Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 13, NWS Lake Charles, LA

April 22, 2020Avoyelles Parish, Rapides Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at Apr 22, 2020, 9:28 PM CDT for Avoyelles Parish, Rapides Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 32 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: Apr 22, 2020, 9:28 PM CDT (02:28 UTC)
Expired: Apr 22, 2020, 10:00 PM CDT
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Damage threat: Considerable
Hail: 1.5 in

Counties Avoyelles Parish, LA, Rapides Parish, LA

The radar

The Ft Polk radar (KPOE), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:30 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 22, 9:35 PM CDT	TORNADO	6 S Alexandria, LA	SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS AT LSUA.
Apr 22, 9:42 PM CDT	TORNADO 1	2 Nnw Ruby, LA	TORNADO STARTED W OF HWY 454 AND CROSSED THEHWY MOVING ENE ALONG AND NORTH OF WISE CHAPEL ROAD. IT PRODUCED CONSIDERABLE TREE DAMAGE WHICH RESULTED IN A FEW HOMES BEING DAMAGED AS WELL. THE TORNADO TRACK WAS LOST VOOHRIES ROAD BEFORE CROSSING INTO AVOYELLES PA
Apr 22, 9:45 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Se Kolin, LA	3-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN AND POWER POLES BROKEN.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 22, 5:01 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 00:00Z, 2.5 hours before the alert went out and 142 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: 2355 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 548 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 220 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 302 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 4.7
Supercell composite: 15.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

240 
WFUS54 KLCH 230228
TORLCH
LAC009-079-230300-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0013.200423T0228Z-200423T0300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
928 PM CDT Wed Apr 22 2020

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Rapides Parish in central Louisiana...
  Northwestern Avoyelles Parish in central Louisiana...

* Until 1000 PM CDT.
    
* At 928 PM CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado
  was located 7 miles south of Alexandria, moving northeast at 35
  mph.

  This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

  IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris 
           may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile 
           homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
           businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete 
           destruction is possible.

* The tornado will be near...
  Pineville around 945 PM CDT.
  Kolin, Ruby, Libuse and Poland around 950 PM CDT.
  Esler Regional Airport around 955 PM CDT.
  Centerpoint and Holloway around 1000 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Woodworth.

This includes Interstate 49 between mile markers 71 and 85.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move
to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid
windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move
to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying
debris.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3111 9256 3125 9259 3144 9220 3113 9221
TIME...MOT...LOC 0228Z 246DEG 32KT 3119 9251 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

24

2 follow-up statements

316 
WWUS54 KLCH 230236
SVSLCH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
936 PM CDT Wed Apr 22 2020

LAC009-079-230300-
/O.CON.KLCH.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-200423T0300Z/
Rapides LA-Avoyelles LA-
936 PM CDT Wed Apr 22 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL RAPIDES AND NORTHWESTERN AVOYELLES PARISHES...
        
At 934 PM CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located near Poland, or 9 miles southeast of Alexandria, moving east
at 35 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Kolin around 940 PM CDT.
  Ruby and Poland around 945 PM CDT.
  Centerpoint around 950 PM CDT.

This includes Interstate 49 between mile markers 79 and 81.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move
to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid
windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move
to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying
debris.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3113 9243 3124 9247 3133 9221 3113 9221
TIME...MOT...LOC 0234Z 253DEG 32KT 3119 9237 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

24

404 
WWUS54 KLCH 230246
SVSLCH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
946 PM CDT Wed Apr 22 2020

LAC009-079-230300-
/O.CON.KLCH.TO.W.0013.000000T0000Z-200423T0300Z/
Rapides LA-Avoyelles LA-
946 PM CDT Wed Apr 22 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL RAPIDES AND NORTHWESTERN AVOYELLES PARISHES...
        
At 945 PM CDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located over Centerpoint, or near Effie, moving northeast at 35 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Centerpoint around 950 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, TAKE COVER NOW! Move
to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid
windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move
to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying
debris.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3114 9231 3127 9236 3133 9221 3113 9221
TIME...MOT...LOC 0245Z 246DEG 32KT 3123 9226 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

24

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 22, 7:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threat	LCH	Vernon	27 min
Apr 22, 8:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning EmergencyTornado observedCatastrophic damage threat	LCH	Vernon	20 min
Apr 22, 8:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Rapides, Vernon	43 min
Apr 22, 9:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	26 min
Apr 22, 9:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threat	LCH	Avoyelles, Rapides	27 min
Apr 23, 12:12 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Calcasieu	48 min
Apr 23, 12:21 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Rapides	39 min
Apr 23, 12:33 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis	57 min
Apr 23, 1:02 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides	43 min
Apr 23, 1:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia, Allen, Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Saint Landry	50 min
Apr 23, 1:52 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Saint Landry	42 min
Apr 23, 9:09 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		51 min
Apr 23, 9:54 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		66 min
Apr 23, 10:54 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		26 min
Apr 23, 1:58 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Saint Martin	32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 2020 Every tornado warning in 2020 Tornadoes in 2020

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.