A microburst affects one location and then lines of severe storms affect Southwest Louisiana two days in a row during late July. A pair of hot and humid days both gave way to lines of thunderstorms late in the day.
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.
A microburst affects one location and then lines of severe storms affect Southwest Louisiana two days in a row during late July. A pair of hot and humid days both gave way to lines of thunderstorms late in the day. The storms produced many reports of down trees, down power lines, and a pair of tornadoes.
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 19, 3:38 PM CST, 2 hours 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 438 PM CDT THU JUL 19 2012 .SYNOPSIS... LATEST UPPER AIR AND WATER VAPOR ANALYSIS SHOWS UPPER HIGH CNTRD NR THE WRN OK PANHANDLE/SE CO WITH DISTURBANCES ROTATING AROUND ITS PERIPHERY. ONE OF THESE DISTURBANCES IS TRAVELING SW ACRS SRN MS AND SE LA PRODUCING A LARGE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS FM JACKSON TO NEW ORLEANS. AT THE SFC...HIGH PRESSURE WAS RIDGING ACRS FLA INTO THE CNTL GULF...WITH MOIST SLY WINDS OVER THE AREA. WHILE THINGS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE EAST OF THE AREA TODAY...CONVECTION HAS BEEN MOSTLY ISOLATED AND CONFINED TO COASTAL AREAS ACRS THE LCH CWA. TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN WARM THIS AFTN WITH LOW TO MID 90S ACRS MUCH OF THE AREA AS OF 4 PM...ALTHOUGH SHOWERS NEAR KLCH AND KBPT HAVE COOLED TEMPS TO THE LOWER 80S DURING THE PAST HOUR. && .DISCUSSION... WILL KEEP AN EYE ON CONVECTION EAST OF THE AREA THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW SHOWERS OR STORMS DEVELOPING OVER OUR ERN ZONES ONCE THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY REACHES OUR ZONES. HOWEVER...MODELS SHOW ACTIVITY DIMINISHING WITH SUNSET SO AT THIS TIME AM NOT ANTICIPATING MORE THAN A SLT CHC FOR WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE ATCHAFALAYA BASIN. OTHERWISE...ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-10 SHOULD BE DISSIPATING WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. EXPECT TO SEE A GENERAL INCREASE IN RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY OVER THE ERN ZONES AS DEEPER MOISTURE SLIDES WWD OVER THE AREA. THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH WILL REMAIN MORE OR LESS CNTRD OVER COLORADO THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH SEVERAL DISTURBANCES TRAVELING SWWD AROUND THE E/SE PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER RIDGE. AS IS SOMETIMES THE CASE WITH A N TO NE WIND REGIME ALOFT...THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS AND THE SPC DAY THREE OUTLOOK INDICATES A LOW PROBABILITY OF ORGANIZED SEVERE STORMS. AT THE SFC...THERE WILL BE LITTLE CHANGE IN SYNOPTIC FEATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING OVER THE GULF COAST STATES FROM THE WRN ATLANTIC. THIS WILL MAINTAIN AN INFLUX OF GULF MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...THE UPPER TROF OVER THE SE STATES WILL RETROGRADE...MOVING WEST OF THE AREA. THE UPPER HIGH IS EXPECTED TO BUILD BACK OVER THE REGION...HELPING TO LIMIT CONVECTION TO MAINLY THE WIDELY SCT DIURNAL VARIETY. IN ADDITION...AFTN HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB BACK INTO THE MID 90S. && .MARINE... SFC HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDS WESTWARD THROUGH THE CNTL GULF OF MEXICO AND WILL MAINTAIN LIGHT TO MODERATE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A FEW DISTURBANCES ALOFT WILL TRAVEL SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE WESTERN GULF COAST STATES...BRINGING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE COASTAL WATERS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... KLCH 75 93 75 92 / 20 40 20 50 KBPT 76 93 76 92 / 20 20 20 30 KAEX 75 94 75 94 / 20 40 20 50 KLFT 76 93 76 91 / 20 50 30 60 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...NONE. TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && PUBLIC/MARINE...24
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 443 AM CDT THU JUL 19 2012 LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262- 201115- VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY- CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN- VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-LOWER ST. MARTIN-WEST CAMERON- EAST CAMERON-TYLER-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-NORTHERN JASPER- NORTHERN NEWTON-SOUTHERN JASPER-SOUTHERN NEWTON- 443 AM CDT THU JUL 19 2012 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 A DISTURBANCE ALOFT WILL TRAVEL SOUTHWARD THROUGH MISSISSIPPI AND EASTERN LOUISIANA...BRINGING ABOUT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE I-49 CORRIDOR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A FEW MORE MIDWEST DISTURBANCES ALOFT WILL TRAVEL SOUTHWARD THROUGH LOUISIANA...BRINGING ABOUT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. SOME STORMS COULD BE ON THE STRONG SIDE . .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-201115- 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 FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO CAMERON LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 443 AM CDT THU JUL 19 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. SOME STORMS COULD BE ON THE STRONG SIDE...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COAST. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
546 PM CDT THU JUL 19 2012
LAZ054-055-192345-
LOWER ST. MARTIN LA-ST. MARY LA-
546 PM CDT THU JUL 19 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ST. MARY AND ST. MARTIN PARISHES
UNTIL 645 PM CDT...
AT 541 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTH OF FRANKLIN...MOVING EAST AT 20
MPH.
* THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
PATTERSON MEMORIAL AIRPORT BY 610 PM...
PATTERSON BY 620 PM...
BAYOU VISTA BY 625 PM...
BERWICK BY 630 PM...
MORGAN CITY AND STEPHENSVILLE BY 640 PM...
AMELIA BY 645 PM...
THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THIS STORM ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND WIND
GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND
UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING
UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 2955 9116 2966 9159 2983 9155 2979 9109
2975 9108 2973 9110 2965 9109 2965 9110
2963 9108 2960 9107
13SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 635 PM CDT THU JUL 19 2012 LAZ045-053-200000- UPPER ST. MARTIN LA-IBERIA LA- 635 PM CDT THU JUL 19 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR IBERIA AND ST. MARTIN PARISHES UNTIL 700 PM CDT... AT 632 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER LOREAUVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. * THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... LAKE FAUSSE POINTE BY 655 PM... CATAHOULA BY 700 PM... THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THIS STORM ARE PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. LAT...LON 3026 9165 3007 9151 2995 9177 3010 9188 13
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 hail, 2 tornado, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a pole breaking it in half around 15 feet above the ground. This knock out power to a portions of Morgan City until 8:15 PM local time.
A spotter reported multiple trees down by a suspected microburst. This occurred near the intersection of East Lafayette St and John Hardy Rd.
A report was received of hail to the size of nickels with a passing thunderstorm.
Quarter size hail was reported to occur along Twin Bridges Road with a passing storm.
Numerous trees were blown down when a line of thunderstorm passed through Oakdale.
The Veron Parish Sheriffs department reported several trees down from a passing line of thunderstorms.
A tornado occurred along the leading edge of a QLCS and started just south of Chenault Airport and traveled southwest to west for between 8 and 9 miles. The tornado crossed Highway 14 near Carlo Henry, Common Street near Murbelle, and ended south of Gauthier near Elliot Road. Multiple mobile homes were damaged in the Sugarloaf neighborhood and several power poles were downed or snapped along Highway 14. Many trees were downed or had large limbs broken along Carlo Henry, Murbelle, Arabie, and Beaugh Roads. Portions of roofs were damaged or removed along Murbelle with one home being shifted one to two feet from its foundation. As the tornado traveled farther west and beyond Leger Road it weakened. The vast majority of the damage consisted of occasional downed power lines and superficial tree damage with an occasional uprooted tree west of Leger Road.
A weak tornado developed along the leading edge of a QLCS and traveled around 1.5 miles toward the southwest. The tornado did mostly superficial tree damage, however one pine tree with a width of 6 to 8 inches was snapped, patio furniture was damaged along Nick Martone Road, and one agricultural structure was damaged.
Straight line wind damage occurred just north of a westward moving tornadic mesovortex. Damage in the Holmwood area included shingles removed from a trailer home, trailer house skirting removed one multiple homes, one oak tree near two feet in diameter downed onto a wooden fence, and multiple tree branches broken.
Straight line winds from a passing QLCS downed many trees and power lines across the City of Lake Charles and surrounding areas including Sulphur and Mossbluff. A tree fell through a house of a NWS employee and another NWS employee reported a pine tree fell on a neighbor's home. Lake Charles PD reported a 50 year old oak tree with an 8 foot circumference was uprooted. Along Ham Reid Road a roof of a shed was blown off and into a garage. At the peak of the storm around 16,000 customers were out of power around the Lake Charles area, and extended power outages caused loss of perishables at some area stores. Winds from this event also broke a ship loose from its moorings at the Lake Charles port damaging the dock.
Strong wind gusts blew across Lake Charles and the Calcasieu River where two men from Westlake where on a boat. The 16 foot jon boat was capsized by the strong wind gusts and both were drowned. One man was still wearing a life jacket when found the next morning on the west bank of Lake Charles. The other man was found around a day later.
Strong wind gusts blew across Lake Charles and the Calcasieu River where two men from Westlake where on a boat. The 16 foot jon boat was capsized by the strong wind gusts and both were drowned. One man was still wearing a life jacket when found the next morning on the west bank of Lake Charles. The other man was found around a day later.
Rayne PD reported flooding along Llama Road and Quarter Line Road from heavy rain.
The Emergency Manager of Calcasieu Parish reported a wind gust of 72 MPH that was captured with an onsite anemometer.
A NWS employee estimated winds around 50 knots with a passing QLCS.
The Cameron Parish Sheriffs Department reported a large tree blown down onto a road in Grand Chenier by a passing line of thunderstorms.
A NWS employee reported a large tree down along Common Street.
The LSU AgCenter mesonet site on Gulf Highway next to the airport recorded a wind gust of 62 MPH with a passing line of storms.
Winds were estimated at 60 mph at Hebert’s Marina by an employee at Corbellos Guide Service. Small trees were also noted down along Hebert’s Camp Road.
The RAWS station at the Sabine NWR recorded a wind gust of 55 MPH at 20 feet. Adjusting to a normal height the wind speed is 55 to 60 MPH.
Lightning struck a tree in Opelousas and then sending it crashing into a trailer home. The tree caused a hole in the home and rendering it uninhabitable.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu | 2012-07-20 | 22 | Male | Boating | Direct |
| Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu | 2012-07-20 | Male | Boating | Direct | |
| Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu | 2012-07-20 | 22 | Male | Boating | Direct |
| Thunderstorm Wind, Calcasieu | 2012-07-20 | Male | Boating | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Louisiana, 2012Warnings in Louisiana, July 2012
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: 402677, 402584, 402268, 402269, 402273, 402278, 400178, 400179, 402329, 402347, 402421, 402422, 402423, 402359, 402351, 402281, 402419, 402353, 402420, 402356, 402678.