An upper level disturbance helped produce thunderstorms that had numerous lightning strikes in southeast 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 LCH wrote it up.
An upper level disturbance helped produce thunderstorms that had numerous lightning strikes in southeast Texas.
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, 11:59 AM CST, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 1259 PM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 .DISCUSSION... FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE. && .AVIATION... 88DS SHOW NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ONGOING ACROSS S-CNTL LA IN RESPONSE TO UPPER LOW SPINNING OFF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. RADARS ALSO SHOW SEVERAL OUTFLOWS WHICH ARE AIDING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL CONVECTION ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA. WITH ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL GULF MOISTURE AND GOOD INSTABILITY IN PLACE...THE LACK OF SIGNIFICANT CAPPING...ALREADY ATTAINED TRIGGER TEMPS AND THE NUMEROUS OUTFLOWS... CONVECTION SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE A PLAYER FOR THE TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE LOSS OF HEATING BRINGS SHOWERS AND STORMS TO AN END AROUND SUNSET. WITH PLENTY OF RAIN HELPING WITH GROUND MOISTURE AM EXPECTING A BIT OF GROUND FOG/SLIGHT RESTRICTIONS TO VISIBILITY TOWARD DAWN BEFORE VFR CONDITIONS RESUME FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD. 25 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1002 AM CDT WED JUL 6 2011/ UPDATE...WV IMAGERY CONFIRMS THAT THE REGION IS WITHIN A MOIST ENVELOPE OF TROPCIAL AIR THAT IS WEAKLY CYCLONIC WITH A BROAD AREA OF UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OR TUTT LOCATED OVER THE WEST CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO. MORNING SOUNDING MAINTAINS PRECIP WATER LEVELS OF 1.8 INCHES WITH A K-INDEX OF 35. LATEST NAM SHOWS NVA ROTATING THRU SOUTH LOUISIANA THIS AFTERNOON. FOR THAT REASON, LOWERING POPS SLIGHTLY TO 30 PERCENT FOR SW LA AND 40 POP FOR S CEN LA THIS AFTERNOON. THE REMAINDER OF THE FCST LOOKS ON TRACK. EXPECTING A REPEAT OF THE PULSE TYPE SCATTERED TSTMS THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE WILL AGAIN HAVE SOME DECENT RAINFALL. WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR PULSE DOWNBURST WINDS STARTING AROUND 2 PM. SWEENEY PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 635 AM CDT WED JUL 6 2011/ AVIATION... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FIRING ALONG THE COAST AND INTO THE COASTAL WATERS THIS MORNING. STORMS ARE MOVING OFF TO THE NORTHWEST. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DRAW TO A CLOSE LATER THIS MORNING ONLY TO REDEVELOP OVER LAND. THIS WILL CREATE A CLOUD DECK THAT WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM 035 TO 050 BUT LOWER CLOUDS SHOULD BE EXPECTED. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 309 AM CDT WED JUL 6 2011/ DISCUSSION...MAIN FORECAST ISSUE FOR THIS FORECAST CYCLE WILL BE POPS. TWO AREAS OF FOCUS FOR CONVECTION TODAY. FIRST...BOUNDARY JUST NORTH OF OVER THE ARKLATEX BROUGHT MCS INTO NW LOUISIANA YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MCS HELD TOGETHER LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE IT INTO NORTHERN AREAS BEFORE DISSIPATING. WHILE SOME SHORTWAVE ACTIVITY MAY AID IN CONVECTIVE INITIATION...THE BOUNDARY SHOULD BECOME FURTHER DIFFUSE TODAY SO MAY SEE A LITTLE LESS IN DEVELOPMENT. THE SECOND FEATURE IS AN UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF. THIS SHOULD ENHANCE DEVELOPMENT ALONG SEABREEZE ESPECIALLY OVER ACADIANA SO HIGHEST POPS TODAY WILL BE OVER THIS REGION. TRANSITION TO A SLIGHTLY DRIER PATTERN IS EXPECTED BEGINNING FRIDAY AS UPPER LOW SHIFTS WEST AND RIDGE ATTEMPTS TO BUILD BACK INTO THE REGION. ALTHOUGH MID LEVEL THICKNESSES ARE PROGGED TO INCREASE...ONLY A MODEST REDUCTION IN DEEP LAYER MOISTURE IS ANTICIPATED. WILL THEREFORE HAVE LOW DIURNAL POPS FOR THE WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN NEAR NORMAL. MARINE...MAIN ISSUES WILL BE CONVECTION AS FAIRLY TRANQUIL WIND PATTERN SHOULD BE IN PLACE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. ENVIRONMENT WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR LATE NIGHT SHOWERS ESPECIALLY TODAY AND THURSDAY. WILL HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. 04 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... KLCH 91 76 93 76 93 / 30 20 30 20 20 KBPT 94 77 95 76 96 / 30 10 20 10 10 KAEX 94 74 94 74 94 / 40 40 30 20 20 KLFT 92 76 93 77 92 / 40 30 40 20 20 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...NONE. TX...NONE. GM...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 419 AM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055- TXZ180>182-201-215-216-070930- 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- 419 AM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 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 SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE MOST NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE ACADIANA REGION. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...WHICH COULD LEAD TO PONDING IN URBAN AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ON THURSDAY. UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK ALLOWING FOR ONLY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACTIVITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
911 AM CDT WED JUL 06 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0445 PM LIGHTNING 3 W BEAUMONT 30.09N 94.20W
07/05/2011 JEFFERSON TX NEWSPAPER
HOUSE WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AND SET HOUSE ON FIRE.
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 106 PM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-070000- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LEESVILLE...ALEXANDRIA...MARKSVILLE... DERIDDER...OAKDALE...VILLE PLATTE...OPELOUSAS...LAKE CHARLES... JENNINGS...CROWLEY...LAFAYETTE...ST. MARTINVILLE...CAMERON... ABBEVILLE...NEW IBERIA...MORGAN CITY...WOODVILLE...JASPER... NEWTON...LUMBERTON...BEAUMONT/PORT ARTHUR...ORANGE 106 PM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 ...TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON... A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE TROPICAL AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON...WHILE THE VERTICAL WIND PROFILE OVER THE AREA IS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THESE CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS... ESPECIALLY WHERE RAIN-COOLED BOUNDARIES...KNOWN AS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES...AND THE SEA BREEZE COLLIDE. THESE TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE USUALLY SHORT-LIVED AND DO NOT REACH THE GROUND. IF THE FUNNEL CLOUD BECOMES MORE SEVERE AND REACHES THE GROUND...MINOR DAMAGE MAY OCCUR...AND A TORNADO WARNING WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND UPDATES ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 25
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 113 PM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 LAZ043-061845- ACADIA LA- 113 PM CDT WED JUL 6 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ACADIA PARISH UNTIL 145 PM CDT... AT 111 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF CROWLEY...NEARLY STATIONARY. * THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... CROWLEY AND MAXIE BY 145 PM... THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM IS FREQUENT LIGHTNING. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. LAT...LON 3011 9247 3041 9244 3032 9224 3020 9226 25
The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:58 UTC.
2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A two story home on the west side of Beaumont was struck by lightning. The resulting fire was quickly put out, but not before the home was severely damaged.
Excessive lightning caused a fire at the Stone Hearth Apartments. One unit with eight apartments was on fire and the roof partially collapsed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, July 2011
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: 336637, 336638.