A strong cold front moved through Northern Louisiana during the late afternoon and early evening hours of March 8th. Pressure rises were very strong behind this frontal boundary, resulting in very strong post-frontal gradient winds.
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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.
A strong cold front moved through Northern Louisiana during the late afternoon and early evening hours of March 8th. Pressure rises were very strong behind this frontal boundary, resulting in very strong post-frontal gradient winds. Winds were sustained near 20 to 25 mph with gusts as high as 45 mph across the northern half of the state. These winds downed trees and powerlines in Winn Parish, 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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 8, 10:23 PM CST, 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1023 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012 .DISCUSSION... COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS S THIS EVENING...HAVING ALREADY REACHED S OF A LFK...TO IER...TO JUST N OF A TVR LINE AS OF 03-04Z. THIS IS A LITTLE FASTER THAN WHAT THE SHORT TERM PROGS HAVE INDICATED...MAINLY DUE TO STRONG 3-5MB/3 HOUR PRESSURE RISES THAT HAVE BEEN EVIDENT ALL EVENING BEHIND THE FRONT OVER EXTREME NE TX/SE OK/SW AR. MUCH OF THE CONVECTION HAS BEEN ROOTED ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT ALL EVENING...ALTHOUGH RAINFALL TOTALS HAVE BEEN IMPRESSIVE THUS FAR OVER MUCH OF THE REGION...RANGING FROM 1-2 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED LOCALES OVER DEEP E AND NE TX/SW AR RECORDING 2.5-3+ INCHES. FLOODING HAS BEEN MINOR THOUGH...WITH A MINIMAL FLOOD THREAT CONTINUING OVERNIGHT MAINLY OVER E TX/N LA...AS THE PARENT SHORTWAVE NOTED ON THE WATER VAPOR LOOP SLOWLY PROGRESSING E ACROSS CNTRL TX...GRADUALLY SHIFTS E. THE MEAN FLOW REMAINS STRONGLY DIFFLUENT THOUGH OVER THE REGION...WITH ELEVATED MOISTURE CONVERGENCE ALONG THE 925-850MB TROUGH SUPPORTING A CONTINUATION OF CONVECTION THROUGH MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS S OF THE I-30 CORRIDOR OF NE TX/SW AR. THE SWRLY LLJ IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING ATOP THE COLDER POST-FRONTAL AIR MASS...WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN A DECREASE IN THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT AFTER 06Z. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS REMAIN PRIME UNTIL THEN MAINLY ACROSS E TX/N LA GIVEN THE VERY MOIST AND BUOYANT AIR MASS IN PLACE PER THE 00Z KSHV RAOB. IN FACT...A NEAR RECORD PW OF 1.77 INCHES WAS RECORDED JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT/CONVECTION EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH A VERY DEEP WARM LAYER /ABOVE FREEZING/ OF 3.7KM...FURTHER ENHANCING THESE WARM RAIN PROCESSES. HAVE MADE A FEW CHANGES TO POPS TO THE GOING FORECAST...MAINLY TO LOWER THEM TO CHANCE N OF I-30. HAVE ALSO REMOVED THE SVR WORDING FROM THE FORECAST TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED HAILER OR TWO CAN/T BE RULED OUT FROM THE ELEVATED STORMS. ALSO LOWERED TEMPS A TAD BEHIND THE FRONT...GIVEN THE CURRENT 04Z READINGS...WHICH HAVE PLUMMETED SOME 15-20+ DEGREES IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WITH THE FROPA. DID REMOVE HEAVY RAINFALL WORDING FROM FRIDAY MORNING/S FORECAST FOR DEEP E TX/NCNTRL LA GIVEN THE WEAKER MOISTURE CONVERGENCE/LARGE SCALE FORCING WITH THE LOSS OF THE LLJ. NEW 00Z PROGS COMING IN ARE DEPICTING MUCH DRIER CONDITIONS MAINLY N OF I-20 OVER NE TX/SW AR...WITH THE RESIDUAL RAINFALL DIMINISHING DURING THE AFTERNOON FARTHER S AS THE 850MB TROUGH SHIFTS INTO CNTRL LA AND STALLS. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE 00Z NAM/GFS ARE NOW RETURNING A PORTION OF THE FRONT N FARTHER W TOWARDS THE I-35 CORRIDOR SATURDAY EVENING...IMPLYING THAT THE 2ND WAVE OF HEAVY RAIN WOULD BE FOCUSED FARTHER W ACROSS THESE AREAS SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING...BEFORE THE PRIMARY KICKER SYSTEM SWEEPS E ACROSS THE REGION SUNDAY. THIS WOULD SUGGEST LOWER CUMULATIVE RAINFALL TOTALS...ALTHOUGH A FLOOD THREAT WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL THAT FELL THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. ZONE UPDATE ALREADY OUT...GRIDS WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. 15 && .AVIATION... WIDESPREAD CONVECTION CONTINUING FROM NW TO SE AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. PRECIPITATION TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH THROUGH 09/12Z. MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL BEHIND THE FRONT OVERNIGHT WITH IMPROVEMENT TO VFR POSSIBLE ACROSS AREA TERMINALS AFTER 09/18Z. OTHERWISE...NORTH WINDS AT 15 KTS AND GUSTY TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE TERMINAL FORECAST PERIOD. /05/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 45 55 44 60 54 / 100 60 70 80 70 MLU 45 53 42 64 56 / 100 80 50 60 70 DEQ 40 59 38 59 51 / 50 30 40 80 70 TXK 41 56 40 59 53 / 80 40 50 80 70 ELD 41 56 40 63 53 / 100 60 40 60 70 TYR 42 52 44 55 54 / 100 50 70 80 70 GGG 44 54 45 57 55 / 100 50 70 80 70 LFK 49 54 47 58 58 / 100 80 70 80 70 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. LA...NONE. OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && 15/05
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1155 AM CST THU MAR 8 2012 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077- TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-091200- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MILLER-LAFAYETTE- COLUMBIA-UNION AR-CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN- UNION LA-DE SOTO-RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA- NATCHITOCHES-WINN-GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-MCCURTAIN-BOWIE- FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS-WOOD-UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG- HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA-NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA- SAN AUGUSTINE-SABINE TX- 1155 AM CST THU MAR 8 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA... NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... A HEAVY RAIN EVENT WILL CONTINUE SHAPING UP FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ALSO...THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE MAIN THREATS. A COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA...WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE OUT AHEAD OF IT. UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES RIDING ALONG IN THE SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL FURTHER ENHANCE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THIS WILL LEAD TO HEAVY RAINFALL WITH AMOUNTS BETWEEN TWO TO FOUR INCHES THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE COLD FRONT WILL PROGRESS SOUTH TO THE GULF COAST ON FRIDAY. THEN IT IS EXPECTED BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY WITH A SURFACE LOW FORMING ALONG THE UPPER TEXAS COAST. RAIN CHANCES WILL LINGER ACROSS THE AREA AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AND THE SURFACE LOW LIFTS NORTH SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL RETURN NORTH AS A WARM FRONT...PROVIDING ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY RAINFALL WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...AS THE CUT OFF UPPER LOW FINALLY LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL PROVIDE POSSIBLE FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING. THE RAIN DOES APPEAR TO TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. ADDITIONAL ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED INTO THE WEEKEND AS HIGH WATER BECOMES AN ISSUE. ELEVEN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
632 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
TXZ124-125-136-090115-
SMITH-UPSHUR-WOOD-
632 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 715 PM CST...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
SMITH...UPSHUR AND WOOD...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
GOLDEN...HAINESVILLE...HOARD...MINEOLA...PLEASANT GROVE...
QUITMAN AND WINNSBORO...
AT 628 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR VAN...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MINEOLA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...AS WELL AS INTENSE RAINFALL
OF ONE HALF TO ONE INCH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
700 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
TXZ149-150-152-090200-
CHEROKEE-NACOGDOCHES-RUSK-
700 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 800 PM CST...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN EASTERN TEXAS...
NACOGDOCHES...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
RUSK AND CHEROKEE...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
GARRISON...MAYDELLE...MINDEN...NEW SALEM...PONTA...RUSK...SACUL
AND TRAWICK...
AT 658 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RUSK...MOVING EAST NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF ONE HALF TO OVER ONE INCH MAY ALSO
OCCUR IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
VIIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
807 PM CST THU MAR 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG TEXARKANA 33.45N 94.02W
03/08/2012 MILLER AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON HOUSE.
&&
MMAYEAUXPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
907 PM CST THU MAR 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0840 PM HAIL 1 S LUFKIN 31.32N 94.73W
03/08/2012 M0.75 INCH ANGELINA TX BROADCAST MEDIA
ANGELINA COLLEGE AND CROWN COLONY REPORTED DIME SIZE
HAIL.
&&
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
912 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
TXZ152-165-166-090400-
ANGELINA-NACOGDOCHES-SAN AUGUSTINE-
912 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM CST...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN EASTERN TEXAS...
NACOGDOCHES...SAN AUGUSTINE AND ANGELINA...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
DIBOLL...ETOILE AND HUNTINGTON...
AT 910 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HUNTINGTON...OR 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF LUFKIN...MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...AND HAS BEEN RECENTLY
REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO RESULT IN
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
VIISPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
933 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
TXZ111-112-125-126-137-090430-
CASS-GREGG-MARION-MORRIS-UPSHUR-
933 PM CST THU MAR 8 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 PM CST...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS...
GREGG...MARION...MORRIS...UPSHUR AND CASS...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
CEDAR SPRINGS...CLARKSVILLE CITY...DAINGERFIELD...DIANA...EAST
MOUNTAIN...GILMER...GLADEWATER...HUGHES SPRINGS...JENKINS...
LINDEN...LONE STAR...ORE CITY...ROCKY BRANCH...ROSEWOOD AND WEST
MOUNTAIN...
AT 931 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
DETECTING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WEST MOUNTAIN...
OR 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GILMER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH BRIEF BUT
VERY INTENSE RAINFALL.
VIIThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong gradient winds downed trees and powerlines approximately 2 miles north of Winnfield, Louisiana.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, March 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: 360859.