Louisiana, 2017

Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Louisiana, December 8, 2017

December 8, 2017 · NWS JAN · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

An early season winter storm brought heavy snow to portions of Central and Northeast Louisiana during the morning of December 8th. The greatest totals of 4 to 5 inches were measured in Catahoula and Concordia Parishes, with totals tapering off to 1 inch around Interstate 20.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 JAN wrote it up.

An early season winter storm brought heavy snow to portions of Central and Northeast Louisiana during the morning of December 8th. The greatest totals of 4 to 5 inches were measured in Catahoula and Concordia Parishes, with totals tapering off to 1 inch around Interstate 20.

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 Jackson, MS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 8, 12:00 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 8, 12:00 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 7, 11:16 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 7, 11:58 PM CST, 2 hours 32 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 8, 12:08 AM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 8, 12:45 AM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 8, 2:20 AM CST, 10 minutes before
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Local storm report, Dec 8, 2:24 AM CST, 6 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

4 heavy snow, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Catahoula

When
December 8, 2:30 AM CST to 8:30 AM CST
Where
Catahoula forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
31.666, -91.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell across Catahoula Parish, with totals ranging from 3 inches at Harrisonburg to 5 inches in Larto. Accumulating snow resulted in a few downed trees around Larto.

Heavy Snow, Concordia

When
December 8, 4:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where
Concordia forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.446, -91.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Up to 3 to 4 inches of heavy snow fell across Concordia Parish, a high total of 4 inches measured in Vidalia.

Heavy Snow, Franklin

When
December 8, 4:30 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
32.133, -91.674 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two inches of heavy snow fell across portions of Franklin Parish.

Heavy Snow, Tensas

When
December 8, 4:30 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where
Tensas forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
32.002, -91.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow fell across Tensas Parish, with totals ranging from near 2 inches in the north to 3 inches in the south.

Winter Weather, Madison

When
December 8, 6:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
32.364, -91.243 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow fell across portions of Madison Parish, with an estimated 1 to 1.5 inches based on social media reports.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, December 2017

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: 731423, 731424, 731438, 731802, 731803.