Louisiana, 2008

Damaging Wind in Louisiana, January 31, 2008

January 31, 2008 · NWS LCH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

As a cold front mvoed across the region, a thunderstorm produced damaging winds in Sulphur.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
$5,000
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.

As a cold front mvoed across the region, a thunderstorm produced damaging winds in Sulphur.

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 Jan 31, 10:09 AM CST, 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 10:09 AM CST, 7 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 31, 6:19 AM CST, 3 hours 57 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
619 AM CST THU JAN 31 2008

GMZ450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-
201-215-216-011230-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO CAMERON, LA OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY,
LA OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX EXTENDING FROM 20 NM
TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY, LA TO CAMERON, LA EXTENDING FROM
20 NM TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY, LA
EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM-VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-
ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-
LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-CAMERON-VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-
LOWER ST. MARTIN-TYLER-JASPER-NEWTON-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-
619 AM CST THU JAN 31 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO...CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...
SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA UNTIL 1
PM CST THIS AFTERNOON. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
FAIR WEATHER HIGH PRESSURE WILL BECOME REESTABLISHED FOR FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY WITH A GRADUAL WARMING OF TEMPERATURES. RAIN CHANCES
RETURN SUNDAY AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH LATE TUESDAY AT WHICH TIME
OUR NEXT FRONTAL PASSAGE IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 31, 10:15 AM CST, 1 minute before
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The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu

When
January 31, 10:16 AM CST
Where
Calcasieu County, 0.6 mi E of Sulphur
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
30.230, -93.360

Power lines were blown down on Willow Street during a severe thunderstorm.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, January 2008

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: 78991.