Tornado in Louisiana, May 17, 2015

Name: Tornado in Louisiana, May 17, 2015
Start: 2015-05-17T02:30
End: 2015-05-17T02:38
Location: Louisiana

May 17, 2015 · NWS LIX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

The same weather system that produced flash flooding along the Mississippi Gulf Coast on the evening of the 16th aided the development of isolated thunderstorms north of Lake Pontchartrain early in the morning of the 17th. At least one tornado was reported just west of the town of Tickfaw.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 2
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LIX wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 May 16, 11:08 PM CST, 3 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 16, 11:08 PM CST, 3 hours 22 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1208 AM CDT SUN MAY 17 2015

.UPDATE...
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COASTAL MISSISSIPPI
COUNTIES WHERE SEVEREAL INCHES OF RAIN HAVE FALLEN DURING THE
EVENING. ALTHOUGH THE OVERALL INTENSITY OF THE RAIN HAS GRADUALLY
DECREASED...CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE COAST AND TRAINING IS
BEING OPBSERVED. MESO MODELS INDICATE SOME POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO
CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS
IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM SUNDAY. 11

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 830 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015/

..SOUNDING DISCUSSION...

A TROPICAL AIRMASS IS CERTAINLY STILL IN PLACE THIS EVENING. LIKE
YESTERDAY PW IS A NEW RECORD MAX FOR TODAY IN THE SPC CLIMATOLOGY
AT 2.06 INCHES. AMPLE INSTABILITY REMAINS IN PLACE WITH MIXED
LAYER CAPE AT 2200 J/KG. ANY THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT WOULD BE VERY
EFFICIENT RAIN MAKERS AND INDEED SOME REDEVELOPMENT HAS DONE JUST
THAT THIS EVENING IN THE MISSISSIPPI COASTAL COUNTIES. SOUTHERLY
WINDS FROM THE SFC TO 900 MB ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MOIST FETCH.
WINDS THEN BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY FOR THE REST OF THE PROFILE. MID
LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE ABOUT 6.2 C/KM.

KRAUTMANN

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 406 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015/

LONG TERM...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SAG INTO THE AREA GOING
INTO TUESDAY. A GENERAL WEAK SURFACE TROUGH WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR
ENHANCED CONVECTION THROUGH JUST ABOUT THE ENTIRE WEEK WITH AT LEAST
40 PERCENT FOR DAILY POPS. UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL TRY TO REASSERT
ITSELF OVER THE REGION LATE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND WHICH WOULD
LOWER POPS AND INCREASE TEMPS. UPPER 80S TO NEAR 90 DEGREES COULD BE
COMING THEN.

MEFFER

AVIATION... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL GENERALLY BE A POTENTIAL
IMPACT TO TERMINALS NORTH OF A KNEW TO KHUM LINE THROUGH THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE STARTING TO WIND DOWN. IN ADDITION...STRONG
SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL RELAX QUITE A BIT ONCE THE SUN BEGINS TO SET.
VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED ONCE THE CONVECTION WANES THIS EVENING. KGPT
AND KASD WILL BE THE LAST TO BE CONVECTION FREE AND THAT MAY NOT
HAPPEN UNTIL LATE TONIGHT.

MEFFER

MARINE...CURRENT WINDS OVER OFFSHORE WATERS ARE RIGHT AT OR JUST
ABOVE 15 KNOTS...SO REISSUING EXERCISE CAUTION THRU TONIGHT. CURRENT
SYNOPSIS SHOWS SURFACE RIDGE CENTERED JUST OFF THE CAROLINA COASTS
EXTENDS WELL INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED ONSHORE
FLOW. THIS HIGH WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN AS IT SAGS SOUTH TOWARDS FLORIDA.
LOCAL WINDS WILL FOLLOW THIS WEAKENING TREND AS WELL...FALLING TO
LESS THAN 10 KNOTS ON TUESDAY. WEAK WIND FIELD WILL REMAIN IN PLACE
AS A COLD FRONT STALLS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST MID WEEK AND A
RAGGED SURFACE HIGH TRIES TO ESTABLISH ITSELF OVER THE GULF OF
MEXICO. COULD RETURN TO MORE CONSISTENT SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS NEXT
WEEKEND.

MEFFER

DSS CODE...BLUE.
DEPLOYED...NONE.
ACTIVATION...NONE.
ACTIVITIES...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR COASTAL MISSISSIPPI.

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 RISK SVR AND/OR DIRECT
         TROPICAL THREATS; EVENTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MCB  71  85  69  85 /  20  60  40  50
BTR  73  87  71  87 /  20  60  40  50
ASD  73  86  72  86 /  20  50  30  50
MSY  75  86  73  86 /  20  50  30  50
GPT  75  84  73  85 /  20  30  20  50
PQL  73  84  72  85 /  10  40  20  50

&&

.LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...NONE.
GM...NONE.
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR MSZ080>082.

GM...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 10:30 PM CST, 4 hours before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1130 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

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>082-171100-
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-
1130 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA...SOUTH MISSISSIPPI AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT...
ESPECIALLY ACROSS COASTAL MISSISSIPPI. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR COASTAL MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 7 AM SUNDAY WHERE ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED EACH DAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
ORGANIZED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS
TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 16, 9:38 PM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1038 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1020 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 NW LYMAN              30.52N 89.15W
05/16/2015                   HARRISON           MS   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ROAD CLOSED DUE TO WATER OVER THE ROADWAY ON SOUTHERN
            SHAW RD JUST NORTH OF HWY 53.

1020 PM     HEAVY RAIN       2 NW LYMAN              30.52N 89.15W
05/16/2015  M8.41 INCH       HARRISON           MS   EMERGENCY MNGR

            AN OBSERVER FOR HARRISON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN
            THE NW PART OF THE COUNTY REPORTS 8.41 INCHES OF RAIN FOR
            THE DAY

&&

AK

Local storm report, May 16, 10:07 PM CST, 4 hours 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1107 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1055 PM     FLASH FLOOD      10 NNW KILN             30.55N 89.50W
05/16/2015                   HANCOCK            MS   EMERGENCY MNGR

            HWY 43 IN NW HANCOCK COUNTY IMPASSABLE DUE TO WATER OVER
            THE ROADWAY... SEVERAL OTHER ROADS IN THE GENERAL AREA
            ALSO CLOSED

&&

AK

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Tangipahoa

When: May 17, 2:30 AM CST to 2:38 AM CST
Where: Tangipahoa County, 4 mi WSW of Tickfaw to 4 mi W of Tickfaw
Rating: EF1
Path length: 1.56 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 30.548, -90.542

A tornado touched down near Sibley Road about 1/4 mile east of Woodhaven Road, uprooting two hardwood trees. The track continued north-northwest with damage increasing significantly once the tornado reached Joel McDonald Road. On the far east and south side of the road, two houses had damage to their metal roofs with several sections missing. Barns and sheds in the yards of those homes were no longer intact. A metal roof from one of the sheds was found in a tree just above power line height. Across the street from these two homes were two mobile homes, both parallel to Joel McDonald Road. One mobile home was rolled onto its roof and the other was pushed off its blocks. Both were strapped down, with some straps snapping while others remained attached to the anchors which were uprooted. The tornado continued north-northwest toward Gene McDonald Road. Several trees were uprooted near homes on that road. Front and back porches on two mobile homes were lifted and thrown approximately 30 yards. One mobile home had a 3 foot by 6 foot hole in an exterior wall blown from the inside out. Two sheds were destroyed. The tornado lifted after uprooting two trees near Miller Lane Road. One was on the west side, the other on the east side of the road. One of those trees hit a pickup truck. Maximum wind speed was estimated at 110 mph.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Louisiana in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Louisiana, 2015 Warnings in Louisiana, May 2015

Sources

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: 569228.