Flash Flood and Flood in Louisiana, July 6 to 7, 2009

Name: Flash Flood and Flood in Louisiana, July 6 to 7, 2009
Start: 2009-07-06T17:45
End: 2009-07-07T07:18
Location: Louisiana

July 6 to 7, 2009 · NWS LCH · 8 events in 4 counties and zones

Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours on July 6, and continued through the night into the morning hours on July 7. A few reports of severe weather were received on the 6th, with heavy rainfall and flooding occurring on the 7th.

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: $12,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 Jul 6, 2:56 PM CST, 2 hours 49 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 6, 2:56 PM CST, 2 hours 49 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 6, 2:18 PM CST, 3 hours 27 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 6, 5:18 PM CST, 27 minutes before

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The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy rain, 1 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Lafayette

When: July 6, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Lafayette
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 30.220, -92.020

Two homes were struck by lightning in Lafayette and both were set on fire.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When: July 6, 6:08 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, (Lft)lafayette Rgnl
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 30.200, -91.980

Lafayette Regional Airport ASOS measured a 61 mph wind gust.

Heavy Rain, Acadia

When: July 7, 4:09 AM CST
Where: Acadia County, 2.39 mi NNW of Mowata
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 30.430, -92.420

Coop Observer measured 6.5 inches of rain since midnight with heavy rain still falling.

Flash Flood, Acadia

When: July 7, 4:45 AM CST
Where: Acadia County, 0.81 mi W of Richard to 0.73 mi ESE of Richard
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 30.422, -92.334

Acadia Parish Sheriff Office reported one car stranded in high water on Highway 370 in Richard.

Heavy Rain, Vermilion

When: July 7, 5:46 AM CST
Where: Vermilion County, Maurice
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.120, -92.130

Public reported 4.5 inches of rainfall had fallen in Maurice since midnight.

Heavy Rain, Lafayette

When: July 7, 5:58 AM CST
Where: Lafayette County, (Lft)lafayette Rgnl
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 30.200, -91.980

Lafayette Regional Airport ASOS measured 3.15 inches of rainfall since midnight.

Flood, Iberia

When: July 7, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Iberia County, 1.22 mi ENE of Independent to 1.51 mi SSE of New Iberia Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 30.035, -91.831

Daily Iberian newspaper reported widespread street flooding in New Iberia.

Heavy Rain, Acadia

When: July 7, 7:18 AM CST
Where: Acadia County, Crowley
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 30.220, -92.370

Coop observer reported 4.2 inches of rainfall since midnight.

What these are

Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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, July 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: 189917, 189919, 189920, 189928, 189931, 189932, 189941, 189933.