Hail in Louisiana, March 6, 2008

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
900 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008

.UPDATE...
UPDATES WERE MADE TO MARINE HEADLINES ON LAKES PONTCHARTRAIN AND
MAUREPAS. EXERCISE CAUTION HEADLINES WERE ADDED FOR TONIGHT AND
THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BEGIN AT 00Z SATURDAY. REMAINDER OF
FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK FOR NOW.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 300 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008/

SHORT TERM...
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON A SURFACE LOW WAS DEVELOPING NEAR THE
SOUTHEAST TEXAS COAST WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY STRETCHING INTO
SOUTH TEXAS. THE ASSOCIATED UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH WAS OVER THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE SURFACE LOW IS EXPECTED TO TRACK ALONG THE
LOUISIANA COAST TOWARD THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE TONIGHT WITH AN
EXTENSIVE RAIN SHIELD SPREADING ACROSS SOUTH LOUISIANA AND
MISSISSIPPI. THE STRONGER ACTIVITY SHOULD REMAIN NEAR THE COAST
AND OFFSHORE...WHERE THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL. AS
THE LOW CONTINUES TO PULL INTO THE EASTERN SEABOARD...THE UPPER
TROUGH WILL PUSH INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THIS WILL KEEP
SOME LINGERING LIGHT RAIN IN THE AREA FOR FRIDAY...ENDING BY THE
EVENING HOURS. ALTHOUGH COLD AIR ADVECTION WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL
BRING MOST OF THE COLUMN OF AIR BELOW FREEZING FRIDAY
NIGHT/SATURDAY MORNING...THE PRECIP IS EXPECTED TO END BEFORE ANY
WINTER MIX WOULD DEVELOP. LOW TEMPS AROUND FREEZING ARE EXPECTED
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNINGS ACROSS SOUTH MISSISSIPPI AND EAST-
CENTRAL LOUISIANA.  25

LONG TERM...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA FOR THE WEEKEND. THERE IS
SOME DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE ECMWF AND GFS...INCLUDING MODEL RUN
TO MODEL RUN. FOR NOW WE ARE CONTINUING TO FOLLOW OLDER RUNS
SHOWING A LOW DEVELOPING IN THE WESTERN GULF EARLY NEXT WEEK AND
SLOWLY MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST FOR MID-LATE NEXT WEEK. THIS WOULD
KEEP GENERALLY ONSHORE FLOW ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  25

AVIATION...
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE THROUGH MOST OF THE TAF
PERIOD AS CLOUDS AND RAIN MOVE INTO THE REGION AHEAD OF A COLD
FRONT. WORST CONDITIONS WILL BE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...MAINLY
AFTER MIDNIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL REDUCE
VSBYS AND CIGS TO IFR CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS SHOULD BEGIN IMPROVING
AFTER 12Z.  95

MARINE...
A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING OVER SOUTH TEXAS WILL MOVE NORTHEASTWARD
ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT AND WILL HELP PUSH A COLD FRONT
THROUGH THE REGION. BEHIND THE FRONT...WINDS AND WAVES ARE EXPECTED
TO INCREASE AS A SURFACE HIGH BUILD IN FROM THE EAST. SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR THE LAKES AND COASTAL WATERS
STARTING AT VARIOUS TIMES BASED ON LOCATION AND REMAINING IN EFFECT
THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. WHILE SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NOT CURRENTLY
EXPECTED TO REACH GALE CONDITIONS...THE SITUATION WILL BE MONITORED
CLOSELY AS HIGHER GUSTS COULD EASILY REACH 35KT OR HIGHER. THE
PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD START TO RELAX SATURDAY AS THE HIGH BECOMES
MORE CENTERED OVER THE REGION. IT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE SUNDAY AND
START TO MOVE EASTWARD SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY AS ANOTHER COLD
FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST.  95

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MCB  68  48  54  32 /  10  80  30  20
BTR  68  49  55  33 /  10  80  30  20
MSY  68  53  63  36 /  10  90  30  20
GPT  66  50  63  33 /  10  80  40  20

&&

.LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...NONE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM FRIDAY TO 12 PM CST SATURDAY FOR
     GMZ530.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM CST SATURDAY FOR GMZ550-555-570-
     575.

MS...NONE.
GM...     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM CST SATURDAY FOR GMZ555-570-575.

&&

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
900 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008

GMZ530-550-555-570-575-LAZ034>040-046>050-056>070-MSZ068>071-077-
080>082-071300-
PASCAGOULA TO SW PASS MISSISSIPPI RIVER OUT 20 NM-
PASCAGOULA TO SW PASS MISSISSIPPI RIVER 20-60 NM OUT-
SW PASS MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO ATCHAFALAYA RIVER OUT 20 NM-
SW PASS MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO ATCHAFALAYA RIVER 20-60 NM OUT-AMITE-
ASCENSION-ASSUMPTION-EAST BATON ROUGE-EAST FELICIANA-HANCOCK-
HARRISON-IBERVILLE-JACKSON-LAKES PONTCHARTRAIN AND MAUREPAS-
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-
900 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE GULF OF
MEXICO...SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA...AND SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS...
NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SCATTERED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PREVAIL THROUGH THE NIGHT
AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI COASTAL WATERS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO ONE
INCH WILL ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS
POSSIBLE SOUTH OF LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT...MAINLY ACROSS COASTAL
AREAS AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

MARINE...
SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25 KNOTS ACROSS THE
GULF COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT BEFORE BECOMING SOUTHWEST TOWARD
MORNING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF COASTAL
WATERS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

MARINE...
STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 KNOTS WILL DEVELOP FRIDAY
AND PREVAIL THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL
REMAIN IN EFFECT FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE GULF
COASTAL WATERS...AND A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR LAKES PONTCHARTRAIN
AND MAUREPAS WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY
MORNING. STRONGER NORTHWEST WINDS FRIDAY NIGHT MAY APPROACH GALE
FORCE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME OVER THE GULF COASTAL WATERS AS MUCH
COLDER AIR SURGES INTO THE AREA BEHIND A COLD FRONT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED AT THIS TIME.

LAZ038-040-050-070515-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1051 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008

...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL MOVING INTO THE AREA...

AT 1046 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL ABOUT 17 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MADISONVILLE...MOVING NORTH AT 55 MPH.

THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
MANDEVILLE AND HAMMOND AT 1105 PM.
COVINGTON AT 1110 PM.
FOLSOM AND BUSH AT 1115 PM.

EXPECT HAIL AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM
ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN
INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING
TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

32

LAZ058>060-070530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1056 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008

...THUNDERSTORM WITH HAIL MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL LAFOURCHE PARISH
INTO THE ST CHARLES PARISH...

AT 1055 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM WITH HAIL...NEAR LAROSE...OR ABOUT 3 MILES EAST OF
MATHEWS...MOVING NORTH AT 55 MPH.

THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
NEW SARPY AND BOUTTE AT 1115 PM.

EXPECT HAIL AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

32

LAZ059-065-066-070530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1101 PM CST THU MAR 6 2008

...THUNDERSTORM WITH SMALL HAIL MOVING THROUGH TERREBONNE PARISH
INTO CENTRAL LAFOURCHE PARISH...

AT 1059 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM WITH PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...NEAR HOUMA...OR ABOUT 4
MILES NORTH OF DULAC...MOVING NORTH AT 55 MPH.

EXPECT HAIL AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

32