The first day in a three-day series of widespread severe weather across southwest Louisiana began when a squall line of severe thunderstorms developed across central Texas during the evening hours on 3/25/09. The squall line moved rapidly eastward across Southeast Texas and Louisiana during the late evening hours on 3/25/09 and early morning hours of 3/26/09.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS LCH wrote it up.
The first day in a three-day series of widespread severe weather across southwest Louisiana began when a squall line of severe thunderstorms developed across central Texas during the evening hours on 3/25/09. The squall line moved rapidly eastward across Southeast Texas and Louisiana during the late evening hours on 3/25/09 and early morning hours of 3/26/09. The resulting widespread severe winds, with embedded intense microbursts, caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage throughout Southwest Louisiana.
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 Mar 25, 8:45 PM CST, 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 945 PM CDT WED MAR 25 2009 .AVIATION...UPDATED TERMINALS BPT AND LCH, FOR LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE TSTMS AFFECTING THOSE TERMINALS WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. LFT FOR WITHIN 3 HOURS. NEED TO UPDATE AEX...OUT SOON. JS && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 343 PM CDT WED MAR 25 2009/ DISCUSSION... A COOL FRONT MOVED TO THE COAST THIS MORNING WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS DEVELOPING ALONG AND JUST BEHIND THE FRONT. THIS LATEST FRONT THOUGH IS BEGINNING TO RETREAT TO THE NORTH AND WILL BRING AN INCREASE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THERE IS A CHANCE TONIGHT THAT A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. TONIGHT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON TAP WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING ONLY INTO THE MID 60S MOST LOCATIONS ALTHOUGH AEX WILL BE BIT COOLER WITH SOUTHERLY WINDS. THE REGION TOMORROW WILL SEE WARM GULF MOISTURE STREAMING NORTHWARD AND THE COMBINATION OF DAYTIME HEATING...MID LVL SHORTWAVE WILL SUPPORT THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH THE GREATEST THREAT FROM WINDS AND HAIL ALTHOUGH ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. TOMORROW NIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY WILL SEE PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AND WILL USHER IN COOLER AND DRIER AIR FOR THE WEEKEND. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... KLCH 65 78 66 79 52 / 50 60 40 50 40 KBPT 66 77 66 79 50 / 50 60 40 50 30 KAEX 63 78 62 79 50 / 70 60 60 50 60 KLFT 65 78 66 79 52 / 50 60 50 50 60 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...NONE. TX...NONE. GM...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 519 AM CDT WED MAR 25 2009 GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055- TXZ180>182-201-215-216-261030- 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- 519 AM CDT WED MAR 25 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 COLD FRONT WILL STALL ACROSS CENTRAL LOUISIANA INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS TODAY. THIS BOUNDARY WILL ACT AS A FOCUS FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AS UPPER LEVEL ENERGY OVERRIDES THE AREA. A VERY MOIST AIRMASS IS IN PLACE ALONG WITH STRONG VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FEW SUPERCELLULAR STORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE LIMITING FACTOR IS THE WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER WHICH COULD INHIBIT LOW LEVEL WARMING AND INSTABILITY. BEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS TYLER...NORTHERN JASPER AND NEWTON COUNTIES AS WELL AS VERNON...RAPIDES...AVOYELLES AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF BEAUREGARD...ALLEN AND EVANGELINE PARISHES. STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SEVERE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING DUE TO HEAVY RAINS FROM TRAINING STORMS. WITH DEEP MOISTURE OVER THE AREA...STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS WITH RATES OF UP TO 2 TO 3 INCHES AN HOUR. IF SEVERAL STORMS TRAIN ACROSS ANY AREA...THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND URBAN AREAS. THE BEST POTENTIAL WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM WOODVILLE TO OAKDALE TO MARKSVILLE. .DAYS TWO AND THREE...THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM LIFTS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS WILL PUSH A STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE AREA WILL BE UNDER A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH FAVORABLE JET DYNAMICS ALOFT. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SEVERE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. CONVECTION WILL EVOLVE TOWARD A SQUALL LINE AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA...WITH STRAIGHT LINE DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT. .DAYS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY COOLER DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. STRONG NORTHERLY FLOW CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS POSSIBLE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE...THE POSSIBILITY OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND AT TIMES FROM THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. 24
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
853 PM CDT WED MAR 25 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0828 PM TSTM WND DMG IVANHOE 30.68N 94.41W
03/25/2009 TYLER TX LAW ENFORCEMENT
TYLER COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED TREES DOWN WITH
POWER OUTAGES IN IVANHOE.
&&
SHAMBURGERThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
28 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down on Harvey Crossing Road northwest of De Ridder in southern Vernon Parish. Reported by KPLC-TV.
NWS Storm Survey found significant wind damage from a microburst across Dequincy. One downtown building had its roof blown off and windows were blown out of another downtown building. A trailer housing an insurance company on East 4th Street also had its roof blown off. Several other homes and buildings received minor damage to roofs and siding across town. Numerous large trees and power lines were uprooted or snapped, especially in a swath from the downtown area southward to the intersection of the Kansas City Southern railroad tracks and South Grand Avenue. All damage was in a NNW to SSE direction with winds estimated around 80 mph.
NWS Storm Survey found microburst wind damage along Highway 12 west of the Kernan community. Numerous trees were blown down from NW to SE in a narrow swath.
NWS Storm Survey found microburst wind damage in the Buhler community along Bankens Road between Highway 27 to Shearing Road. A 50 foot tall radio tower at a gas plant was toppled and several mobile homes had damage to skirting and siding. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. All damage was in a NW to SE direction with winds estimated around 70 mph.
A carport was blown into a roadway reported by the Beauregard Parish Sheriff Office.
Numerous trees were blown down in Ragley as reported by the Beauregard Parish Sheriff Office.
One tree was blown down along Highway 171, 0.5 miles NNW of Gillis.
The public reported several trees blown down and damaged in Moss Bluff.
Quarter size hail was reported in Sulphur by KPLC-TV.
The public reported several trees were blown down in Oberlin with minor roof damage to a few buildings.
Quarter size hail was reported in Carlyss by KPLC-TV.
NWS Storm Survey found several trees blown down in the southern sections of Lake Charles, stretching from around the intersection of Nelson Road and Ham Reid Road to near the intersection of Gauthier Road and Tom Hebert Road. All trees were blown down in a NW to SE direction with estimated winds around 60 mph.
A 60.4 mph wind gust was measured at the Lake Charles Ag Center Mesonet Station.
NWS Storm Survey found microburst wind damage in the Hampton community along Cottongin Castor Road around the intersection with Highway 104. Numerous large trees were uprooted with one falling on a house. A mobile home had its roof blown off. All damage was in a WNW to ESE direction with winds estimated around 70 mph.
NWS Storm Survey confirms microburst wind damage in subdivisions along and south of Cal Cam Line Road. Several metal storage buildings were blown over and destroyed. A metal carport was blown off a home with debris landing on a boat and in yard of residence. Numerous mobile homes had skirting ripped off. All damage was in a W to E direction with estimated winds around 70 mph.
NWS Storm Survey found microburst wind damage along a 3 mile long path from 3 miles WSW of Mamou to 2 miles SSW of Mamou. Along Highway 104 near LD Verette Road several homes received minor damage and outbuildings were blown over. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Along Highway 13 south of Mamou, two power poles were snapped and several others were blown down. All damage was in a NW to SE direction with estimated winds around 80 mph.
NWS Storm Survey found microburst wind damage across Mamou, with the worst damage in the northeastern half of town. A roof was blown off a medical building on the west side of Country Club Lane. Debris from the building was thrown across the road and struck the Savoy Hospital, breaking numerous windows on the third floor and damaging several vehicles in the parking lot. Several homes received damage to roofs and siding, with the patio of one home collapsing. Numerous large trees and power lines were blown down, with some power poles being snapped off near the ballpark. Power was knocked out to the entire town for nearly 24 hours. All damage was in a NW to SE direction with estimated winds around 80 mph.
NWS Storm Survey found major microburst wind damage from 2.5 miles NNW of Lawtell to 2 miles N of Lawtell. Along Prairie Ronde Highway, several trees and power lines were blown down between Chanteberry Road and Raphael Road. A convenience store at the intersection of Prairie Ronde Highway and Fontenot Road has its roof partially ripped off with debris blown across the highway into a residence. All damage in this area was in a W to E direction with estimated winds around 65 mph.
Further east along Bertrand Road, one tied down mobile home was flipped upside down onto several vehicles and destroyed. Debris from the mobile home was blown up to 200 yards away across a field. A large barn adjacent to the mobile home suffered major roof damage. Another nearby mobile home had its roof completely blown off. Other mobile homes in the area received minor to moderate damage, and several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down throughout the area. All damage was in a WSW to ENE direction with estimated winds up to 95 mph.
The Bordelonville Fire Department Chief reported trees blown down just east of town.
A 60 mph wind gust was measured by the Lacassine RAWS Mesonet Station.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down throughout St. Landry Parish as reported by the Sheriff Office in Opelousas.
Opelousas Daily World newspaper reported several power poles blown down on Compress Road just north of Opelousas.
NWS Storm Survey found microburst wind damage on the north end of Mila Road near the Kings Truck Stop on Highway 190 west of Port Barre. One mobile home was blown off its cinder blocks and completely destroyed. Another mobile home was also knocked off its cinder blocks and had the roof partially blown off. Debris from both mobile homes blew into a third mobile home causing severe damage to its siding and roof. Two nearby outbuildings were blown over and damaged. All debris was blown from SW to NE with estimated winds around 80 mph.
The Opelousas Daily World newspaper reported the public measured a 62.8 mph wind gust with a Davis Wind Anemometer in Port Barre.
The Rayne Acadian Tribune newspaper reported that the Rayne Volunteer Fire Department Training Facility on West Lessley Street was blown three feet off its pilings, with one wall being knocked down.
Lafayette Parish Sheriff Office received a report of a tree down in the 6900 block of Landry Road in Duson.
The public reported a metal patio was blown off and a barn door blown out on Millcreek Road.
St. Marin Sheriff Office received a report of a tree and power line down on the Atchafalaya River Highway.
Franklin Police Department and local media reported microburst wind damage along Northwest Boulevard from near Highway 90 to around Yokely Road. At a truck stop near Highway 90, a tractor trailer was blown over and awnings over the fuel pumps were damaged. The rear portion of a restaurant was destroyed with debris thrown across nearby fields. Thirteen utility poles were blown down and a large shed was demolished along Yokely Road. All damage was in a SW to NE direction with estimated winds around 90 mph.
The Franklin Banner-Tribune newspaper reported numerous trees and power lines down across the city of Franklin, including on Mitchell Street, Iberia Street, and Sterling Road.
Franklin Police Department received several reports of golf ball size hail in Franklin.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, March 2009
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: 160481, 160482, 160487, 160488, 160484, 160485, 160483, 160660, 160478, 160486, 160479, 160493, 160495, 160489, 160492, 160490, 160505, 160491, 160500, 160494, 160496, 161024, 160503, 160501, 160664, 160497, 160499, 160498, 160502, 161027, 160480.