Louisiana, 1998

Flash Flood in Louisiana, January 12, 1998

January 12, 1998 · NWS LCH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Slow-moving thunderstorms produced four to six inches of rain across Calcasieu Parish during morning rush hour, tying up traffic for several hours. Motorists were stranded in high water across Lake Charles, Westlake, and Sulphur.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
$500,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

Slow-moving thunderstorms produced four to six inches of rain across Calcasieu Parish during morning rush hour, tying up traffic for several hours. Motorists were stranded in high water across Lake Charles, Westlake, and Sulphur. Exit ramps of Interstate 10 and 210 were closed due to four to five feet of water covering them. Hundreds of cars were damaged due to water entering them, and several businesses and homes had water enter them due to people driving too fast and creating large waves that would break across parking lots and yards, and enter the buildings. Several accidents were attributed to the wet roads and stand-still traffic.

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:15 UTC.

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Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Calcasieu

When
January 12, 7:15 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu County, Lake Charles
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
30.229, -93.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5628970.