Louisiana, 1997

Tornado and Hail in Louisiana, May 2, 1997

May 2, 1997 · NWS JAN · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$108,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

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Event by event

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Morehouse

When
May 2, 3:25 PM CST
Where
Morehouse County, 1 mi SE of Bastrop
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
32.770, -91.880

Numerous trees were blown down near Bastrop and several other locations throughout the parrish.

Tornado, East Carroll

When
May 2, 3:45 PM CST to 4:05 PM CST
Where
East Carroll County, Lake Providence to 5 mi ENE of Shelburn
Rating
F1
Path length
13 mi
Path width
400 yd
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
32.770, -91.270

The tornado touched down 5 miles west-southwest of Lake Providence where it destroyed a shed. It moved to the northeast and moved over a lake at Lake Providence. To the northeast of the lake it destroyed several sheds and destroyed two grain bins. At this point it reached its maximum width. It then moved northeast to near the Mississippi River, but apparently did not cross the river. Many trees were blown down along the path of this storm as well as several power lines.

Hail, East Carroll

When
May 2, 3:45 PM CST
Where
East Carroll County, Lake Providence
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
32.800, -91.180

Hail, West Carroll

When
May 2, 4:10 PM CST
Where
West Carroll County, Oak Grove
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.870, -91.380

Hail, Morehouse

When
May 2, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Morehouse County, Dewdrop
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.730, -91.970

Thunderstorm Wind, East Carroll

When
May 2, 4:45 PM CST
Where
East Carroll County, Gassoway
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
32.980, -91.220

Numerous trees and power lines were blown down and a shed was damaged.

Hail, West Carroll

When
May 2, 10:15 PM CST
Where
West Carroll County, Oak Grove
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
32.870, -91.380

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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Louisiana, 1997Warnings in Louisiana, May 1997

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: 5603733, 5603734, 5603735, 5603738, 5603739, 5603736, 5603737.