Louisiana, 2016

Astronomical Low Tide in Louisiana, December 18, 2016

December 18, 2016 · NWS LCH · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Strong north winds behind a cold front pushed water levels along the Louisiana coast much below normal. Tide levels around or less than 1 foot below MLLW occurred from Cameron eastward.

Where it happened

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.

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

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 LCH wrote it up.

Strong north winds behind a cold front pushed water levels along the Louisiana coast much below normal. Tide levels around or less than 1 foot below MLLW occurred from Cameron eastward.

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 Lake Charles, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 18, 6:36 AM CST, 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 18, 6:36 AM CST, 24 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 18, 5:12 AM CST, 1 hour 48 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 astronomical low tide. Local standard time, as filed.

Astronomical Low Tide, East Cameron

When
December 18, 7:00 AM CST to 7:30 AM CST
Where
East Cameron forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
29.847, -93.199 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The tide level at Cameron briefly hit -1 MLLW between 7AM and 7:30AM.

Astronomical Low Tide, Vermilion

When
December 18, 7:00 AM CST to 1:30 PM CST
Where
Vermilion forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency

The tide gauge at Freshwater Lock dropped to -1.4 MLLW during the morning of the 18th. The water level remained at or below -1 MLLW for several hours.

Astronomical Low Tide, St. Mary

When
December 18, 1:00 PM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
St. Mary forecast zone
Reported by
C-MAN Station

The tide at Amerada Pass dropped to -1.04 during the afternoon of the 18th.

What these are

Astronomical Low Tide
Unusually low water from tides and offshore wind that caused impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, December 2016

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 667060, 667061, 667062.