Louisiana, 1996

Drought in Louisiana, May 1 to 31, 1996

May 1 to 31, 1996 · NWS LCH · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

Drought conditions increased during the month of May across all of southwest and central Louisiana. Rainfall totals from January to May were between 12 and 15 inches below normal across the region, making this the driest year on record in many places.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
17

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LCH wrote it up.

Drought conditions increased during the month of May across all of southwest and central Louisiana. Rainfall totals from January to May were between 12 and 15 inches below normal across the region, making this the driest year on record in many places. The drought affected the agriculture industry in several areas, including rice, soybean, corn, and sugar. Even the mosquito and alligator populations have been affected. Over 1 million dollars worth of damage had been documented.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Acadia

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Acadia forecast zone

Drought, Allen

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Allen forecast zone
Coordinates
30.653, -92.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Avoyelles

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Avoyelles forecast zone
Coordinates
31.076, -92.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Beauregard

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Beauregard forecast zone
Coordinates
30.649, -93.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Calcasieu

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu forecast zone

Drought, Cameron

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Cameron forecast zone

Drought, Evangeline

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Evangeline forecast zone
Coordinates
30.729, -92.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Iberia

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Iberia forecast zone

Drought, Jefferson Davis

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson Davis forecast zone

Drought, Lafayette

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Lafayette forecast zone
Coordinates
30.207, -92.064 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rapides

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Rapides forecast zone
Coordinates
31.199, -92.533 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, St. Landry

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
St. Landry forecast zone
Coordinates
30.599, -92.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, St. Mary

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
St. Mary forecast zone

Drought, Upper St. Martin

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Upper St. Martin forecast zone
Coordinates
30.129, -91.608 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lower St. Martin

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Lower St. Martin forecast zone
Coordinates
30.129, -91.608 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Vermilion

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Vermilion forecast zone

Drought, Vernon

When
May 1, 12:01 AM CST to May 31, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Vernon forecast zone
Coordinates
31.108, -93.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, May 1996

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: 5555852, 5555853, 5555854, 5555855, 5555856, 5555857, 5555858, 5555859, 5555860, 5555861, 5555862, 5555863, 5555864, 5555865, 5555866, 5555867, 5555868.