A cold air mass swept back into Southeast Texas early in March. While the cold Canadian air was in place an upper level disturbance moved across the region causing yet another round of wintery precipitation that began early in the morning on the 4th.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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 cold air mass swept back into Southeast Texas early in March. While the cold Canadian air was in place an upper level disturbance moved across the region causing yet another round of wintery precipitation that began early in the morning on the 4th. Temperatures warmed during the mid day to early afternoon hours as rain moved out of the region.
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 Mar 3, 10:55 PM CST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1055 PM CST MON MAR 3 2014
.AVIATION...
THE BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM STRETCHES WESTWARD THROUGH THE
FLORIDA KEYS AND INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE CIRCULATION ON ITS
WARM SIDE IS STEERING NORTHWARD CAMPECHE AIR...WHICH UPSLIDES THE
CONTINENTAL POLAR AIR IN PLACE OVER THE WESTERN GULF COAST STATES.
FURTHER-UP...A PACIFIC SHORTWAVE (AND ITS ATTENDANT LIFT) WILL TRAVEL
EASTWARD ACROSS THE WESTERN UPPER GULF COAST STATES.
THE PHASING IN OF THE TWO AFOREMENTIONED WEATHER FEATURES WILL
BRING ABOUT AN OVERRUNNING SCENARIO. A RAIN-FREEZING RAIN MIXTURE
IS POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING HOURS. ELEVATED POTENTIAL INSTABILITY
MAY SUPPORT A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WITH RAIN AND/OR FREEZING RAIN.
JT
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 951 PM CST MON MAR 3 2014/
UPDATE...
PRECIP MOVING INTO SE TX AND HAVE UPDATED ZONES TO REFLECT THIS
CHANGE. OTHERWISE ZONES LOOK FINE. RAINS TO CONT THRU TMRW BEFORE
ENDING LATE TMRW.
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 315 PM CST MON MAR 3 2014/
DISCUSSION...
LARGE SFC HIGH CONTINUES TO BUILD SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON. SAT
IMAGERY SHOWS PARTIAL CLEARING ACROSS SOME OF THE COASTAL COUNTIES
OF SE TX/S LA...OTHERWISE...BKN/OVC FROM THE I-10 CORRIDOR NORTHWARD
CONTINUES. QUITE A TEMP RANGE THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL...WITH
LOWER/MID 40S IN THE PARTIAL CLEARING...HOLDING TO THE MID/UPPER
30S FURTHER N ACROSS INLAND SE TX/C LA.
BIG STORY FOR THIS MARDI GRAS IS HAVING ANOTHER WINTER WEATHER
EVENT FOR THE REGION...MAINLY FOR FREEZING RAIN. WITH THE COLD AIR
IN PLACE...TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO FALL BELOW FREEZING BETWEEN 10 PM
AND 2 AM INLAND SE TX/C LA ALONG AND NORTH OF U.S. 190...AND CLOSER
TO 2-6 AM FOR THE I-10 CORRIDOR. DURING THIS TIME...A SIGNIFICANT
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE HANDLED WELL BY ALL THE MODEL GROUPS CONTINUES
TO TAKE SHAPE OVER W TX THIS AFTERNOON...AND EXPECTED TO INCREASE
THE MOISTURE/LIFT ACROSS C TX THIS EVENING...SPREADING E AND ENHANCING
A BIT OVER SE TX/SW LA BY 3-6 AM...AND OVERSPREADING THE REMAINDER
OF C AND S LA BY 6-9 AM. FORECAST
THIS COMBINATION WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FREEZING RAIN
DURING THIS TIME...AS FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW SIGNIFICANT WARM
LAYER OVER THE SHALLOW COLD COME AT THE SFC. INITIALLY...IT WILL
TAKE SOME TIME TO MOISTEN UP THE LAYER DURING THE PREDAWN
HOURS...BUT EVENTUALLY BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO HAVE THE RAINFALL
AT THE SFC RIGHT AT THE TIME TEMPS HAVE REACHED THE FREEZING MARK
DURING THE PREDAWN HOURS ACROSS SE TX/SW LA...AND THE REMAINDER OF
C AND S LA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MORNING. FOR THIS...HAVE
ISSUED THE WINTER WX ADVISORY FOR ALL OF SE TX...AND MOST OF C AND
S LA WITH EXCEPTION TO THE COASTAL PARISHES. THE MAIN THREAT WILL
BE ICING TO BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES DURING THIS TIME.
BY NOONTIME...TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH ABOVE FREEZING...THUS
THE CONTINUING PRECIP EXPECTED TO BE JUST RAIN. AS THE DISTURBANCE
EXITS THE REGION TUE EVENING...CHANCES OF RAIN WILL DIMINISH FROM
NW TO SE THRU EARLY WED...BEING CONFINED TO MAINLY THE COASTAL
WATERS FOR WED MORNING.
REMAINDER OF FORECAST SHOWS A WARMING TREND...WITH THE NEXT
SIGNIFICANT UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT TO BRING
PRECIP LATE SAT INTO QUITE POSSIBLY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DML
MARINE...
WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON AS HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE NORTHWEST GULF THROUGH TUESDAY. WINDS AND
SEAS WILL BEGIN TO SUBSIDE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. A STRONG
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL BRING IN SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
MOISTURE AND LIFT...RESULTING IN INCREASED CHANCES OF SHOWERS FOR
TUESDAY INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
KLCH 31 38 32 56 43 / 40 70 20 10 10
KBPT 32 39 33 56 44 / 40 70 20 10 10
KAEX 27 38 28 56 40 / 40 60 20 10 10
KLFT 31 39 32 58 43 / 30 70 20 10 10
&&
.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 AM TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: ACADIA...ALLEN...AVOYELLES...BEAUREGARD...
CALCASIEU...EVANGELINE...JEFFERSON DAVIS...LAFAYETTE...
RAPIDES...ST. LANDRY...UPPER ST. MARTIN...VERNON.
TX...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 3 AM TO NOON CST TUESDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: HARDIN...JEFFERSON...NORTHERN JASPER...
NORTHERN NEWTON...ORANGE...SOUTHERN JASPER...SOUTHERN
NEWTON...TYLER.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 3 AM CST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: 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 EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 3 AM CST TUESDAY 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.
&&
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WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.LAKECHARLES.GOV
WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSLAKECHARLES
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSLAKECHARLES
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 109 PM CST MON MAR 3 2014 LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262- 041400- 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- 109 PM CST MON MAR 3 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT LIGHT RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AFTER 3 AM AND BEFORE SUNRISE. SOME GLAZING ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES ALONG WITH TREE LIMBS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY LIGHT RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CONTINUE DURING THE MORNING HOURS ON TUESDAY. ICE ACCUMULATION OF UP TO AROUND 1/10 OF AN INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-10 CORRIDOR. HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE...DUE TO ICING OF MAINLY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. SOME GLAZING OF TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH ABOVE FREEZING ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON HELPING TO MELT ANY ICE GLAZING THAT MAY OCCUR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-041400- 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- 109 PM CST MON MAR 3 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND THEN BEGIN TO GRADUALLY DECREASE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 ice storm, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Freezing rain began early in the morning of the 4th with around one quarter of an inch of ice accumulating around sunrise. Travel was not greatly impacted, however several trees were reported down across the county with some falling onto roadways.
Freezing rain began early in the morning of the 4th with around one quarter of an inch to three tenths of ice accumulating around sunrise or shortly after. Travel was not greatly impacted, however several trees were reported down. Ice melted during the afternoon as temperature rose above freezing.
Freezing rain began early in the morning of the 4th with around one quarter of an inch of ice accumulating around sunrise or shortly after in the far south sections of the county. The far north portions of the county received around one tenth of an inch of ice.Travel was not greatly impacted. Ice melted during the afternoon as temperature rose above freezing.
Freezing rain began early in the morning of the 4th with around one quarter of an inch to four tenths of ice accumulating around sunrise or shortly after. Travel was not greatly impacted, however several trees were reported down. Ice melted during the afternoon as temperature rose above freezing.
Freezing rain began early in the morning of the 4th with around one quarter of an inch to three tenths of ice accumulating around sunrise or shortly after. The far south portions of the county received around one tenth of an inch of ice.Travel was not greatly impacted. Ice melted during the afternoon as temperature rose above freezing.
Freezing rain began early in the morning of the 4th with around one quarter of an inch to three tenths of ice accumulating around sunrise or shortly after. The far south portions of the county received around one tenth of an inch of ice.Travel was not greatly impacted. Ice melted during the afternoon as temperature rose above freezing.
Temperatures slowly fell to freezing across the northern sections of Jefferson County before sunrise while rain was occurring. This produced around one to two tenths of an inch of ice accumulation along the far northern sections of the county. A very minimal amount of ice occurred near the Beaumont-Port Arthur Regional Airport. No ice related closures were reported, and no ice accumulation occurred along the coast.
Temperatures slowly fell to freezing across most of Orange County before sunrise while rain was occurring. This produced around one tenth of an inch of ice accumulation over most of the county except for along Sabine Lake were temperatures just briefly touched freezing. No ice related closures were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2014
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: 500697, 500698, 500778, 500699, 500776, 500777, 500483, 500484.