Louisiana, 1998

Drought in Louisiana, August 1 to 31, 1998

August 1 to 31, 1998 · NWS LCH · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

The drought of 1998 continued in the month of August across southwest and central Louisiana. Between four and five inches of rain fell in the entire month of August across this region, which was actually the most in a month since April 1998.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
$138 million
Events
13

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.

The drought of 1998 continued in the month of August across southwest and central Louisiana. Between four and five inches of rain fell in the entire month of August across this region, which was actually the most in a month since April 1998. Total dollar figure losses by southwest and central Louisiana farmers was nearly $138,000,000. The hardest hit parishes were Avoyelles and St. Landry Parishes, where over $55,000,000 was lost. By product, the worst loss was soybeans, with an estimated $40,000,000 lost, followed by sugarcane at $25,000,000, and corn grain at $24,000,000. These statistics were tabulated by the Agricultural Center at Louisiana State University.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Avoyelles

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Avoyelles forecast zone
Crop damage
$29 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
31.076, -92.001 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Beauregard

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Beauregard forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.8 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
30.649, -93.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Calcasieu

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu forecast zone
Crop damage
$2.8 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL

Drought, Evangeline

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Evangeline forecast zone
Crop damage
$14 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
30.729, -92.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Iberia

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Iberia forecast zone
Crop damage
$11 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL

Drought, Jefferson Davis

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Jefferson Davis forecast zone
Crop damage
$5.4 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL

Drought, Lafayette

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lafayette forecast zone
Crop damage
$2.4 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
30.207, -92.064 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Rapides

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Rapides forecast zone
Crop damage
$16 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
31.199, -92.533 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, St. Landry

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
St. Landry forecast zone
Crop damage
$30 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
30.599, -92.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Upper St. Martin

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Upper St. Martin forecast zone
Crop damage
$9.3 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
30.129, -91.608 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Vermilion

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Vermilion forecast zone
Crop damage
$4.5 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL

Drought, Acadia

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Acadia forecast zone
Crop damage
$11 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL

Drought, Allen

When
August 1, 12:00 AM CST to August 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Allen forecast zone
Crop damage
$1.6 million
Reported by
GOVT OFFICIAL
Coordinates
30.653, -92.828 (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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, August 1998

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: 5663734, 5663735, 5663736, 5663737, 5663738, 5663739, 5663740, 5663741, 5663742, 5663743, 5663744, 5665237, 5665238.