Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2024

Tornado Warning 35, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 13, 2024Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at May 13, 2024, 6:40 PM CDT for Saint Martin Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 20 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: May 13, 2024, 6:40 PM CDT (23:40 UTC)
Expired: May 13, 2024, 7:00 PM CDT
In force: 20 min
Issued by: NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

County Saint Martin Parish, LA

The radar

The Hammond radar (KHDC), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:41 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 tornado 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
May 13, 5:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 161 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: 2954 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 572 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 105 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.4
Supercell composite: 5.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

677 
WFUS54 KLCH 132340
TORLCH
LAC099-140000-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0035.240513T2340Z-240514T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
640 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central St. Martin Parish in south central Louisiana...

* Until 700 PM CDT.

* At 640 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 8 miles southeast of Butte La Rose, or 8 miles east of
  Catahoula, moving east at 60 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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  central St. Martin Parish.

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 3013 9146 3012 9166 3027 9170 3029 9161
      3027 9159 3026 9159 3024 9157 3024 9151
      3023 9148 3023 9147 3020 9149 3019 9147
      3014 9147 3014 9146
TIME...MOT...LOC 2340Z 263DEG 53KT 3023 9156 

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

$$

Stigger/87

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at May 13, 6:25 PM CDT, 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 13, 6:25 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
625 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

...New UPDATE, AVIATION...

.UPDATE...
Severe Thunderstorms Watches 237 continue through 8 PM & 239
through Midnight. Very severe MCS moving very quickly with a
history of 60 to 80 mph winds and tornadoes. Portions of these
watches will likely be cleared behind the TSRA clusters as it is
moving to the east around 40 mph. Another cluster of TSRA across
the coastal waters likely to remain along the coast into the
coastal waters.

08/DML

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Tonight through Wednesday night)
Issued at 235 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

Forecast remains on track this afternoon as MCS is gaining steam
across SETX. We are starting to see the rear inflow jet descend
into the backside of the line with multiple bowing segments
evident on radar. This will quickly shift us from hail threat to
wind threat. It is quite possible, fairly widespread wind damage
could accompany this MCS as it pushes east into 3000-4500 j/kg
MLCAPE. We could see some significant wind gusts upwards of 65kts
localized across the areas as well. With the sufficient shear and
deep unidirectional flow parallel to the bndry layer, this MCS
should track across the I-10 corridor. Any large hail will be from
supercells anchoring along the bndry and/or cell mergers, before
they merge into the main MCS.

Flash flood threat remains, especially on the northern flank
where some areas are seeing 1-2hrs of very heavy to intense
rainfall rates. This will continue along the bndry, but flash
flood threat along the main MCS will be more so from intense
rainfall rates in urban areas. HREF LPMM continues to show areas
approaching 5 or 6 inches of rain generally along/north of I-10 to
US 190.

The threat for a tornado or two remains possible, but will be
confined to circulations along the MCS as it marches east.

It will take some time for the MCS to finally exit the region,
with lingering stratiform rain/gusty winds in the wake of the
MCS. By 06Z, much of the activity should be east of the CWA, but
some uncertainty remains as to timing.

The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday will be dry and warm/muggy.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Thursday through next Sunday)
Issued at 235 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

Moving forward into Thursday notable low-level subsidence will be
present over SETX / SWLA throughout the morning while the upper
level flow carries a slight amplification along the southern Plains
and Mississippi Valley. Meanwhile, a partially cutoff shortwave
from the northern stream pattern over the Four Corners regions
quickly begins to merge into the pattern north allowing a narrow
neck of speed divergence over Texas to develop surface troughing
across the state and TX/LA Gulf Coast by the end of the day. There
has been much variability in the signals of specific QPF. Previous
analysis suggested a surface low shifting inland from the SW below
the ARKLATEX region generating shower / thunderstorm activity along
the sfc low and associated warm front lifting NE over the
Mississippi Valley through Friday evening.

The region of divergence aloft is very progressive across the
Mississippi into the SE CONUS with the aforementioned weak surface
low moving off the Delaware Capes by Saturday, however, with only
broad ridging suggested in the wake of the system, the potential for
isolated to scattered POPs remains unsettled over lower SETX and
SWLA with a stalled frontal boundary that could easily interact with
minor perturbations aloft. Overall, this transitioning pattern,
though still unsettled, does not indicate signal of significant
weather headlines Friday through the upcoming weekend. This analysis
of the forecast is congruent with the SPC understanding of no severe
weather risks in the day 4-8 outlook. Convective modes of hazardous
weather aside, it is worth noting given the variance of guidance
with the recently experienced wet pattern, portions of SETX and SWLA
carry both a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall Thursday – Friday
night- ending Saturday morning. Thus, the big picture in the long
term is determining further rainfall on top of already well
saturated soils.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 604 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

Severe thunderstorm cluster hitting LFT now and ARA within the
next half hour. LFT just gusted to 69 kt or 79 mph, expect
something similar for ARA within a few minutes. Remainder of
forecast will see MVFR ceilings overnight, with MVFR visibility
possible for southern sites between 10-14z. Improving conditions
expected for Tuesday.

08/DML

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 235 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

Moderate southerly winds will continue into the evening hours
ahead of a quasi-stationary boundary extending along the TX / LA
Gulf Coast. Shower and thunderstorm chances should increase west
to east through tonight, with a few strong to severe storms
likely. Heavy rainfall rates are likely over the coastal water
through midnight into Tuesday which will severely reduce
visibility at times amidst strong thunderstorm gusts. Winds will
shift westerly on Tuesday, then offshore Tuesday night with the
passage of a weak cold front. Winds will gradually veer back
southeast by Wednesday night, with rain chances returning by
Thursday as another low pressure system approaches the area.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AEX  64  86  61  88 /  60   0   0   0
LCH  67  87  65  88 /  70   0   0   0
LFT  70  89  66  90 /  70  10   0   0
BPT  67  89  66  89 /  60   0   0   0

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...Flood Watch through Tuesday morning for LAZ027>033-044-045-
     141>143-152-153-241>243.

TX...Flood Watch through Tuesday morning for TXZ180-201-259>262-515-
     516-615-616.

GM...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...08
LONG TERM....78
AVIATION...08

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 13, 6:31 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
631 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

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

0628 PM     Flash Flood      4 SW Lafayette          30.18N 92.07W
05/13/2024                   Lafayette          LA   Public

            Report from mPING: Street/road flooding;
            Street/road closed; Vehicles stranded.

&&

Local storm report, May 13, 6:32 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
632 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

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

0626 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 SSE Cade              30.03N 91.88W
05/13/2024  M74 MPH          Iberia             LA   ASOS

            AWOS station KARA 4 SSE Cade.

&&

Local storm report, May 13, 6:33 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
633 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

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

0630 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 S New Iberia          29.97N 91.81W
05/13/2024                   Iberia             LA   Public

            Report from mPING: 1-inch tree limbs broken;
            Shingles blown off.

&&

Special weather statement, May 13, 6:33 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
633 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

LAZ153-154-252>254-140000-
Lower Iberia LA-Lower Vermilion LA-Upper Iberia LA-Lower St. Mary LA-
Upper St. Mary LA-
633 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN IBERIA...
NORTHWESTERN ST. MARY AND SOUTHEASTERN VERMILION PARISHES THROUGH 700
PM CDT...

At 633 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Avery Island to near Freshwater City. Movement
was east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to vegetation and outdoor
         objects is possible.

Locations impacted include...
Jeanerette, Freshwater City, Avery Island, Cypremort Point,
Intracoastal City, Baldwin, Sorrel, Cote Blanche Island, Glencoe,
Lydia, Charenton, and Weeks Island.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until midnight CDT for
south central and southwestern Louisiana.

&&

LAT...LON 2957 9203 2962 9202 2960 9207 2959 9204
      2958 9205 2958 9216 2953 9229 2956 9248
      2990 9202 2995 9147 2976 9165 2976 9170
      2975 9166 2974 9167 2975 9175 2971 9185
      2964 9190 2960 9180 2952 9188
TIME...MOT...LOC 2333Z 263DEG 38KT 2991 9192 2959 9238

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

Tingler

Local storm report, May 13, 6:34 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
634 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

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

0615 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 SSE Lafayette         30.20N 92.02W
05/13/2024  M80 MPH          Lafayette          LA   Public

            Observer with weather station recorded 80
            mph wind gusts near intersection of S
            college rd and Bendel Rd.

&&

CK

Local storm report, May 13, 6:38 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
638 PM CDT Mon May 13 2024

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

0635 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Saint Martinville       30.12N 91.83W
05/13/2024                   St. Martin         LA   Public

            Report from mPING: 1-inch tree limbs broken;
            Shingles blown off.

&&

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 12, 9:45 PM CDT	River Flood Watch	LCH	Allen	13 hr
May 12, 9:45 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Vernon	6 days
May 13, 4:31 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Vernon	29 min
May 13, 5:00 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Allen	30 min
May 13, 5:27 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Evangeline	33 min
May 13, 5:29 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	LaSalle	16 min
May 13, 6:02 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Evangeline	28 min
May 13, 6:32 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Saint Landry	13 min
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	21 days
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Allen	21 days
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Beauregard	7 days
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion	21 days
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Evangeline, Saint Landry	47 hr
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Jefferson Davis	21 days
May 13, 10:35 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	LCH	Allen	21 days
May 13, 2:36 PM CDT	River Flood Watch	LCH	Vernon	22 hr
May 13, 3:28 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Calcasieu	32 min
May 13, 3:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu	29 min
May 13, 3:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu	61 min
May 13, 3:49 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		56 min
May 13, 3:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Cameron	54 min
May 13, 3:54 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Beauregard, Calcasieu	5 hr
May 13, 4:08 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Cameron, Jefferson Davis	7 min
May 13, 4:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Calcasieu	37 min
May 13, 4:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	LCH	Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis	61 min
May 13, 4:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Evangeline	56 min
May 13, 4:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Cameron, Vermilion	54 min
May 13, 4:37 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		53 min
May 13, 4:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis	26 min
May 13, 4:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Allen, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides, Saint Landry	64 min
May 13, 4:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis	34 min
May 13, 5:00 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Allen, Beauregard, Evangeline	5 hr
May 13, 5:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis	34 min
May 13, 5:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	LCH	Acadia, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Vermilion	42 min
May 13, 5:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Cameron, Vermilion	67 min
May 13, 5:27 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		63 min
May 13, 5:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Jefferson Davis	13 min
May 13, 5:32 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Avoyelles, Evangeline, Rapides, Saint Landry	5 hr
May 13, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	LCH	Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, Vermilion	44 min
May 13, 5:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Acadia, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Saint Landry	43 min
May 13, 6:06 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Acadia, Lafayette, Saint Martin	24 min
May 13, 6:23 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	LCH		97 min
May 13, 6:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LCH	Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin	35 min
May 13, 6:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	LCH	Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Martin	64 min
May 13, 6:27 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LCH	Acadia, Iberia, Lafayette, Saint Landry, Saint Martin, Vermilion	3 hr
May 13, 6:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	LCH	Saint Martin	15 min
May 13, 6:33 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Iberia	27 min
May 13, 6:58 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	LCH	Iberia, St. Mary	47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 2024 Every tornado warning in 2024 Tornadoes in 2024

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.