Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across southwest Louisiana during the afternoon hours on May 30. Wind damage, large hail, and flash flooding were all reported around the Lake Charles area.
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.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across southwest Louisiana during the afternoon hours on May 30. Wind damage, large hail, and flash flooding were all reported around the Lake Charles area.
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 May 30, 11:32 AM CST, 13 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 540 AM CDT SUN MAY 30 2010 LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-311000- 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- 540 AM CDT SUN MAY 30 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AFTERNOON AND EVENING SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BRIEFLY REACH SEVERE LEVELS WITH DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL UP TO ONE INCH ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY CHANCES FOR AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE AND SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT. GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-311000- 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- 540 AM CDT SUN MAY 30 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE COASTAL WATERS FROM THE COASTAL MARSHES LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THERE WILL ALSO BE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS LATE IN THE NIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP DURING THE LATE OVERNIGHT HOURS MAINLY AROUND ATCHAFALAYA BAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT. 11
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</html>The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 7 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:44 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain, 1 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Public measured 6.5 inches of rain in an approximately 3 hour period using official NWS rain gauge near the McNeese State University campus.
The public reported via the KPLC-TV Viewernet website that a large tree fell and crushed a car on Holbrook Road south of Dequincy, which was confirmed by photos. Hail of unknown size was also reported.
KPLC-TV and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff office reported widespread street flooding across south Lake Charles, with most entrance and exit ramps along Interstate 210 closed due to high water. Some automobiles stalled due to high water in the area from around I-210 to the McNeese State University campus, and at least one home on Ernest Street and another home on Common Street were flooded.
Quarter size hail was reported on Ernest Street at Penn Street in Lake Charles.
An NWS storm survey found downburst wind damage in a half mile wide by 3 mile long swath across south Lake Charles from the McNeese State University campus southwestward to around the Nelson Road and Ham Reid Road intersection. The worst damage was in and near the McNeese campus, where several trees and power poles were blown down. A few signs at nearby businesses were also damaged, and a flag pole was knocked down along Common Street. Further to the southwest, trees and power lines were blown down and several homes received minor roof damage. Pea to marble size hail was also reported in several locations along the path of the downburst. All damage was in a south to southwest direction, with winds estimated around 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, May 2010
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 237762, 240798, 237763, 237760, 237761.