Damaging Wind in Louisiana, May 30, 2002

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
955 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2002

CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND UPPER AIR ANALYSIS INDICATE UPPER LOW
OVER NORTHWEST LOUISIANA MOVING SLOWLY TO THE SOUTH. A DRY SLOT
ROTATING AROUND THIS SYSTEM IS MOVING ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
INTO SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

RADARS SHOW SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING DEVELOPING EAST OF
THE DRY SLOT AND ALONG SURFACE CONVERGENCE AREA RIGHT NEAR THE
COAST.

EXPECT THERE TO BE A RANGE IN THE HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON.
AS DRY SLOT MOVES THROUGH SKIES WILL BREAK OUT ALLOWING TEMPS TO
NEAR MID 80S...WHILE AREAS THAT REMAIN OVERCAST WILL SEE READINGS
CLOSER TO 80.

WITH VICINITY OF UPPER LOW TO THE FORECAST AREA AND VERY MOIST
ATMOSPHERE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE
ENTIRE AREA. AREAS THAT HAVE BROKEN OUT WILL SEE RE-DEVELOPMENT OF
STORMS ONCE TRIGGER AND CONVECTIVE TEMPS IN THE LOWER 80S ARE
REACHED. ALSO...WILL HAVE TO MONITOR AREAS THAT BREAK OUT FOR
ISOLATED STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS AS SUNSHINE AND HEATING
WILL LEAD TO GREATER INSTABILITY. STILL THINK MAIN CONCERN WILL BE
HEAVY RAINFALL WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OVER 1.75 INCHES ACROSS
THE FORECAST AREA. RAINFALL RATES NEAR 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR WITH
SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THESE VALUES ARE STILL BELOW
FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE BUT COULD CAUSE SOME MINOR STREET FLOODING IN
URBAN AREAS.

WILL MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO ZONES...MAINLY FOR TEMPS.

.LCH...NONE.

.UPDATED NUMBERS...
AEX 82/65/87/66/88 633111
BPT 84/68/85/69/88 633111
LCH 82/68/86/68/87 633111
LFT 81/67/86/69/87 743111

7-RUA

LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-302200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
110 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2002

...TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS RECEIVED REPORTS FROM EMERGENCY
PERSONNEL AND MEDIA IN RAPIDES PARISH OF A FUNNEL CLOUD ON THE
SOUTHEAST SIDE OF ALEXANDRIA MOVING EAST. EARLIER...REPORTS WERE
RECEIVED FROM LAFAYETTE PARISH OF A SHORT LIVED FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR
BROUSSARD.

CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO FAVOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOPICAL FUNNEL
CLOUDS AND WATERSPOUTS INTO THE MID-AFTERNOON HOURS. ON RARE
OCCASIONS...THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS DO TOUCH THE GROUND AND BRIEFLY
BECOME TORNADOES. TYPICALLY THE WIND SPEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
FEATURES ARE 40 TO 60 MPH SO THEY DO POSE A THREAT TO LIGHTWEIGHT
STRUCTURES. SINCE THESE TROPICAL FUNNELS ARE SHORT LIVED AND
RELATIVELY WEAK...THEY ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DETECT WITH DOPPLER
RADAR. KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IN A
REINFORCED STRUCTURE SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.

TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS TYPICALLY LAST AN AVERAGE OF 8 TO 12 MINUTES.
IF THE FUNNELS DUE TOUCH DOWN...MINOR DAMAGE IS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
TO LIGHT WEIGHT STRUCTURES. FUNNEL CLOUDS OVER WATER...OR
WATERSPOUTS...COULD POSE PROBLEMS TO MARINERS...AND CAUTION SHOULD BE
EXERCISED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO FOR
LATER STATEMENTS. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED
THROUGH OUR HOME PAGE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH.

RUA

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES, LA
145 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0142 PM    5 NW WESTLAKE             LA   .75 INCH HAIL
05/30/02   CALCASIEU

FN