Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Texas, April 30, 2016

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Texas, April 30, 2016
Start: 2016-04-30T05:08
End: 2016-04-30T08:05
Location: Texas

April 30, 2016 · NWS LCH · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

An upper low move across the plains with a divergent pattern aloft over Southeast Texas creating an atmosphere ripe for widespread storms. Flooding and a couple of severe storms developed.

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: 3
Property damage: $52,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

An upper low move across the plains with a divergent pattern aloft over Southeast Texas creating an atmosphere ripe for widespread storms. Flooding and a couple of severe storms developed.

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 Apr 30, 4:37 AM CST, 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 4:37 AM CST, 31 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
537 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

.UPDATE...
FORECAST AND GRIDS HAVE BEEN UPDATED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NUMBER 129 ISSUED BY SPC UNTIL 11 AM CDT THIS MORNING. MAIN HAZARD
WILL BE POSSIBLE EMBEDDED BOW ECHO FEATURES IN THE THUNDERSTORM
CLUSTERS PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHTLINE WINDS/WET MICROBURSTS.

RUA

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 447 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016/

DISCUSSION...
UPPER LEVEL LOW IS SPINNING OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS OVER WESTERN
KANSAS THIS EARLY MORNING. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN INCREASING
DIFLUENT PATTERN ALOFT AS NORTHERN JET STREAM ROUNDS THE UPPER
LEVEL LOW AND SUB TROPICAL JET EXTENDS FROM THE TROPICAL EAST
PACIFIC ACROSS NORTHERN OLD MEXICO AND THE NORTHWEST GULF COAST.
INITIAL WAVE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS JUST ENTERING THE UPPER
SOUTHEAST TEXAS PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH SCATTERED
CONVECTION FORMING OVER SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA INTO CENTRAL
LOUISIANA. AS THIS COMPLEX CONTINUES TO GRADUALLY MOVE EAST AND
OTHER ACTIVITY FILLS IN AHEAD OF IT...THE THREAT FOR HEAVY
RAINFALL AND SEVERE WEATHER IS INCREASING ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA.

DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW IN THE LOW LEVELS TRANSPORTING ABUNDANT GULF
MOISTURE INTO THE REGION...WITH SUB TROPICAL JET ALSO ADDING
TROPICAL LIKE MOISTURE FROM THE EAST PAC. THEREFORE...PRECIPITABLE
WATER VALUES WILL BE OVER 1.5 INCHES TODAY...AND NEARING 2 INCHES
IN SOME SPOTS (TWICE THE STANDARD DEVIATION) ALONG WITH MEAN RH
BETWEEN 60 AND 80 PERCENT. THEREFORE...SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE
EFFICIENT PRECIPITATION PRODUCERS. ALSO...WITH MID LEVEL FLOW
RUNNING PARALLEL TO THETA-E RIDGING...THESE STORMS WITH HIGH
RAINFALL RATES MAY MOVE OVER THE SAME AREAS FOR EXTENDING PERIODS
OF TIME. THUS...THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING AND
HAVE EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE ENTIRE AREA. WPC HAS
ALSO OUTLINED THE FORECAST AREA IN A MODERATE RISK FOR EXCESSIVE
RAINFALL IN THE DAY ONE PERIOD.

SPEED MAX RUNNING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA HELPING TO PRODUCE BULK
SHEAR VALUES BETWEEN 40 AND 45 KNOTS...WITH FAVORABLE 85H-50H
LAPSE RATES...AND LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY. THEREFORE...SOME STRONG
GUSTY STRAIGHT LINE WINDS IN THE FORM OF WET MICROBURSTS WILL BE
POSSIBLE...AND SPC HAS THE FORECAST AREA OUTLINED IN A SLIGHT RISK
FOR THE DAY ONE PERIOD.

HI-RES MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE HEAVY RAINFALL AND
SEVERE POTENTIAL WEST OF AN ALEXANDRIA TO LAKE CHARLES LINE
THROUGH MID-MORNING...THEN CONVECTIVE COMPLEX ACCELERATING
EASTWARD FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS FOR
POINTS TO THE EAST.

IF SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE DOES VERIFY...FORECAST AREA MAY SEE A
BREAK DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS INTO EARLY EVENING.
HOWEVER...RE-DEVELOPMENT WILL LIKELY OCCUR DURING THE OVERNIGHT
INTO SUNDAY AS THIS STORM SYSTEM MOVES SLOWLY TO THE EAST.

HIGH RAIN CHANCES WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY AND EARLY TUESDAY AS A
SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT FINALLY REACHES THE COAST BY MONDAY
NIGHT...AND SUB TROPICAL JET REMAINS ACTIVE WITH UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCES.

LARGE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DEVELOPS BY LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY
ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S. AND THIS WILL PLACE THE FORECAST AREA IN
DEEPER NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. THIS WILL BRING A DRIER WEATHER
PATTERN FOR THE REMAINDER THE WEEK.

RUA

MARINE...
LONG FETCH OF MODERATE AND GUSTY SOUTHEAST WINDS CONTINUES ACROSS
THE FORECAST AREA...BRINGING ELEVATED SEAS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
WILL CONTINUE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT FOR 7 FOOT SEAS OVER
THE OUTER WATERS...WITH SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION CONTINUING
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE DECREASING
LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND A COLD FRONT NEARS THE COASTAL
WATERS...HELPING TO LESSEN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT.

RUA

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AEX  82  69  83  68 / 100  60  50  40
LCH  81  71  82  71 /  90  50  60  40
LFT  83  72  83  71 /  70  60  70  30
BPT  82  71  82  71 /  90  40  50  50

&&

.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR LAZ028-029-031>033-
     042>045-052>055-073-074.

     COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LAZ041-
     052>054-073-074.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR LAZ027-030-041.

TX...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR TXZ215-
     216.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR TXZ180-201-215-216-
     259>262.

GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR GMZ470-472-
     475.

     SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR GMZ470-472-
     475.

     SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR
     GMZ430-432-435.

     SMALL CRAFT EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR
     GMZ450-452-455.

&&

PUBLIC...07

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 4:06 AM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
506 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-
011130-
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-
506 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST
CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A COMPLEX OF STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
TODAY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS...AND A MODERATE RISK FOR EXCESSIVE
RAINFALL. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT.

TIDES ALONG THE COAST WILL BE ELEVATED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF
MINOR COASTAL FLOODING DURING HIGH TIDE TIMES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBILITIES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-011130-
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-
506 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF GULF OF MEXICO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ELEVATED SEAS AND WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY. SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING
AND HEAVY RAINFALL GREATLY REDUCING VISIBILITIES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER
LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE INTO MONDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

RUA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 30, 3:04 AM CST, 2 hours 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
404 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

TXZ180-259-300945-
NORTHERN JASPER TX-TYLER TX-
404 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN TYLER AND NORTHWESTERN
JASPER COUNTIES UNTIL 445 AM CDT...

AT 402 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF ROCKLAND TO 7 MILES NORTH
OF ALABAMA-COUSHATTA RESERVATION. MOVEMENT OF THE LINE WAS EAST AT
20 MPH. INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WOODVILLE...COLMESNEIL...CHESTER AND ROCKLAND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 3106 9456 3105 9449 3103 9447 3110 9415
      3061 9448 3066 9458 3095 9465
TIME...MOT...LOC 0902Z 279DEG 19KT 3110 9448 3082 9466

24

Special weather statement, Apr 30, 3:51 AM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
451 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

TXZ180-201-259-301030-
NORTHERN JASPER TX-TYLER TX-HARDIN TX-
451 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TYLER...WESTERN HARDIN AND
NORTHWESTERN JASPER COUNTIES UNTIL 530 AM CDT...

AT 449 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES WEST OF BROWNDELL TO NEAR THICKET.
MOVEMENT OF THE LINE WAS EAST AT 10 MPH. INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 40 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WOODVILLE...COLMESNEIL...THICKET...TOWN BLUFF...SARATOGA...EBENEZER...
WARREN...WILDWOOD...ROCKLAND...BROWNDELL...VOTAW...VILLAGE MILLS...HONEY
ISLAND...SPURGER...IVANHOE...SAM RAYBURN DAM AND HILLISTER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 3049 9454 3078 9461 3103 9446 3116 9391
      3019 9446 3030 9467 3049 9473
TIME...MOT...LOC 0949Z 286DEG 10KT 3116 9411 3039 9466

24

Special weather statement, Apr 30, 4:43 AM CST, 25 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
543 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-301130-
NORTHERN JASPER TX-JEFFERSON TX-TYLER TX-SOUTHERN JASPER TX-
SOUTHERN NEWTON TX-ORANGE TX-NORTHERN NEWTON TX-HARDIN TX-
543 AM CDT SAT APR 30 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN TYLER...NORTHWESTERN
ORANGE...NORTHWESTERN JEFFERSON...HARDIN...JASPER AND NEWTON COUNTIES
UNTIL 630 AM CDT...

AT 542 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR BROWNDELL TO NEAR JASPER TO NEAR SILSBEE
TO NEAR BATSON. MOVEMENT OF THE LINE WAS EAST AT 10 MPH. INDIVIDUAL
STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 40 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BEAUMONT...LUMBERTON...JASPER...SILSBEE...NEWTON...KIRBYVILLE...KOUNTZE...
SOUR LAKE...FRED...SARATOGA...BON WEIR...EBENEZER...BUNA...BURKEVILLE...
EVADALE...CALL...TOWN BLUFF...WILDWOOD...BEVIL OAKS AND PINE FOREST.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA...AND SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS.

LAT...LON 3088 9425 3109 9416 3113 9404 3117 9357
      3099 9358 3092 9355 3089 9357 3083 9355
      3076 9361 3068 9363 3064 9368 3059 9368
      3058 9373 3054 9374 3052 9371 3047 9371
      3037 9376 3007 9410 3012 9460 3021 9463
TIME...MOT...LOC 1042Z 276DEG 9KT 3117 9397 3087 9399 3041 9422 3021
9460

24

The radar

The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Jasper

When: April 30, 5:08 AM CST to 5:29 AM CST
Where: Jasper County, 5.88 mi W of Le Verte to 4.16 mi SE of Kirbyville
Rating: EF2
Path length: 9.69 mi
Path width: 500 yd
Continued into: Newton, Tx (LCH)
Injuries: 3 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 30.528, -94.018

A tornado developed approximately 10 miles southwest of call along county road 702 and moved northeast along county road 1004 snapping or uprooting numerous trees and power lines over a wide swath. The tornado destroyed a single wide trailer just west of us Highway 96. The trailer flipped over twice with three residents inside. One was person was transferred to the hospital to receive stitches. The other two victims sustained only minor injuries. An aluminum shed near the trailer was lifted and thrown approximately 200 yards. The tornado then crossed us Highway 96 where it continued to snap or uproot trees and power lines before dissipating approximately 1 mile south of call in Newton County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jasper

When: April 30, 5:15 AM CST
Where: Jasper County, 4.18 mi S of Kirbyville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.590, -93.932

Several trees were downed along FM 1004 near Highway 96.

Tornado, Newton

When: April 30, 5:29 AM CST to 5:30 AM CST
Where: Newton County, 1.43 mi SSW of Call to 1.34 mi SSW of Call
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.17 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 30.601, -93.879

A tornado cut a path of over 9 miles through Jasper County before dissipating south of Call. Damage in Newton County was confined to minor tree damage along Holmes Road.

Flash Flood, Hardin

When: April 30, 6:05 AM CST to 8:05 AM CST
Where: Hardin County, 1.47 mi NNW of Kountze to 2.63 mi WSW of Kountze
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.390, -94.328

Numerous streets were flooding around Silsbee and Kountze including Highway 92.

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.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Texas, 2016 Warnings in Texas, April 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 631038, 631039, 631040, 631041.