Louisiana, 1983

Tornadoes and Hail in Louisiana, May 20, 1983

May 20, 1983 · NWS T · 16 events in 9 counties and zones

10 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 3 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$275,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu

When
May 20, 3:28 AM CST
Where
Calcasieu County
Coordinates
30.230, -93.200

Tornado, Avoyelles

When
May 20, 5:30 AM CST
Where
Avoyelles County
Rating
F3
Path length
2 mi
Path width
200 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
30.920, -91.930

Tornado, Calcasieu

When
May 20, 12:13 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$30
Coordinates
30.300, -93.220

Tornado, Cameron

When
May 20, 2:30 PM CST
Where
Cameron County
Rating
F3
Path length
5 mi
Path width
200 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
29.750, -93.600

Hail, Cameron

When
May 20, 2:40 PM CST
Where
Cameron County
Measured
2.75 in hail
Coordinates
29.800, -93.330

Hail, Cameron

When
May 20, 2:40 PM CST
Where
Cameron County
Measured
2.75 in hail
Coordinates
29.770, -92.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Cameron

When
May 20, 2:40 PM CST
Where
Cameron County
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
29.800, -93.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Cameron

When
May 20, 2:40 PM CST
Where
Cameron County
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
29.770, -92.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Iberia

When
May 20, 4:40 PM CST
Where
Iberia County
Coordinates
29.930, -91.830

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Martin

When
May 20, 4:50 PM CST
Where
St. Martin County
Coordinates
30.180, -91.600

Hail, Calcasieu

When
May 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
30.230, -93.200

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Mary

When
May 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where
St. Mary County
Coordinates
29.730, -91.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu

When
May 20, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu County
Coordinates
30.230, -93.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Assumption

When
May 20, 5:10 PM CST
Where
Assumption County
Coordinates
29.900, -91.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Terrebonne

When
May 20, 5:20 PM CST
Where
Terrebonne County
Coordinates
29.420, -90.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafourche

When
May 20, 5:40 PM CST
Where
Lafourche County
Coordinates
29.580, -90.480

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 1983Every state in 1983This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Louisiana, 1983

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10045152, 10045153, 10045154, 10045155, 10045156, 10045157, 10045158, 10045159, 10045160, 10045161, 10045162, 10045163, 10045164, 10045165, 10045166, 10045167.