Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, December 17, 1995

Name: Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, December 17, 1995
Start: 1995-12-17T13:09
End: 1995-12-17T16:50
Location: Louisiana

December 17, 1995 · 14 events in 10 counties and zones

12 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $1.4 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Evangeline

When: December 17, 1:09 PM CST
Where: Evangeline County, Pine Prairie
Coordinates: 30.729, -92.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tree blown down on Highway 106.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Landry

When: December 17, 1:40 PM CST
Where: St. Landry County, Palmetto
Coordinates: 30.599, -92.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees blown down on Highway 360.

Tornado, Avoyelles

When: December 17, 1:40 PM CST
Where: Avoyelles County, Effie
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 10 yd
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 31.220, -92.170

One roof blown off residence and one barn destroyed. Several trees and power lines blown down.

Tornado, Pointe Coupee

When: December 17, 2:12 PM CST
Where: Pointe Coupee County, Livonia
Rating: F2
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 30.550, -91.550

Fifteen mobile homes were destroyed, four sustained major damage and two minor damage. A child was injured when struck by a Christmas tree. A National Weather Service official surveyed the damage area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pointe Coupee

When: December 17, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Pointe Coupee County, Oscar
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 30.709, -91.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's Office reported several utility poles downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, West Feliciana

When: December 17, 2:38 PM CST
Where: West Feliciana County, St Francisville
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.880, -91.420 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A house was blown off foundation blocks.

Thunderstorm Wind, East Baton Rouge

When: December 17, 2:45 PM CST
Where: East Baton Rouge County, Baton Rouge
Property damage: $300,000
Coordinates: 30.538, -91.096 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One house was destroyed, six houses damaged, several other house roofs were damaged. An uprooted tree ruptured a gas line. Numerous roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, East Baton Rouge

When: December 17, 3:00 PM CST
Where: East Baton Rouge County, Clinton
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 30.538, -91.096 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds damaged a barn at an agricultural research station.

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: December 17, 3:05 PM CST to 3:20 PM CST
Where: Livingston County, Watson to
Property damage: $700,000
Coordinates: 30.440, -90.728 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An apparent thunderstorm downburst caused widespread damage along an intermittant path destroying three houses, causing major damage to 24 houses and minor damage to 18 others. Nine mobile homes were destroyed, 10 sustained major damage and four minor damage. Four cars were destroyed and a business's display windows shattered. The damage area was surveyed by a National Weather Service Official.

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: December 17, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Livingston County, Denham Springs to
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 30.440, -90.728 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds damaged numerous structures and downed a ham radio ,antenna tower.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Helena

When: December 17, 3:20 PM CST
Where: St. Helena County, Pine Grove
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 30.822, -90.710 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A utility company reported thunderstorm winds downed trees and powerlines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tangipahoa

When: December 17, 3:45 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Tangipahoa County, Ponchatoula
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 30.627, -90.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds downed powerlines. Downed trees blocked roads. Thunderstorm winds damaged a house's electric meter and wiring. A fence was damaged by a fallen tree.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: December 17, 4:15 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Washington County
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 30.853, -90.040 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's Office reported numerous trees and utility poles downed parishwide.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: December 17, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Franklinton
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 30.853, -90.040 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds damaged the Franklinton Courthouse annex roof.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Louisiana in 1995 Every state in 1995 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Louisiana, 1995 Warnings in Louisiana, December 1995

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: 10327901, 10327181, 10328563, 10327292, 10327293, 10327656, 10327853, 10327854, 10328356, 10328357, 10326925, 10327588, 10327383, 10327384.