Louisiana, 2001

Flooding in Louisiana, March 4 to 12, 2001

March 4 to 12, 2001 · NWS LCH · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

The Sabine River had a major flood in early March, cresting five to six feet above flood stage betwen the 9th and 11th. Significant erosion occurred on the river bank, and many homes and camps immediately on the river had water enter them.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
$175,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 Sabine River had a major flood in early March, cresting five to six feet above flood stage betwen the 9th and 11th. Significant erosion occurred on the river bank, and many homes and camps immediately on the river had water enter them. Many roads leading to the river were damaged from the rapidly moving water. Most of the damage occurred along the rivernear Burr Ferry and Merryville.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Lake Charles, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 3, 9:05 PM CST, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 9:05 PM CST, 2 hours 55 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
905 PM CST SAT MAR 3 2001

ALL PRECIP HAS EXITED AREA. WILL REMOVE RAIN CHANCE FROM NORTHERN
ZONES. OTHERWISE...EVERYTHING ELSE APPEARS ON TRACK.

.LCH...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...GMZ450-455-470-475

.PRELIM NUMBERS...
AEX 46/64/37/65/34 50000
BPT 47/68/40/67/39 40000
LCH 47/68/40/67/38 40000
LFT 50/67/42/65/37 30000

23...MARCOT9TE

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Vernon

When
March 4, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Vernon forecast zone
Property damage
$75,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
31.108, -93.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Beauregard

When
March 4, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Beauregard forecast zone
Property damage
$75,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
30.649, -93.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Calcasieu

When
March 4, 12:00 AM CST to March 12, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Calcasieu forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, March 2001

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: 5237482, 5237483, 5237484.