An unstable airmass allowed the development of isolated severe thunderstorms during the afternoon hours.
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 LIX wrote it up.
An unstable airmass allowed the development of isolated severe thunderstorms during the afternoon hours.
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 New Orleans, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 3, 2:17 PM CST, 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
317 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012
.SHORT TERM...
ONCE AGAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOPING ACROSS PORTIONS
OF THE FORECAST AREA...ON THE LA/MS BORDER AS WELL AS ALONG SEA
BREEZE ON MUCH OF OUR COASTLINE. GENERAL MOVEMENT SHOULD BE A
GRADUAL DRIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST BUT DEVIATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INFLUENCES. AS WITH PREVIOUS DAYS...CONVECTION
LIKELY TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY WITH TIME AND CONTINUED DAYTIME
HEATING. THIS MORNING/S SOUNDING WAS SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE WITH JUST
A LITTLE MORE MID LEVEL MOISTURE BUT THINK THERE/S STILL ENOUGH
INSTABILITY FOR STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS TO DEVELOP. WITH
THE WETBULB ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET HIGHER THAN YSTRDY...PROB BE
HARDER TO GET NICKEL HAIL LIKE YESTERDAY BUT NOT OUT OF THE
QUESTION. SO MOSTLY SMALL HAIL AND GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH SHOULD BE
WHATS EXPECTED WITH STRONGER STORMS. DIURNAL CONCLUSION OF ACTIVITY
TO ENSUE WITH SUNSET. SHOWERS LIKELY TO REDEVELOP OVER THE COASTAL
WATERS. MAV DID SUGGEST A FEW INLAND SHOWERS OVERNIGHT. THOUGH
COMING IN AT 30 PCT...DIDN/T WANT TO COMPLETELY IGNORE IT BUT NOT
HAVE POPS THAT HIGH EITHER.
.LONG TERM...
INDEPENDENCE DAY SHOW NO SIGNS OF BEING MUCH DIFFERENT THAN TODAY.
MODELS KEEP UPPER LEVEL RIDGE GENERALLY OVER THE CENTRAL US BY
SHIFTING EAST THEN EVENTUALLY RETROGRADING BACK WEST. WITH SOUTHEAST
LA BEING ON THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THIS HIGH...WE WILL CONTINUE
TO HAVE THAT LOWER END CHANCE OF AFTERNOON STORMS THIS WEEK. MOVING
TOWARDS THE END OF THIS WEEK HAVE INCREASED POPS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
TO THE 40-50 PCT RANGE. AS ECMWF CONTINUING TO COME AROUND TO GFS/S
SOLUTION OF GULF COAST ON WEAKER SIDE OF THE UPPER RIDGE BUT FOR
DIFFERENT REASONS. ECMWF SUGGESTS AN INVERTED TROUGH WILL TRACK
ACROSS THE AREA WHILE THE RIDGE SHIFTS WEST. GFS IS JUST FASTER WITH
THE UPPER HIGH RETROGRESSION BACK WEST WHICH ALLOWS WEAKNESS TO BE
OVER THE AREA SOONER. EITHER WAY...IF ONE OF THE 2 SCENARIOS HAPPENS
RAIN CHANCES WILL BE INCREASING. WETTER PATTERN LIKELY TO PERSIST
INTO NEXT WEEK. ITS A GOOD THING DUE TO DROUGHTLIKE CONDITIONS
SNEAKING BACK INTO THE AREA.
FOR TEMPERATURES...WILL REMAIN ON THE WARMER SIDE OF NORMAL TEMPS
THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD.
MEFFER
&&
.AVIATION...
SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOULD DIMINISH BY
03Z...WITH A FEW STORMS PRODUCING GUSTS TO AROUND 40 KT. OUTSIDE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...MOST TERMINALS SHOULD PREVAIL VFR. 21
&&
.MARINE...
WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT PERSIST ACROSS THE MARINE AREA THROUGH THE
NEXT 5 DAYS AS WESTERN PORTION OF THE ATLANTIC SURFACE EXTENDS INTO
THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF. WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL GENERALLY
SUPPORT WINDS OF 10 KNOTS OR LESS.
&&
.DECISION SUPPORT...
DSS CODE...YELLOW.
DEPLOYED...NONE.
ACTIVATION...NONE.
ACTIVITIES...MONITORING STORMS AND ISSUING A FEW SVR WARNINGS.
DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) CODE LEGEND
GREEN = NO WEATHER IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE ACTION
BLUE = LONG FUSED WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY IN EFFECT OR HIGH
VISIBILITY EVENT
YELLOW = HEIGHTENED IMPACTS WITH SHORT FUSED
WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY ISSUANCES; RADAR SUPPORT
ORANGE = HIGH IMPACTS - SLIGHT TO MODERATE RISK SEVERE; NEARBY
TROPICAL EVENTS; HAZMAT OR OTHER LARGE EPISODES
RED = FULL ENGAGEMENT FOR MODERATE TO HIGH RISK SVR AND/OR
DIRECT TROPICAL THREATS; EVENTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MCB 71 96 72 94 / 10 30 20 30
BTR 74 96 76 95 / 10 30 20 20
ASD 74 94 74 93 / 10 30 20 20
MSY 77 93 77 92 / 10 30 20 20
GPT 76 92 76 92 / 10 30 20 30
PQL 73 94 74 93 / 10 30 20 20
&&
.LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...NONE.
GM...NONE.
MS...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 1123 AM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 GMZ530-532-534-536-538-550-552-555-557-570-572-575-577-LAZ034>037- 039-040-046>050-056>072-MSZ068>071-077-080>082-041630- LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND LAKE MAUREPAS-MISSISSIPPI SOUND- LAKE BORGNE-CHANDELEUR SOUND-BRETON SOUND- COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT FOURCHON TO LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO PORT FOURCHON OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM BOOTHVILLE LA TO THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PASCAGOULA MS TO STAKE ISLAND LA OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT FOURCHON TO LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER FROM 20 TO 60 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO PORT FOURCHON FROM 20 TO 60 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM STAKE ISLAND LA TO THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FROM 20 TO 60 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PASCAGOULA MS TO STAKE ISLAND LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM-POINTE COUPEE-WEST FELICIANA-EAST FELICIANA-ST. HELENA- WASHINGTON-ST. TAMMANY-IBERVILLE-WEST BATON ROUGE- EAST BATON ROUGE-ASCENSION-LIVINGSTON-ASSUMPTION-ST. JAMES- ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST-UPPER LAFOURCHE-ST. CHARLES-UPPER JEFFERSON- ORLEANS-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-UPPER ST. BERNARD-UPPER TERREBONNE- LOWER TERREBONNE-LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER JEFFERSON- LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST. BERNARD-NORTHERN TANGIPAHOA- SOUTHERN TANGIPAHOA-WILKINSON-AMITE-PIKE-WALTHALL-PEARL RIVER- HANCOCK-HARRISON-JACKSON- 1123 AM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...SOUTH MISSISSIPPI AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE MAIN THREATS ARE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL. HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 100 TO 105 ARE EXPECTED ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR EACH DAY...BUT ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. HEAT INDEX VALUES ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA WILL PEAK IN THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE EACH AFTERNOON THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY WITH ACTUAL HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE MID 90S EACH DAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
LAZ069-032000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 211 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 ...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST AFFECTING LOWER PLAQUEMINES PARISH... AT 201 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 8 MILES SOUTH OF PORT SULPHUR...OR ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EMPIRE...DRIFTING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...PORT SULPHUR AND EMPIRE THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
LAZ039-040-071-072-032030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 238 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 ...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY STATIONARY AFFECTING ST. TAMMANY PARISH...SOUTHERN TANGIPAHOA PARISH...NORTHERN TANGIPAHOA PARISH...WASHINGTON PARISH... AT 236 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 10 MILES SOUTH OF FRANKLINTON...OR ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ENON. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEARLY STATIONARY. THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...FOLSOM AND NEARBY AREAS OF SOUTHERN WASHINGTON PARISH. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
MSZ082-032100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 301 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 ...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER NEARLY STATIONARY OVER EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY... AT 257 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR ESCATAWPA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEARLY STATIONARY OR DRIFTING SLOWLY SOUTHWEST. THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...WADE THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAZ039-040-071-072-032115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 326 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 ...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY STATIONARY AFFECTING ST. TAMMANY PARISH...SOUTHERN TANGIPAHOA PARISH...NORTHERN TANGIPAHOA PARISH...WASHINGTON PARISH... AT 320 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF COVINGTON TO NEAR INDEPENDENCE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEARLY STATIONARY. THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...FOLSOM...INDEPENDENCE...ROSELAND...ENON AND AMITE THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
MSZ069-070-032145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 354 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 ...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEARLY STATIONARY AFFECTING AMITE COUNTY...PIKE COUNTY... AT 348 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR LIBERTY TO AROUND MCCOMB WERE NEARLY STATIONARY. THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...SUMMIT AND LIBERTY THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAZ040-050-072-032145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 403 PM CDT TUE JUL 3 2012 ...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTHWEST AFFECTING LIVINGSTON PARISH...ST. TAMMANY PARISH...SOUTHERN TANGIPAHOA PARISH... AT 400 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF COVINGTON AND 2 MILES EAST OF INDEPENDENCE...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...ROBERT...INDEPENDENCE...TICKFAW...PONCHATOULA AND HAMMOND THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH...WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
The Mobile radar (KMOB), 46 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:03 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large oak tree was downed across the road at Highway 57 and Jim Ramsey Road. Numerous limbs and tree debris was also reported in Vancleave.
Trees and power lines were reported down along Highway 53 between Saucier-Lizana Road and Shaw Road. Event time was estimated based on radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, 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: 383432, 383435.