Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms began developing across the region during the late evening hours of May 16th and continued into May 17th. The storms encountered a moderately unstable airmass south of the Interstate 20 corridor of northern Louisiana and northeast Texas.
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 SHV wrote it up.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms began developing across the region during the late evening hours of May 16th and continued into May 17th. The storms encountered a moderately unstable airmass south of the Interstate 20 corridor of northern Louisiana and northeast Texas. A strong outflow boundary served as the focus for the storms. The storms produced damaging wind gusts along with large hail.
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 May 17, 2:08 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 308 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010 .DISCUSSION... A COUPLE OF WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARIES ACROSS THE REGION HAVE SERVED AS THE CATALYST FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE FOUR STATE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. MOST OF THIS CONVECTION EXTENDS MAINLY ALONG THE INTERSTATE 20 AND INTERSTATE 30 CORRIDOR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WHICH HAVE ENABLED THESE STORMS TO DEVELOP INCLUDE CAPE VALUES AROUND 2500 J/KG...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES SURGING TO NEAR 90 DEGREES...EXTENSIVE LL MOISTURE WITH DEWPOINT VALUES IN THE UPPER 60S...AS WELL AS SURFACE BOUNDARIES CORRELATING TO UPPER-LEVEL VORTICITY FEATURES. CONVECTION FORECAST TO TAPER OFF THIS EVENING WITH LOW TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM THE MID 50S ACROSS THE NORTH TO AROUND 70 ACROSS EAST TEXAS AND WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA. PATCHY FOG ALSO EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHERN ARKANSAS TOWARD DAYBREAK. UPCOMING FORECAST CAN BE CHARACTERIZED BY TWO DISTINCT WEATHER PATTERNS WITHIN THE NEXT 7 DAYS. EARLY IN THE PERIOD...A LINGERING FRONTAL BOUNDARY...COMBINED WITH SUFFICIENT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE... WILL ALLOW FOR PERIODS OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH FRIDAY. THE STRONGEST CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR LATE THURSDAY NIGHT ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20. LATER IN THE PERIOD...UPPER-LEVEL RIDGING BECOMES ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST ON SATURDAY...PROVIDING DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. ADDITIONALLY...AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO SURGE INTO THE LOW TO MID 90S THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. /05/ && .AVIATION... VISIBLE SATELLITE SHOWING DECENT CU FIELD AND SHRA DEVELOPING IN SEVERAL AREAS. OF NOTE IS A LARGE COMPLEX NEAR THE LFK SITE AND SOUTH TOWARD HOUSTON. ALSO OF NOTE IS THE CU FIELD ALONG I20 WHICH IS LIKELY THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY. TSRA COMPLEX IS DEVELOPING IN AND AROUND DFW WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRETCHING EAST TOWARD TYR. EXPECT OFF AND ON TSRA AND SHRA THROUGH 02Z THIS EVENING. HAVE INCLUDED CB AND SH IN SOME AREA TAF SITES ESPECIALLY WHERE COVERAGE WILL BE HIGHER. AFTER 02Z...EXPECT SKIES TO BECOME CLEAR...BUT PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTHERN SITES...ELD AND TXK./04/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 68 85 63 87 68 / 30 30 10 20 20 MLU 65 84 60 86 67 / 30 30 10 20 20 DEQ 59 82 58 81 66 / 20 20 10 40 40 TXK 61 82 58 84 68 / 20 20 10 30 30 ELD 61 82 58 86 65 / 20 20 10 20 20 TYR 69 84 66 88 68 / 30 30 10 20 20 GGG 68 85 65 87 69 / 30 30 10 20 20 LFK 69 89 67 91 69 / 30 30 10 20 20 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. LA...NONE. OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && 05/04
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1158 AM CDT MON MAY 17 2010 LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-TXZ108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153- 165>167-181200- CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-UNION LA-DE SOTO- RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA-NATCHITOCHES-WINN- GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS-WOOD- UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG-HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA- NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA-SAN AUGUSTINE-SABINE TX- 1158 AM CDT MON MAY 17 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR LOCATIONS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE FOUR STATE REGION THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO RETURN TO THE FOUR STATE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-OKZ077-TXZ096-097-181200- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MILLER-LAFAYETTE- COLUMBIA-UNION AR-MCCURTAIN-RED RIVER-BOWIE- 1158 AM CDT MON MAY 17 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR LOCATIONS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE FOUR STATE REGION THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO RETURN TO THE FOUR STATE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT. 05
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
1201 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0120 AM HAIL 10 NW ROBELINE 31.79N 93.42W
05/17/2010 E1.00 INCH NATCHITOCHES LA BROADCAST MEDIA
HAIL DAMAGED OUTER SKIRTING OF A MOBILE HOME OUTSIDE OF
MARTHAVILLE ALONG HWY 487 NEAR AJAX.
0120 AM TSTM WND DMG 10 NW ROBELINE 31.79N 93.42W
05/17/2010 NATCHITOCHES LA BROADCAST MEDIA
TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED ALONG HWY 487 BETWEEN
MARTHAVILLE AND AJAX.
&&
MBERRYPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
355 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0352 PM HAIL MANSFIELD 32.03N 93.70W
05/17/2010 E0.75 INCH DE SOTO LA TRAINED SPOTTER
PEA TO PENNY SIZED HAIL IN DOWNTOWN MANSFIELD.
0352 PM TSTM WND GST MANSFIELD 32.03N 93.70W
05/17/2010 E50 MPH DE SOTO LA TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATED WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH IN DOWNTOWN MANSFIELD.
&&
MBERRYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
356 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010
LAZ010-017-172200-
DE SOTO-SABINE-
356 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
PARISHES...
IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...
DE SOTO AND SABINE...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
MANSFIELD AND MANY...
AT 354 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MANSFIELD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH
THIS STORM.
14SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
404 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010
LAZ001-010-172200-
CADDO-DE SOTO-
404 PM CDT MON MAY 17 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
PARISHES...
IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...
CADDO AND DE SOTO...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
GREENWOOD AND STONEWALL...
AT 400 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS ARE DETECTING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GREENWOOD...OR 12 MILES WEST OF
SHREVEPORT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
14The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Dime to penny sized hail was reported approximately 10 miles south of Huntington, Texas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, 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: 220994.