A strong upper level low pressure system settled over northern Mexico on March 8th, and became stationary through March 12th as it was cut off from the upper level jet stream, with a blocking upper ridge having developed over Florida and the western Atlantic. Meanwhile, a weak frontal boundary entered the region from the west on the 8th, and became stationary over Deep East Texas, Northwest…
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 SHV wrote it up.
A strong upper level low pressure system settled over northern Mexico on March 8th, and became stationary through March 12th as it was cut off from the upper level jet stream, with a blocking upper ridge having developed over Florida and the western Atlantic. Meanwhile, a weak frontal boundary entered the region from the west on the 8th, and became stationary over Deep East Texas, Northwest Louisiana, and Southwest Arkansas. Upper level disturbances ejected northeast ahead of the Northern Mexico low pressure system, resulting in periods of showers and thunderstorms containing heavy rainfall to move repeatedly over these areas. The air mass was most unstable on the 8th, where several severe thunderstorms developed and produced wind damage across portions of Northwest and Northcentral Louisiana, as well as East Texas. However, widespread heavy rainfall was relentless along and ahead of the surface front over Deep East Texas, all of North Louisiana, Southwest Arkansas and extreme Southeast Oklahoma where widespread flash flooding occurred. In McCurtain County, a flash flood fatality occurred when a driver drove through flood waters south of Broken Bow. Widespread rainfall amounts across the county during the 4 day period ranged from of 4-5 inches, with 5-10+ inches falling across Southwest Arkansas and Northeast Texas. Some of the more impressive 5-day rainfall totals were as follows: Mount Hermon: 4.34, Idabel: 4.27, Valliant: 3.95.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 8, 5:07 PM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
507 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2016
.AVIATION...
TERMINAL FORECASTS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS DOES NOT PROMOTE IDEAL
FLYING CONDITIONS WHATSOEVER. THE FIRST IN A WAVE OF DISTURBANCES
ALOFT IS CURRENTLY INFLUENCING ALL OUR TERMINAL LOCATIONS WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE TYR AND LFK TERMINAL. HAVE PREVAILED MVFR/IFR
CEILINGS AND TSRA FOR ALL BUT THE TYR/LFK TERMINAL THROUGH AT
LEAST 04Z WHEN THE BREAK IN THE CONVECTION CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS
NC TX SHOULD BE MOVING EASTWARD INTO OUR REMAINING NE TX TERMINAL
AS WELL AS THE TXK/SHV TERMINAL. THIS BREAK IF IT OCCURS AT ALL
WILL BE VERY TEMPORARY AS THERE IS GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE SHORT
TERM PROGS OF ANOTHER DISTURBANCE MOVING OUR WAY FROM THE
SOUTHWEST WITH CONVECTION QUICKLY INCREASING IN COVERAGE AND
INTENSITY ONCE AGAIN ACROSS NE TX NEAR OR AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH THIS
CONVECTION TRAINING AND ENCOMPASSING ALL OUR TERMINAL LOCATIONS
THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY. THUS...BEYOND 12Z WED...KEPT
PREVAILING 2SM TSRA AND IFR CEILINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
WINDS WILL BE MOSTLY VARIABLE WITH CONVECTION WITH STRONGER GUSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONVECTION OF COURSE.
13
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 317 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2016/
DISCUSSION...
CONVECTION QUICKLY SPREADING NEWD ACROSS THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON...AS THE FIRST OF MANY DISTURBANCES MOVES ACROSS THE
AREA. HAVE EXTENDED TOR WATCH 38 TO PICK UP THE REMAINDER OF OUR
PARISHES IN N LA AND UNION COUNTY IN SRN AR...AS STORMS CONTINUE
TO MAINTAIN STRENGTH AS THEY MOVE EWD.
DEEP LAYER MOISTURE CONTINUES TO INCREASE...AS EVIDENCED BY
NEARLY A HALF AN INCH INCREASE IN THE PWAT FROM THE 12Z KSHV
SOUNDING TO THE 18Z SPECIAL SOUNDING. THIS IS SEVERAL STANDARD
DEVIATIONS FROM NORMAL FOR EARLY MARCH...AND QUITE INDICATIVE OF
THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THIS STRONG STORM SYSTEM. A
TRAINING AREA OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO SET UP WITH
THE SECOND WAVE TONIGHT/WEDNESDAY...AND THE QPF FOR THIS TIMEFRAME
ALONE LOOKS TO REACH UPWARDS OF SIX TO TEN INCHES. FLASH FLOODING
WILL BECOME A CONCERN LATER TONIGHT...AS SOILS BECOME SATURATED
AND RAINFALL RATES INTENSIFY. IN ADDITION TO THE FLASH FLOODING
THREAT... EMBEDDED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE
POSSIBLE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MAINLY S OF I-20...AS VERY
STRONG DYNAMIC FORCING CHARACTERIZED BY BROAD DIFFLUENCE ALOFT
OVERRULES THE LACK OF STRONG INSTABILITY.
MODELS INDICATE THAT WE COULD SEE AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THREE
INCHES OF RAINFALL DURING THURSDAY...WHICH WILL LIKELY EXACERBATE
ANY ONGOING FLASH FLOODING. CONVECTIVE INTENSITY SHOULD DECREASE
SOME DURING THURSDAY HOWEVER...AS THE DYNAMIC FORCING OVHD IS FCST
TO DIMINISH AS THE UPPER LOW LIFTS NEWD. DRY-SLOTTING LOOKS TO
FURTHER DIMINISH OUR COVERAGE/INTENSITY...AT LEAST FOR A
TIME...AS WE MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. RAIN WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...ALTHOUGH COVERAGE AND INTENSITY WILL
GRADUALLY DECREASE AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES OVHD.
A SECONDARY CLOSED LOW IS FCST TO MOVE IN ON THE TAIL OF THE
PREVIOUS AS WE MOVE INTO SUNDAY...AND MAY BRING ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. THE UPPER RIDGE IS FCST TO SET
UP OVER TX IN THE WAKE OF THE PREVIOUS WEEK'S DISTURBANCES...
LEAVING US WITH QUIET WEATHER TO FINISH OUT THE FCST PD.
/12/
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SHV 65 71 63 73 / 100 100 100 80
MLU 65 74 66 73 / 90 90 90 90
DEQ 62 68 59 66 / 100 100 90 90
TXK 63 69 59 68 / 100 100 100 80
ELD 64 71 63 71 / 100 100 100 90
TYR 62 70 60 69 / 100 100 80 70
GGG 64 69 61 71 / 100 100 90 70
LFK 66 72 62 74 / 100 100 90 70
&&
.SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR ARZ050-051-
059>061-070>073.
LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR LAZ001>006-
010>014-017>022.
OK...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR OKZ077.
TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR TXZ096-097-
108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167.
&&
12/13HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 1146 AM CST TUE MAR 8 2016 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-091800- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MILLER-LAFAYETTE- COLUMBIA-UNION-CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-DE SOTO- RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE-NATCHITOCHES-WINN- GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE- 1146 AM CST TUE MAR 8 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND NORTHWEST LOUISIANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD INTO NORTH LOUISIANA AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND FLASH FLOODING MAY BECOME A PROBLEM LATE TONIGHT...AS THE SOILS BECOME SATURATED AND ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY RAINFALL DEVELOPS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING WILL INCREASE BEGINNING WEDNESDAY MORNING AS THE INTENSITY OF RAINFALL PICKS UP AND STORMS BEGIN TO MOVE REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS. IN ADDITION TO THE FLASH FLOODING THREAT...EMBEDDED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY SOUTH OF I 20. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF FOUR TO SIX INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF UP TO TEN INCHES...WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED LATE TONIGHT. OKZ077-TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-091800- MCCURTAIN-RED RIVER-BOWIE-FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP-MORRIS-CASS-WOOD- UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG-HARRISON-CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA- NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA-SAN AUGUSTINE-SABINE- 1146 AM CST TUE MAR 8 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... CLUSTERS OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CURRENTLY MOVING INTO CENTRAL TEXAS...WILL MOVE INTO NORTHEAST TEXAS BY AROUND MIDDAY...AND WILL SPREAD ACROSS REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE AREA BY LATE AFTERNOON. INSTABILITY AND STRONG SHEAR WILL COMBINE TO BRING A THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HEAVY RAINFALL COULD BEGIN TO BE A PROBLEM AS EARLY AS TONIGHT WITH THIS FIRST WAVE OF STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING WILL INCREASE BEGINNING WEDNESDAY MORNING...AS THE INTENSITY OF RAINFALL PICKS UP AND STORMS BEGIN TO MOVE REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS. IN ADDITION TO THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT...EMBEDDED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF FOUR TO SIX INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF UP TO TEN INCHES...WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND STORM SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. 12
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
832 PM CST TUE MAR 08 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM FLASH FLOOD SHREVEPORT 32.47N 93.80W
03/08/2016 CADDO LA AMATEUR RADIO
WATER OVERTOPPING ROADWAY AT BAYOU PIERRE NEAR GILBERT
AND FERN
&&
EVENT NUMBER SHV1600073
25PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
845 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0747 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NNE NATCHITOCHES 31.79N 93.09W
03/08/2016 NATCHITOCHES LA LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON HWY 6 EAST.
&&
PALMERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
849 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0848 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 SSW STONEWALL 32.21N 93.84W
03/08/2016 DE SOTO LA LAW ENFORCEMENT
US HIGHWAY 171 IS CLOSED BETWEEN LA HIGHWAY
3276 IN STONEWALL AND US HIGHWAY 5 IN
KEACHI.
&&
PALMERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
851 PM CST TUE MAR 08 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 PM FLASH FLOOD MINDEN 32.62N 93.28W
03/08/2016 WEBSTER LA EMERGENCY MNGR
40 TO 50 HOMES REPORTED FLOODED FROM MINDEN WESTWARD TO
BOSSIER PARISH... BOATING RESCUES ONGOING
&&
EVENT NUMBER SHV1600074
25PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
853 PM CST TUE MAR 08 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM HEAVY RAIN BOSSIER CITY 32.52N 93.66W
03/08/2016 M5.42 INCH BOSSIER LA COCORAHS
RAIN RECORDED BTWEEN 2 AND 6 PM
&&
EVENT NUMBER SHV1600075
25SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
911 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2016
LAZ005-006-012-013-090400-
UNION LA-LINCOLN LA-BIENVILLE LA-JACKSON LA-
911 PM CST TUE MAR 8 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN JACKSON...EAST
CENTRAL BIENVILLE...SOUTHWESTERN UNION AND LINCOLN PARISHES UNTIL
1000 PM CST...
AT 906 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10
MILES SOUTH OF GRAMBLING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RUSTON...GRAMBLING...FARMERVILLE...BERNICE...COOLEY...DUBACH...CHOUDRANT...
SIMSBORO...NORTH HODGE...VIENNA...EAST HODGE...QUITMAN...DOWNSVILLE...BAYOU
D ARBONNE LAKE...D ARBONNE...MOUNT ZION...SHILOH AND UNIONVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3258 9238 3258 9241 3254 9241 3224 9267
3242 9286 3288 9264 3280 9238 3271 9227
TIME...MOT...LOC 0306Z 214DEG 32KT 3238 9273
06The Western Arkansas radar (KSRX), 151 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:15 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A 30 year old male drowned after his SUV drove through a low water crossing and was swept into a flooded Lukfata Creek on Tebo Jones Road south of Broken Bow. A 36 year old male passenger was able to exit the vehicle and swim to shore.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, McCurtain | 2016-03-08 | 30 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Oklahoma in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Oklahoma, March 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: 617096.