Hail and Damaging Wind in Louisiana, January 3, 2009

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Louisiana, January 3, 2009
Start: 2009-01-03T14:45
End: 2009-01-03T16:35
Location: Louisiana

January 3, 2009 · NWS LCH · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Scattered thunderstorms developed across central and southern Louisiana during the day, some of which became severe. Several reports of hail up to nickle size and one report of damaging winds were received.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $25,000
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 LCH wrote it up.

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 3, 2:33 PM CST, 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 3, 2:33 PM CST, 12 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 3, 10:22 AM CST, 4 hours 23 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1022 AM CST SAT JAN 3 2009

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-
TXZ180>182-201-215-216-041030-
SABINE LAKE-CALCASIEU LAKE-VERMILION BAY-
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-
1022 AM CST SAT JAN 3 2009

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 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF ACADIANA. SOME
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON. THE PRIMARY THREAT
IS LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 MPH.

AREAS OF DENSE FOG ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN
TONIGHT...MAINLY ALONG THE COAST AND ALONG THE NEARSHORE WATERS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

WIDESPREAD RAINS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY
AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY. SOME HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE AND MAY
CAUSE SOME LOCALIZED AREAS OF FLOODING. IN ADDITION SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED FOR THE COASTAL WATERS ON TUESDAY AS
WINDS AND SEAS INCREASE IN THE WAKE OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT
IS FORECAST TO MOVE ALONG THE COAST ON TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 3, 9:26 AM CST, 5 hours 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
926 AM CST SAT JAN 03 2009

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

0920 AM     HAIL             3 NE RAYNE              30.27N 92.23W
01/03/2009  E0.50 INCH       ACADIA             LA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORTED BY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

&&

MOGGED

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rapides

When: January 3, 2:45 PM CST
Where: Rapides County, 2.38 mi SE of Weil
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 31.294, -92.544

A small microburst struck areas 2 miles south of the Alexandria International Airport. A few trees were blown down in a field south of Highway 28. Two houses were damaged on Ross Lane, with one house losing part of its roof and another having its carport collapse on a vehicle. Debris from the first house was thrown across Ross Lane. A highway department warehouse building had one garage door blown inward and destroyed. Power lines were blown down in the area.

Hail, Evangeline

When: January 3, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Evangeline County, 1.5 mi NNE of Ville Platte
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.700, -92.260

Nickel size hail reported at the Highway 29 and Highway 1171 intersection northeast of Ville Platte.

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Louisiana in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Louisiana, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 152057, 151547.