A 
TORNADO ON RADAR.  THIS RADAR INDICATED TORNADO WAS LOCATED 
NEAR RICEVILLE..MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO LYONS
POINT AND CROWLEY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CST
SATURDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

&&

LAT...LON 3013 9258 3026 9231 3025 9231 3004 9224
      3002 9254
TIME...MOT...LOC 1506Z 258DEG 44KT 3010 9242

$$

MM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 5:08 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementLCHAllen37 min
Feb 18, 5:33 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementLCHEvangeline27 min
Feb 18, 6:26 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementLCHVernon34 min
Feb 18, 6:54 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementLCHSaint Landry66 min
Feb 18, 7:14 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron61 min
Feb 18, 7:21 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHBeauregard, Vernon84 min
Feb 18, 7:23 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningLCH67 min
Feb 18, 7:27 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHCalcasieu, Cameron93 min
Feb 18, 7:58 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAcadia, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion62 min
Feb 18, 8:01 AM CSTTornado WarningLCHCameron29 min
Feb 18, 8:07 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningLCH53 min
Feb 18, 8:12 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningLCHCalcasieu3 hr
Feb 18, 8:30 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAcadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Vermilion60 min
Feb 18, 8:37 AM CSTTornado WarningLCHAcadia, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion23 min
Feb 18, 8:38 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHAcadia, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin and 1 more4 hr
Feb 18, 9:00 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningLCH60 min
Feb 18, 9:02 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningLCHCalcasieu7 days
Feb 18, 9:02 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningLCHAcadia, Allen, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis5 days
Feb 18, 9:02 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningLCHVernon3 days
Feb 18, 9:02 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningLCHBeauregard, Calcasieu13 hr
Feb 18, 9:09 AM CSTTornado WarningLCHAcadia, Lafayette, Vermilion36 min
Feb 18, 9:19 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHVermilion56 min
Feb 18, 9:22 AM CSTTornado WarningLCHAcadia, Lafayette38 min
Feb 18, 9:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHCameron, Vermilion57 min
Feb 18, 9:34 AM CSTTornado WarningLCHAcadia, Lafayette, Vermilion28 min
Feb 18, 9:41 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHIberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin, Vermilion64 min
Feb 18, 9:46 AM CSTTornado WarningLCHSaint Landry, Saint Martin29 min
Feb 18, 9:54 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningLCH66 min
Feb 18, 10:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHIberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin, St. Mary, Vermilion66 min
Feb 18, 10:17 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningLCH58 min
Feb 18, 10:20 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningLCHAcadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Saint Landry and 2 more6 hr
Feb 18, 10:46 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningLCHAcadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Saint Landry3 hr
Feb 18, 10:54 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningLCHLafayette, Vermilion34 hr
Feb 18, 10:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHIberia, Saint Martin, St. Mary50 min
Feb 18, 11:01 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningLCH43 min
Feb 18, 11:16 AM CSTAreal Flood WarningLCHBeauregard, Calcasieu4 hr
Feb 18, 3:41 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLCHIberia, Saint Martin, Vermilion109 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.