Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 32, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 17, 2020Beauregard Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at May 17, 2020, 6:38 PM CDT for Beauregard Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 19 min. 1 report 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: May 17, 2020, 6:38 PM CDT (23:38 UTC)
Expired: May 17, 2020, 6:57 PM CDT
In force: 19 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Beauregard Parish, LA, Calcasieu Parish, LA

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:40 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
May 17, 6:40 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 Se De Quincy, LA	VIDEO OF A TORNADO NEAR DE QUINCY. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Shreveport, LA (KSHV), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 235 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: 39 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 470 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 14 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

068 
WFUS54 KLCH 172338
TORLCH
LAC011-019-180015-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0032.200517T2338Z-200518T0015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
638 PM CDT Sun May 17 2020

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  South central Beauregard Parish in southwestern Louisiana...
  North central Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana...

* Until 715 PM CDT.
    
* At 638 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a 
  tornado was located just southeast of De Quincy, moving 
  southeast at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Buhler around 650 PM CDT.
  Sulphur around 710 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3043 9347 3051 9336 3033 9323 3023 9339
TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 329DEG 19KT 3040 9339 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

K. Kuyper

1 follow-up statement

757 
WWUS54 KLCH 172357
SVSLCH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
657 PM CDT Sun May 17 2020

LAC011-019-180006-
/O.CAN.KLCH.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-200518T0015Z/
Beauregard LA-Calcasieu LA-
657 PM CDT Sun May 17 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL BEAUREGARD AND NORTH CENTRAL
CALCASIEU PARISHES IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has weakened. 
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 3043 9347 3051 9336 3033 9323 3023 9339
TIME...MOT...LOC 2355Z 329DEG 19KT 3031 9333 

$$

K. Kuyper

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 17, 5:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Allen, Evangeline	26 min
May 17, 5:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Cameron	17 min
May 17, 6:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu	29 min
May 17, 6:07 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		38 min
May 17, 6:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Rapides	42 min
May 17, 6:50 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Evangeline	25 min
May 17, 6:52 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Rapides	53 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.