Alert archive / Louisiana / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 14, NWS Lake Charles, LA

April 19, 2015Rapides Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 19, 2015, 9:21 PM CDT for Rapides Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 39 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 19, 2015, 9:21 PM CDT (02:21 UTC)
Expired: Apr 19, 2015, 10:00 PM CDT
In force: 39 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Rapides Parish, LA

The radar

The Ft Polk radar (KPOE), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:24 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 watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 19, 2:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Apr 19, 8:02 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 155 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: 754 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -204 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1279 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 125 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

168 
WUUS54 KLCH 200221
SVRLCH
LAC079-200300-
/O.NEW.KLCH.SV.W.0014.150420T0221Z-150420T0300Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
921 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LAKE CHARLES  HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN RAPIDES PARISH IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT

* AT 919 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DAMAGING HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  LENA...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ALEXANDRIA...PINEVILLE...BOYCE...LENA...ALEXANDRIA INTERNATIONAL
  AIRPORT...BALL...KOLIN...LIBUSE...KINGSVILLE...FLATWOODS...
  PARADISE...HOLLOWAY...ESLER REGIONAL AIRPORT...TIOGA AND TIMBER
  TRAILS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...
DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION...MOVE TO
AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY
RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER
COVERS THE ROAD.

&&

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM CDT FOR WEST CENTRAL
LOUISIANA.

LAT...LON 3150 9268 3149 9270 3147 9269 3147 9271
      3145 9271 3144 9269 3143 9270 3142 9268
      3140 9270 3140 9267 3139 9266 3148 9220
      3133 9220 3133 9222 3132 9223 3124 9223
      3131 9288 3142 9287 3144 9281 3150 9274
TIME...MOT...LOC 0219Z 272DEG 33KT 3141 9279 

$$

13

1 follow-up statement

737 
WWUS54 KLCH 200259 RRA
SVSLCH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
959 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

LAC079-200309-
/O.EXP.KLCH.SV.W.0014.000000T0000Z-150420T0300Z/
RAPIDES LA-
959 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHERN RAPIDES PARISH WILL
EXPIRE AT 1000 PM CDT...
                
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. HOWEVER GUSTY WINDS
AND HEAVY RAIN ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

LAT...LON 3150 9268 3149 9270 3147 9269 3147 9271
      3145 9271 3144 9269 3143 9270 3142 9268
      3140 9270 3140 9267 3139 9266 3148 9220
      3133 9220 3133 9222 3132 9223 3124 9223
      3131 9288 3142 9287 3144 9281 3150 9274
TIME...MOT...LOC 0257Z 272DEG 33KT 3141 9279 

$$

13

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 Apr 19, 6:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 19, 6:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
634 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

.DISCUSSION...
FOR THE 00Z TAF PACKAGE.

&&

.AVIATION...
WATCHING BROKEN BAND OF STRONG/SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PUSHING EAST
THROUGH EAST TX/NW LA...WITH A FEW ISOLATED CELLS RECENTLY
DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE BAND JUST N OF THE KPOE AREA. VFR IS
EXPECTED TO PREVAIL AHEAD OF THE TSTMS. TIMED THE ARRIVAL AT
KAEX...KBPT...AND KLCH BASED ON LATEST RADAR TRENDS AND HRRR
DATA...INSERTING A TWO HOUR WINDOW AT EACH SITE WITH VCTS BASED ON
THE CURRENT SCATTERED NATURE OF THE CONVECTION. MORE DIRECT
IMPACTS WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH AMDS AS NEEDED.

13

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 621 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015/

DISCUSSION...
SCT SVR TSTMS OVER E TX/NW LA ALONG THE COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO
MOVE RAPIDLY EAST THIS EVENING. SVR TSTM WATCH 81 IN EFFECT UNTIL
8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR SE TX/C AND SW LA FOR THIS. HAVE
UPDATED THE FORECAST THIS EVENING TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SLIGHTLY
FASTER MOVEMENT OF THESE SVR TSTMS. LATER OVERNIGHT...FRONT
EXPECTED TO MOVE THRU THE REMAINDER OF S LA INTO THE COASTAL
WATERS. WITH THE SCT NATURE OF THESE TSRA...SOME AREAS MAY MISS
THE PRECIP ALTOGETHER...ALTHOUGH EXPECTING A MORE LINEAR LINE OF
TSRA TOWARDS MIDNIGHT AND BEYOND AS THE MOISTURE INCREASES ALONG
AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. POST FRONTAL WX LOOKING TO DRY OUT FOR
MON-TUE...FINALLY.

DML

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 351 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015/

DISCUSSION...
TEMPERATURES AROUND THE REGION HAVE WARMER INTO THE UPPER 70S TO
LOWER 80S UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. CHANGE IS ON THE WAY AGAIN
WITH A COLD FRONT THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION
AROUND MIDNIGHT AND WILL BE WELL OFFSHORE BY SUNRISE TOMORROW.
AHEAD OF THIS FRONT THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME UNSTABLE AND A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN LOUISIANA LOUISIANA THROUGH 8 PM. STORMS ARE
EXPECTED INTO TYLER AND HARDIN COUNTIES AROUND 6 PM THIS EVENING.
THE MAIN THREAT FROM STORMS WILL BE FROM WINDS.

STORMS CHANGING OVER TO RAINS BEHIND THE FRONT... PRECIP ENDING
BEFORE SUNRISE. A BIT COOLER AND SOMEWHAT DRIER START TO THE NEW
WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS DOWN AND INTO THE REGION. MORNING
LOWS INTO THE 50S BY TUESDAY MORNING THEN A GRADUAL WARM UP WILL
BECOME ESTABLISHED. RAINS RETURN TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AEX  58  75  53  77 /  50   0   0  10
LCH  61  77  58  78 /  50   0   0  10
LFT  63  77  58  78 /  40  10   0  10
BPT  60  77  59  78 /  40   0   0  10

&&

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

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 19, 3:23 PM CDT, 5 hours 58 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
323 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-
073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-202030-
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-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-
323 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO...CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...EAST CENTRAL TEXAS
AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 81 HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 8 PM:
HARDIN                JASPER                JEFFERSON
NEWTON                ORANGE                TYLER

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 81 HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE FOLLOWING
PARISHES IN SOUTHERN LOUISIANA THROUGH 8 PM:
RAPIDES

RAPIDES                ALLEN                 BEAUREGARD
CALCASIEU              VERNON

THE ATMOSPHERE IS UNSTABLE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE
INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND SOUTHERN LOUISIANA AROUND
MIDNIGHT. THERE IS A THREAT THAT SOME STORM COULD BECOME SEVERE
AHEAD OF THE FRONT.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 19, 7:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
732 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

TXZ201-215-216-200100-
ORANGE-JEFFERSON-HARDIN-
732 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN CALCASIEU
AND NORTHWESTERN CAMERON PARISHES...ORANGE...JEFFERSON AND
SOUTHEASTERN HARDIN COUNTIES...

AT 732 PM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM NEAR BEVIL OAKS TO NEAR OLD RIVER-WINFREE...AND MOVING
EAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BEAUMONT...PORT ARTHUR...ORANGE...NEDERLAND...GROVES...PORT NECHES...
VIDOR...BRIDGE CITY...WEST ORANGE...SOUR LAKE...NOME...CENTRAL
GARDENS...HAMSHIRE...SABINE PASS...MAURICEVILLE...BEVIL OAKS...
CHINA...ROSE CITY...PINE FOREST AND LAKEVIEW.

LAT...LON 3023 9432 3024 9371 3014 9369 3008 9373
      3006 9370 2999 9380 3000 9379 2999 9386
      2997 9384 2984 9395 2979 9394 2968 9384
      2967 9405 2956 9435 2989 9436 2989 9444
      3011 9444 3011 9450
TIME...MOT...LOC 0032Z 288DEG 27KT 3019 9427 2989 9475

LANDRENEAU

Local storm report, Apr 19, 7:56 PM CDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
756 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

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

0740 PM     HAIL             4 N KIRBYVILLE          30.72N 93.90W
04/19/2015  E1.00 INCH       JASPER             TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORTED HAIL BETWEEN QUARTER AND GOLF BALL SIZE

&&

TWH

Local storm report, Apr 19, 8:22 PM CDT, 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
822 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

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

0819 PM     HAIL             BALL                    31.42N 92.41W
04/19/2015  E1.00 INCH       RAPIDES            LA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTED QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN BALL

&&

TWH

Local storm report, Apr 19, 8:32 PM CDT, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
832 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

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

0825 PM     HAIL             5 E WINNIE              29.82N 94.30W
04/19/2015  E1.00 INCH       JEFFERSON          TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORTED ESTIMATED ONE INCH HAIL

&&

TWH

Local storm report, Apr 19, 8:38 PM CDT, 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
838 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

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

0820 PM     HAIL             TIOGA                   31.38N 92.43W
04/19/2015  E1.25 INCH       RAPIDES            LA   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORTS HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL IN TIOGA

&&

TWH

Special weather statement, Apr 19, 8:48 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
848 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

LAZ073-200245-
WEST CAMERON-
848 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2015

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN CAMERON
PARISH IN SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEASTERN ORANGE COUNTIES...

AT 848 PM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM PORT NECHES TO NEAR PORT ARTHUR...AND MOVING EAST AT
40 MPH.

WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
JOHNSONS BAYOU...SABINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE...HOLLY BEACH...HACKBERRY
AND CONSTANCE BEACH.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.

LAT...LON 2975 9389 2979 9391 2982 9382 2985 9379
      2997 9376 2999 9379 3005 9372 3005 9333
      2985 9335 2987 9335 2988 9339 2987 9344
      2982 9338 2982 9335 2976 9335 2977 9349
      2975 9369 2973 9378 2969 9383
TIME...MOT...LOC 0148Z 267DEG 36KT 2997 9396 2983 9397

LANDRENEAU

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 19, 7:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides	53 min
Apr 19, 7:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	47 min
Apr 19, 7:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides, Vernon	62 min
Apr 19, 8:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Vernon	34 min
Apr 19, 8:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	34 min
Apr 19, 8:39 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		36 min
Apr 19, 8:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Rapides	19 min
Apr 19, 9:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Avoyelles	30 min
Apr 19, 9:11 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		94 min
Apr 19, 9:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	24 min
Apr 19, 9:59 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		61 min
Apr 19, 10:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis	81 min
Apr 19, 10:57 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		63 min
Apr 19, 11:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette and 4 more	83 min
Apr 20, 1:46 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		89 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Louisiana, 2015 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2015

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.