A strong upper level disturbance and a cold front moved across the region during the morning of the 15th producing several severe thunderstorms and a tornado.
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 LCH wrote it up.
A strong upper level disturbance and a cold front moved across the region during the morning of the 15th producing several severe thunderstorms and a tornado.
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 Feb 15, 7:49 AM CST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 749 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 .DISCUSSION... BASED ON LATEST SPC DISCUSSION...AND CURRENT RADAR TRENDS...HAVE ADDED SEVERE STORM WORDING TO THE FORECAST FOR TODAY FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. THE THREAT WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST THIS AFTERNOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 542 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016/ DISCUSSION... SCT SHRA WITH ISO TSRA ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS WITH VCSH EXPECTED TO PERSIST THIS MORNING. BEST CHANCE OF TSRA WILL BE LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...KEEPING TEMPO GROUP FOR THIS FROM 16-20Z. ALSO...S TO SW WINDS EXPECTED TO PICK UP AS WELL DURING THIS TIME ~18-20KTS WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 30 KT. HIGHER GUSTS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE TSRA...AS HIGHLIGHTED WITHIN TEMPO GROUPS. AFTER 20-22Z...FRONTAL SYSTEM PASSING THRU...WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST AND THEN NW DURING THE EVENING HOURS...WITH CLEARING SKIES AND VFR TO FOLLOW. DML PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 313 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016/ DISCUSSION... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...THANKS TO A FAST-MOVING MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE. A COLD FRONT AND CORRESPONDING MID TO UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION RATHER QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON. PER SPC...SOME OF THE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS...ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA WHERE A SLIGHT RISK IS NOTED. AFTER THE RAIN ENDS THIS AFTERNOON...THE WEATHER MAPS TURNS QUIET FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. A SECOND COLD FRONT DOES MOVE THROUGH THE REGION LATE TUESDAY...BUT IT IS EXPECTED TO BE DRY WITH LIMITED TO NO MOISTURE AVAILABLE. THE NEXT RAIN MAKER WILL BE SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WHEN THE NEXT FRONT COMES THROUGH THE REGION. THIS WEEK WILL SEE TEMPERATURES RUN ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S. LOWS WILL START OUT IN THE 40S TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY MORNINGS BEFORE WARMING INTO THE 50S FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 70 44 74 45 / 70 10 0 0 LCH 73 48 74 49 / 60 10 0 0 LFT 72 48 72 49 / 70 10 0 0 BPT 76 49 76 49 / 50 10 0 0 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...NONE. TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && PUBLIC...15
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 504 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262- 161200- 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- 504 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST CENTRAL LOUISIANA...EAST CENTRAL TEXAS AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS. THE HIGHEST RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS IS IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED. GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-161200- 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- 504 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE NORTHWEST GULF. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
539 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
LAZ027-028-151230-
RAPIDES LA-VERNON LA-
539 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN VERNON...NORTHEASTERN
BEAUREGARD AND SOUTHWESTERN RAPIDES PARISHES UNTIL 630 AM CST...
AT 538 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
CRAVENS...OR 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FORT POLK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PITKIN...FORT POLK...HINESTON...LACAMP...ELMER...CRAVENS...
FLATWOODS...CLIFTON...FULLERTON...LEANDER...OTIS...SIEPER...
CALCASIEU...SIMPSON AND UNION HILL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3104 9252 3088 9300 3088 9319 3098 9329
3135 9296 3135 9295 3137 9294 3137 9292
3139 9291 3139 9289 3142 9287 3142 9284
TIME...MOT...LOC 1138Z 241DEG 29KT 3097 9310
LANDRENEAUSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
742 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
LAZ027>032-151445-
EVANGELINE LA-RAPIDES LA-ALLEN LA-BEAUREGARD LA-VERNON LA-
AVOYELLES LA-
742 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN VERNON...NORTHEASTERN
ALLEN...NORTHEASTERN BEAUREGARD...RAPIDES...NORTHWESTERN EVANGELINE
AND NORTHWESTERN AVOYELLES PARISHES UNTIL 845 AM CST...
AT 741 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR ALEXANDRIA TO 7 MILES
NORTHWEST OF SUGARTOWN...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ALEXANDRIA...PINEVILLE...OAKDALE...LEESVILLE...MARKSVILLE...
ROSEPINE...GLENMORA...BOYCE...CHENEYVILLE...ELIZABETH...FORT POLK...
SUGARTOWN...ALEXANDRIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...DE RIDDER...EFFIE...
PITKIN...HINESTON...SLAGLE...DERIDDER AND BALL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3147 9216 3141 9215 3136 9208 3133 9208
3133 9205 3110 9206 3080 9264 3079 9332
3114 9326 3145 9272 3145 9268 3140 9269
3139 9265 3148 9220
TIME...MOT...LOC 1341Z 251DEG 27KT 3124 9253 3089 9312
LANDRENEAUSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
845 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
LAZ028-029-151515-
RAPIDES LA-AVOYELLES LA-
845 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN RAPIDES AND NORTH
CENTRAL AVOYELLES PARISHES UNTIL 915 AM CST...
AT 845 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
DEVILLE...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF EFFIE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DEVILLE.
LAT...LON 3139 9212 3138 9212 3138 9210 3136 9208
3135 9208 3135 9207 3134 9209 3133 9208
3134 9203 3132 9200 3125 9214 3135 9222
3140 9213
TIME...MOT...LOC 1445Z 241DEG 18KT 3132 9213
K. KUYPERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA 859 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 LAZ027>029-031-032-151600- EVANGELINE LA-RAPIDES LA-ALLEN LA-VERNON LA-AVOYELLES LA- 859 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN VERNON...NORTHEASTERN ALLEN...SOUTHEASTERN RAPIDES...NORTHERN EVANGELINE AND WESTERN AVOYELLES PARISHES UNTIL 1000 AM CST... AT 858 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF ELIZABETH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BUNKIE...GLENMORA...CHENEYVILLE...TURKEY CREEK...EFFIE...LECOMPTE... HESSMER...EVERGREEN...KOLIN...RUBY...POLAND...ECHO...CENTERPOINT... WOODWORTH...FOREST HILL...MCNARY AND UNION HILL. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. && LAT...LON 3139 9218 3090 9205 3084 9277 3098 9284 TIME...MOT...LOC 1458Z 241DEG 32KT 3095 9271 K. KUYPER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
913 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
LAZ030>032-042-043-151615-
JEFFERSON DAVIS LA-EVANGELINE LA-ALLEN LA-BEAUREGARD LA-ACADIA LA-
913 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ALLEN...SOUTHEASTERN
BEAUREGARD...NORTHERN JEFFERSON DAVIS...SOUTHWESTERN EVANGELINE AND
NORTHWESTERN ACADIA PARISHES UNTIL 1015 AM CST...
AT 912 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
DRY CREEK...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
OAKDALE...KINDER...BASILE...OBERLIN...ELTON...REEVES...RAGLEY...
MITTIE...DRY CREEK...GRANT...ALLEN PARISH AIRPORT...HARMONY...
LONGVILLE...BEAVER...DURALDE...BOND...LEBLANC AND BUNDICK LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3048 9251 3047 9326 3059 9333 3070 9333
3082 9291 3087 9247
TIME...MOT...LOC 1512Z 247DEG 36KT 3062 9306
K. KUYPERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
922 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0820 AM HAIL PITKIN 30.94N 92.94W
02/15/2016 E0.50 INCH VERNON LA BROADCAST MEDIA
REPORT FROM KPLC TV. TIME BASED ON WEATHER RADAR.
&&
MOGGEDThe Ft Polk radar (KPOE), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:28 UTC.
9 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Local media relayed a report of roof damage to a home.
A weak tornado briefly touched down on highway 1181 east-southeast of Plaucheville in Avoyelles Parish. Three mobile homes and one brick home received minor damage to shingles, large roof awnings, and attached carports. One mobile home had a separate building for cooking and storage that had a wall break off when the roof awning blew off and also, a window broken when wind picked up an item and it hit the window. A small but sturdy storage shed was picked up spun and landed 20 yards from its original location. A large barn had a section of a door and wall blown off. Several trees were snapped.
Damage was done to two businesses in Alexandria. Wind removed a portion of the roof of Pizza Hut and a wall at a near by car wash was also blown down.
A picture of quarter size hail was received through Facebook.
A tornado touched down just north of Arcenaux Road and moved across empty rice fields. No damage was reported.
A picture of quarter size hail was received through Facebook.
Local media relayed the report of one inch hail.
A picutre of quarter size hail was received through social media.
A picture of two inch hail was received through Facebook.
A picture of 2 inch hail was received through social media.
The public reported quarter size hail in New Iberia.
A picture of quarter size hail was received through social media.
Heavy rainfall over southern sections of Alexandria produced flooded roadways. Some roadways had 2 feet of water over them.
Heavy rainfall over southern sections of Alexandria produced flooded roadways. Some roadways had 2 feet of water over them.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Louisiana, 2016Warnings in Louisiana, February 2016
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: 616739, 616745, 616744, 616729, 616749, 616730, 616731, 616732, 616733, 616734, 616735, 616736, 616738, 617097, 617098.