Funnel Cloud in Louisiana, March 31, 2005

Name: Funnel Cloud in Louisiana, March 31, 2005
Start: 2005-03-31T19:05
End: 2005-03-31T19:05
Location: Louisiana

March 31, 2005 · NWS LIX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 funnel cloud, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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 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 New Orleans, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 31, 3:07 PM CST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 3:07 PM CST, 3 hours 58 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
307 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

.DISCUSSION...

EARLY THIS AFTERNOON THE SURFACE COLD FRONT STRETCHED ACROSS
CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND LOUISIANA WITH AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY NEAR
THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST THROUGH NEW ORLEANS.  ALOFT THERE WAS A
SHORTWAVE OVER NORTHWEST TEXAS WITH THE SUB-TROPICAL JET OVER THE
NORTHERN GULF AND THE OTHER JET ACROSS TEXAS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY.
THE PRECIP WATER VALUE FROM THE 18Z KSIL SOUNDING WAS 1.50 INCHES
WITH AN LI OF -4.3.  THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THAT PUSHES SOUTHWARD
ACROSS MOST OF OUR AREA...COUPLED WITH EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER
PREVENTING MORE SOLAR HEATING...HAS LIMITED AFTERNOON CONVECTION
ACROSS OUR AREA.  IF THE CLOUD COVER BREAKS OVER THE NEXT FEW
HOURS IN SOME AREAS...THE EXTRA HEATING COULD LEAD TO SOME STRONG
TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE PCWA.  THE MAIN
THREATS WOULD BE HAIL AND WINDS.

LATER IN THE EVENING THE SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING ALONG THE COLD
FRONT WILL PULL INTO MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA...BEGINNING TO DRAG
THE COLD FRONT THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA AND COASTAL
MISSISSIPPI.  THE ADDITION OF THE SHARP TROUGH DROPPING INTO THE
LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL AID IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WITH
THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG WINDS AND FLOODING.  THE FRONT WILL MOVE
THROUGH MOST OF THE PCWA BY LATE FRIDAY MORNING...WITH HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MCB  64  69  46  68 /  80  30   0   0
BTR  64  70  48  68 /  80  30   0   0
MSY  68  74  51  68 /  80  30   0   0
GPT  68  74  48  69 /  80  40   0   0

&&

.LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...NONE.
MS...NONE.
SE LA AND MS COASTAL WATERS...NONE.

&&

25

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 31, 11:00 AM CST, 8 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1100 AM CST THU MAR 31 2005

LAZ034>040-046>050-056>070-MSZ068>071-077-080>082-011300-
AMITE-ASCENSION-ASSUMPTION-EAST BATON ROUGE-EAST FELICIANA-HANCOCK-
HARRISON-IBERVILLE-JACKSON-LIVINGSTON-LOWER JEFFERSON-
LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST BERNARD-LOWER TERREBONNE-
ORLEANS-PEARL RIVER-PIKE-POINTE COUPEE-ST CHARLES-ST HELENA-ST JAMES-
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST-ST TAMMANY-TANGIPAHOA-UPPER JEFFERSON-
UPPER LAFOURCHE-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-UPPER ST BERNARD-UPPER TERREBONNE-
WALTHALL-WASHINGTON-WEST BATON ROUGE-WEST FELICIANA-WILKINSON-
1100 AM CST THU MAR 31 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND COASTAL
MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

...THERE IS A SLIGHT TO MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
   THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT MOVING INTO THE OUTLOOK AREA WILL AID IN
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH BETTER ORGANIZATION
EXPECTED LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE
SEVERE WITH THE PRIMARY CONCERNS BEING DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
NEAR 60 MPH...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IN STORMS THAT TRACK OVER THE SAME
AREAS...AND LARGE HAIL. RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY LOCALLY REACH UPWARDS TO
FIVE INCHES FROM THE HEAVIEST STORMS. A WEAK TORNADO OR TWO ARE
POSSIBLE IN THE AREA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE EARLY FRIDAY EXCEPT FOR STRONG
NORTHERLY WINDS DEVELOPING AND PROMPTING SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES FOR
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS AND EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS...MAY
BE REQUESTED AT A LATER TIME...PROBABLY AFTER 3 PM AND CONTINUING
THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

25

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 31, 1:52 PM CST, 5 hours 13 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
152 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

MSZ081-082-312051-
HARRISON MS-JACKSON MS-
152 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

...STRONG STORMS MOVING ON SHORE...

NUMEROUS SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY OVER THE MISSISSIPPI
SOUND...HORN ISLAND AND SHIP ISLAND...ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ON SHORE
AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. PASCAGOULA...MOSS POINT AND OTHER
MISSISSIPPI COASTAL CITIES EAST OF GULFPORT CAN EXPECT GUSTY WINDS
UP TO 35 MILES AN HOUR...PEA SIZE HAIL AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING
THROUGH 3 PM.

MARINERS CAN EXPECT GUSTY WINDS...HIGH WAVES...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
AND HEAVY RAINS. BOATERS SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR IMMEDIATELY...UNTIL
THIS STORM PASSES.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CST
THURSDAY EVENING FOR COASTAL MISSISSIPPI.

Special weather statement, Mar 31, 4:55 PM CST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
455 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

LAZ040-312353-
ST. TAMMANY LA-
455 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

AT 450 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LACOMBE AND SLIDELL.  THIS THUNDERSTORM IS
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH...AND WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR
LACOMBE...SLIDELL...AND PEARL RIVER THROUGH 550 PM CST.  THIS
THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...AND WINDS GUSTING TO 40 MPH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR
UPDATES.

32

Local storm report, Mar 31, 5:08 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
508 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0505 PM     HAIL             SLIDELL AIRPORT         30.35N 89.82W
03/31/2005  1.00 INCH        ST. TAMMANY        LA   AMATEUR RADIO

            MEASURED AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
            SLIDELL.

&&

PGRIGSBY

Local storm report, Mar 31, 5:58 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
558 PM CST THU MAR 31 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0504 PM     HAIL             PEARL RIVER             30.37N 89.75W
03/31/2005  0.50 INCH        ST. TAMMANY        LA   NWS EMPLOYEE

0505 PM     HAIL             SLIDELL AIRPORT         30.35N 89.82W
03/31/2005  1.00 INCH        ST. TAMMANY        LA   AMATEUR RADIO

            MEASURED AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
            SLIDELL.

0515 PM     HAIL             PEARL RIVER             30.37N 89.75W
03/31/2005  0.75 INCH        ST. TAMMANY        LA   NWS EMPLOYEE

0515 PM     HAIL             9 W KILN                30.42N 89.59W
03/31/2005  0.75 INCH        HANCOCK            MS   EMERGENCY MNGR

0520 PM     HAIL             PEARL RIVER             30.37N 89.75W
03/31/2005  1.75 INCH        ST. TAMMANY        LA   BROADCAST MEDIA

0530 PM     HAIL             BATON ROUGE             30.45N 91.13W
03/31/2005  0.88 INCH        EAST BATON ROUGE   LA   NWS EMPLOYEE

&&

PGRIGSBY

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, Tangipahoa

When: March 31, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Tangipahoa County, 4 mi ESE of Tangipahoa
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 30.627, -90.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Louisiana in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Louisiana, March 2005

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: 5443132.