Damaging Wind in Texas, May 30, 2002

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

UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA MOVING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTHWEST. RADAR SHOWING NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
THE FORECAST AREA. A STORM IN CALCASIEU PARISH WAS ABLE TO REACH
SEVERE LEVELS WITH REPORTS OF DIME SIZE HAIL. REPORTS OF SHORT LIVED
FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED...SIMILAR TO THE USUAL SUMMER TIME
REPORTS WITH TROPICAL LIKE PWAT AND LIGHT AND VARIABLE VERTICAL WIND
PROFILE.

UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ERRATIC IN A SOUTH-SOUTHWEST
DIRECTION AND BE NEAR THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS COAST ON FRIDAY MORNING.
THIS SYSTEM IS THEN EXPECTED TO PUSH SOUTH INTO THE WESTERN GULF ON
SATURDAY...BEFORE PUSHING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST TOWARD THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE LATER IN THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK.

WITH MOVEMENT OF UPPER LOW A LITTLE SLOWER THAN EARLIER THINKING
WILL GO AHEAD AND LEAVE 50 PERCENT POPS IN THE FORECAST TONIGHT...
MAINLY FOR CONVECTION IN THE EARLY EVENING...WITH SOME REDEVELOPMENT
ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE POSITION OF LOW DURING THE LATE
OVERNIGHT HOURS.

WITH DECENT MOISTURE HANGING AROUND WILL SEE SCATTERED CONVECTION
MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. EXPECTED BETTER COVERAGE IN THE
SOUTHERN ZONES CLOSER TO LOW.

A GRADUAL DRYING TREND SHOULD TAKE PLACE DURING THE WEEKEND AS
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS IN AND LOW MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST.

WILL ENTER RAIN CHANCES IN THE FORECAST IN THE EXTENDED FOR WED/THU
AS TROF IS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN THE FROM THE WEST.

.LCH...NONE.

.PRELIM NUMBERS...
       FR    SA    SU  F S S
AEX 65/86/68/89/70/90 531100
BPT 68/86/70/88/71/90 542100
LCH 67/86/69/88/70/90 542100
LFT 67/86/69/88/70/90 542100

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