A strong cold front moved through Southeast Texas during Christmas Day with strong winds and small hail in storms along the boundary, strong gradient winds behind the boundary, and low tides caused by persistent strong north winds behind the front. A reinforcing front moved through a couple of days later creating another low tide event along the coast.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 strong cold front moved through Southeast Texas during Christmas Day with strong winds and small hail in storms along the boundary, strong gradient winds behind the boundary, and low tides caused by persistent strong north winds behind the front. A reinforcing front moved through a couple of days later creating another low tide event along the coast.
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 Dec 25, 9:34 AM CST, 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
934 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
.UPDATE...
HAVE REFRESHED GRIDS AND PUBLIC PRODUCTS WITH THE NEW TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 694 ISSUED BY SPC THROUGH 4 PM CST. CURRENTLY...SHOWERS
AND A FEW STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT
WHICH IS FROM NORTH OF JASPER THEN EXTENDING EAST ALONG THE
HIGHWAY 190 CORRIDOR. THESE INITIAL CELLS ARE LIKELY ELEVATED IN
NATURE WITH HAIL THE MAIN THREAT. HOWEVER...WARM FRONT WILL
CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWARD AS LOW LEVEL JET INCREASES.
THEREFORE...SHORTLY ALL STORMS THAT DEVELOP ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA SHOULD HAVE A ROOT BASE AT THE SURFACE. WITH VERY HIGH LOW
LEVEL SHEAR...THESE DISCRETE CELLS WILL HAVE A CHANCE FOR ROTATION
AND BECOMING TORNADIC. ACTIVITY WILL END LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS
DEVELOPING COLD FRONT IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS MOVES RAPIDLY
EASTWARD. A SQUALL LINE IS STILL EXPECTED TO FORM ALONG THE COLD
FRONT WITH STRAIGHT LINE DAMAGING WINDS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF
ISOLATED TORNADO WITH ANY BOW SEGMENTS WITHIN THE SQUALL LINE.
OF OTHER NOTE...KLCH WILL CONDUCT A 18Z SPECIAL UPPER AIR SOUNDING
IN SUPPORT OF THE SEVERE WEATHER.
RUA
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 753 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012/
UPDATE...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 691 HAS BEEN REPLACED BY THE TORNADO
WATCH 692...THAT WILL BE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING
PARISHES IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. ST LANDRY...LAFAYETTE...
AND ACADIA. THE TORNADO WATCH WILL ALSO NOW INCLUDE THE NEW
PARISHES OF IBERIA... ST MARTIN... ST MARY... AND VERMILION.
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 610 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012/
AVIATION UPDATE...REGARDING 12Z TAF ISSUANCE. RADAR CURRENTLY
SHOWING CONSIDERABLE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THROUGH
CENTRAL LOUISIANA INTO INTERIOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS. ADDITIONAL
ACTIVITY IS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP FROM COASTAL VERMILION PARISH
SOUTHWEST INTO THE NEAR COASTAL WATERS. AN ACTIVE WEATHER DAY
IS ANTICIPATED. AN EXTREMELY VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM ADVANCING
RAPIDLY EAST THEN NORTHEAST FROM TEXAS WILL BRING INCREASING
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE MORNING INTO AFTERNOON. A
STRONGLY SHEARED ENVIRONMENT WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG
TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES.
DEEPENING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE TRACKING ACROSS NORTH LOUISIANA
WILL RESULT IN A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT WITH WINDS BECOMING
INCREASINGLY STRONG THROUGH THE DAY. AN ATTENDANT COLD FRONT WILL
PASS ACROSS THE AREA LATE IN THE DAY WITH CONVECTION RAPIDLY
COMING TO AN END.
MARCOTTE
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 522 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012/
DISCUSSION...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 691 IS OUT UNTIL 9 AM FOR COUNTIES
NORTH OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND PARISHES ALONG
AND NORTH OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR IN SOUTHERN LOUISIANA. THE WARM
FRONT HAS LIFTED INTO CENTRAL LOUISIANA THIS MORNING AS
TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED INTO THE MID 60S FROM BEAUMONT TO
LAFAYETTE. A FEW STORMS THIS MORNING HAVE SHOWN SOME ROTATION WITH
OTHERS INDICATING HAIL SPIKES. THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY IS NOW
LIFTING INTO WESTERN MISSISSIPPI AND EASTERN LOUISIANA AT THIS
TIME.
THIS IS THE FIRST ROUND WITH ADDITIONAL STORMS EXPECTED THROUGH
THE MORNING HOURS INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD
FRONT. THE THREAT TODAY WILL BE FROM ISOLATED TORNADOES...STRAIGHT
LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. WINDS WILL PICKUP THIS MORNING AND A
WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN POSTED FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND
SOUTHERN LOUISIANA WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE COASTAL
WATERS AS THE SURFACE LOW DEVELOPS OVER THE CENTRAL COASTAL
COUNTIES IN TEXAS. THIS LOW WILL TRAVEL TO THE NORTHEAST AND IS
EXPECTED TO EXIT SOUTHEAST TEXAS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS AND
CENTRAL LOUISIANA TOWARDS SUNSET. RAINS TO END BY THIS EVE ACROSS
CNTRL LA.
MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL SPILL BEHIND THIS FRONT WITH
MORNING LOWS ON WEDNESDAY IN THE 30S WITH TEMPERATURES AT OR NEAR
FREEZING FOR THURSDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY HIGHS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
MAKE IT OUT OF THE 40S.
ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY WITH THE NEXT
FRONTAL SYSTEM.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH 76 38 49 33 56 / 90 10 10 10 10
KBPT 76 35 49 33 57 / 80 10 10 10 10
KAEX 70 35 46 28 53 / 100 20 10 10 10
KLFT 75 41 50 34 56 / 100 10 10 10 10
&&
.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: ACADIA...ALLEN...BEAUREGARD...CALCASIEU...EAST
CAMERON...EVANGELINE...IBERIA...JEFFERSON DAVIS...
LAFAYETTE...LOWER ST. MARTIN...ST. LANDRY...ST. MARY...
UPPER ST. MARTIN...VERMILION...WEST CAMERON.
TX...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: HARDIN...JEFFERSON...ORANGE...SOUTHERN JASPER...
SOUTHERN NEWTON.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: 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 INTRACOASTAL
CITY TO CAMERON LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM CAMERON
LA TO HIGH ISLAND TX FROM 20 TO 60 NM...WATERS FROM LOWER
ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CALCASIEU LAKE...SABINE LAKE...VERMILION BAY.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 437 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012 GMZ430-432-435-LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215- 216-259>262-261045- SABINE LAKE-CALCASIEU LAKE-VERMILION BAY-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- 437 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012 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 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUT UNTIL 9 AM THIS MORNING AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AND LIFT TO THE NORTHEAST TODAY AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEAST TEXAS AROUND THE NOON HOUR AND EXIT SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA AROUND SUNSET. RAINS ENDING BEHIND THE FRONT. THE THREAT TODAY WILL BE FROM ISOLATED TORNADOES... STRONG WINDS... AND LARGE HAIL. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. COLD WEATHER WILL SET INTO THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY BEFORE WARMING WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED TODAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. GMZ450-452-455-470-472-475-261045- 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- 437 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING AS STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT AND WILL SWING WINDS AROUND TO THE NORTHWEST BY THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. HAZARDOUS WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY WINDS WILL TAPER OFF TOMORROW AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS DOWN AND INTO THE COASTAL WATERS. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 644 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012 LAZ042-043-052-074-251330- ACADIA LA-JEFFERSON DAVIS LA-VERMILION LA-EAST CAMERON LA- 644 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ACADIA...JEFFERSON DAVIS... VERMILION AND CAMERON PARISHES UNTIL 730 AM CST... AT 641 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 8 MILES SOUTH OF LOWRY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. * THE CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... LOWRY BY 650 AM... KLONDIKE AND LAKE ARTHUR BY 700 AM... GUEYDAN BY 705 AM... MORSE...RICEVILLE...MERMENTAU AND WRIGHT BY 710 AM... LYONS POINT BY 715 AM... INDIAN BAYOU BY 730 AM... THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS 35 TO 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. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM TUESDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS. LAT...LON 2978 9316 3020 9268 3010 9212 2969 9287
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
744 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
LAZ033-251430-
ST. LANDRY LA-
744 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ST. LANDRY PARISH UNTIL 830 AM
CST...
AT 739 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MELVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 65 MPH.
* THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
MELVILLE BY 750 AM...
THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THIS STORM ARE PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND
WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 50 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.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR
SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM
TUESDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3063 9174 3061 9175 3059 9174 3051 9184
3065 9198 3081 9179 3079 9176 3076 9175
3074 9175 3071 9173SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
926 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
LAZ028-251600-
RAPIDES LA-
926 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RAPIDES PARISH UNTIL 1000 AM
CST...
AT 925 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES SOUTH OF ALEXANDRIA INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
* THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
TIOGA...TIMBER TRAILS...KINGSVILLE AND PINEVILLE BY 935 AM...
BALL...PARADISE AND LIBUSE BY 940 AM...
ESLER REGIONAL AIRPORT BY 945 AM...
THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM IS PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL. SEEK
SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR
SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3147 9216 3146 9216 3114 9253 3124 9270
3140 9265 3148 9223PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
937 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 AM HAIL ALEXANDRIA 31.29N 92.46W
12/25/2012 E0.25 INCH RAPIDES LA PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTS VIA FACEBOOK, PEA SIZE HAIL NEAR
ALEXANDRIA. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
DJONESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
941 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
LAZ027-028-251615-
RAPIDES LA-VERNON LA-
941 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RAPIDES AND VERNON PARISHES UNTIL
1015 AM CST...
AT 939 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES EAST OF CLIFTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40
MPH.
* THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
LENA AND BOYCE BY 955 AM...
THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM IS PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL. SEEK
SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR
SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3150 9271 3150 9268 3146 9270 3144 9268
3141 9268 3140 9263 3139 9262 3121 9279
3131 9296 3143 9287 3143 9286 3152 9271PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
959 AM CST TUE DEC 25 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0949 AM HAIL 2 NE LENA 31.48N 92.75W
12/25/2012 E0.50 INCH RAPIDES LA PUBLIC
KALB RELAYED A PUBLIC REPORT OF MARBLE SIZE HAIL NEAR THE
RAPIDES/GRANT PARISH LINE
&&
DJONESThe Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:46 UTC.
2 astronomical low tide, 1 strong wind, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
As a strong cold front approached the area the gradient winds increased across Southeast Texas. Strong wind gusts from the south downed numerous trees in Sour Lake and Silsbee.
Winds from a passing line of storms damage several structures in the vidor area. An apartment complex with mulitple buildings had roof damage to three differnt structures with one roof being removed. An outlet mall had roof and sign damage. A large tree limb fell on one home damaging the roof and porch. In a near-by trailer park mulitple mobile homes had damage with one truck being crushed by a fallen tree.
Strong north winds behind a cold front pushed the tide level down along the coast of Jefferson County. The tide level at the Sabine Pass NOS tide gauge fell to 2.39 feet below the mean lower low water at 1446Z and this 1.8 feet below the predicted level at low tide.
Strong north winds behind a secondary cold front pushed the tide level down along the coast of Jefferson County. The tide level fell to 1.96 feet below the mean lower low water at 1639Z and this was 1.3 feet below the predicted level at low tide.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 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: 421133, 421137, 421138, 421139.