Alert archive / Louisiana / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 2, 2025Beauregard Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this tornado warning at May 2, 2025, 5:18 PM CDT for Beauregard Parish, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. It was in force for 27 min. 2 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
May 2, 2025, 5:18 PM CDT (22:18 UTC)
Expired
May 2, 2025, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

Counties Beauregard Parish, LA, Calcasieu Parish, LA

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:20 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
May 2, 5:42 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 Sse Oretta, LAUtility reports 3 broken powerline crossarms in the Oretta area. Time estimated by radar.
May 2, 5:55 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG7 Sse De Quincy, LAUtility company reports numerous trees down in the DeQuincy area. Delayed report. Public reports to utility company trees down at Wanda Ln. Time estimated by radar.

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
May 2, 12:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 56 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 2025-05-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1822 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2025-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1822 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-75 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
751 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

174 
WFUS54 KLCH 022218
TORLCH
LAC011-019-022245-
/O.NEW.KLCH.TO.W.0021.250502T2218Z-250502T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
518 PM CDT Fri May 2 2025

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Beauregard Parish in southwestern Louisiana...
  Northwestern Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 518 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Fields, moving east at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  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...
  Oretta and De Quincy around 525 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 9371 3044 9370 3045 9371 3046 9371
      3046 9370 3047 9371 3051 9370 3056 9336
      3030 9339 3039 9372
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 277DEG 19KT 3045 9355 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

Stigger/87
2 follow-up statements
325 
WWUS54 KLCH 022223
SVSLCH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
523 PM CDT Fri May 2 2025

LAC011-019-022245-
/O.CON.KLCH.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-250502T2245Z/
Beauregard LA-Calcasieu LA-
523 PM CDT Fri May 2 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN BEAUREGARD AND NORTHWESTERN CALCASIEU PARISHES...

At 522 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near De Quincy, moving east at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail.

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...
  Oretta and De Quincy around 530 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 9371 3044 9370 3045 9371 3046 9371
      3046 9370 3047 9371 3051 9370 3056 9336
      3030 9339 3039 9372
TIME...MOT...LOC 2222Z 269DEG 18KT 3046 9353 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

Stigger/87
070 
WWUS54 KLCH 022241
SVSLCH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
541 PM CDT Fri May 2 2025

LAC011-019-022249-
/O.EXP.KLCH.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-250502T2245Z/
Beauregard LA-Calcasieu LA-
541 PM CDT Fri May 2 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN BEAUREGARD AND NORTHWESTERN
CALCASIEU PARISHES WILL EXPIRE AT 545 PM CDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. A Severe 
Thunderstorm Warning to follow with the primary threat being 
damaging wind gusts. 

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for
southwestern Louisiana...and southeastern Texas.

&&

LAT...LON 3043 9371 3044 9370 3045 9371 3046 9371
      3046 9370 3047 9371 3051 9370 3056 9336
      3030 9339 3039 9372
TIME...MOT...LOC 2239Z 277DEG 19KT 3045 9344 

$$

Stigger/87

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 2, 4:01 PM CDTTornado WarningLCHBeauregard29 min
May 2, 4:48 PM CDTTornado WarningLCHBeauregard27 min
May 2, 5:06 PM CDTTornado WarningLCHBeauregard, Calcasieu24 min
May 2, 5:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHAllen, Beauregard, Calcasieu30 min
May 2, 6:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLCHAvoyelles28 min
May 2, 6:22 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLCHCalcasieu23 min
May 2, 6:33 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHBeauregard, Calcasieu5 hr
May 2, 6:58 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementLCHAllen32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Louisiana, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025

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.