Louisiana, 2009

Strong Wind in Louisiana, April 18, 2009

April 18, 2009 · NWS SHV · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A wake low that developed behind widespread showers and thunderstorms during the early morning hours of April 18th resulted in widespread sustained wind gusts of 40-50 mph across much of north central Louisiana. These wind gusts persisted for an hour to an hour and a half, resulting in numerous reports of trees and power lines being downed throughout Jackson and Ouachita Parishes.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$55,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 SHV wrote it up.

A wake low that developed behind widespread showers and thunderstorms during the early morning hours of April 18th resulted in widespread sustained wind gusts of 40-50 mph across much of north central Louisiana. These wind gusts persisted for an hour to an hour and a half, resulting in numerous reports of trees and power lines being downed throughout Jackson and Ouachita Parishes.

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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 17, 9:18 PM CST, 2 hours 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 17, 9:18 PM CST, 2 hours 42 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 17, 11:01 AM CST, 12 hours 59 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Ouachita

When
April 18, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Ouachita forecast zone
Measured
44 kt (51 mph) measured gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
32.478, -92.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 51 mph wind gust was recorded at the KTVE studios in West Monroe. These winds were associated with a wake low area of low pressure behind widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms exiting into northeast Louisiana. These winds resulted in downed powerlines in the 300 block of Linderman as well as near Kiroli and Darbonne. Several thousand residents in West Monroe were without power. A large tree fell on a home in the 1300 block of Forsythe Ave. No injuries were reported. Approximately 20 utility poles were broken by fallen trees across the parish.

Strong Wind, Jackson

When
April 18, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Jackson forecast zone
Measured
43 kt (49 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.302, -92.558 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong wind gusts in association with a wake low area of low pressure resulted downed trees and powerlines throughout the parish. A tree downed a powerline on Antioch Road northeast of Hodge and a downed tree snapped a powerline on La. 542 near the Beech Springs community.

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, April 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 160074, 160075.