An upper level disturbance combined with ample low level moisture to produce scattered to numerous thunderstorms across the region. One storm became severe in Louisiana.
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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.
An upper level disturbance combined with ample low level moisture to produce scattered to numerous thunderstorms across the region. One storm became severe in Louisiana.
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 May 26, 5:32 AM CST, 6 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 632 AM CDT Sat May 26 2018 .DISCUSSION... 12Z TAFS && .AVIATION... A few showers and thunderstorms already ongoing this morning. This activity is expected to become more widespread by late this morning into the afternoon as a very moist atmosphere and upper trough will provide favorable conditions for convective development once temperatures begin to warm. Lower overall precipitation chances for BPT where upper ridging will slowly edge in by this afternoon providing some convective suppression. However, still think there will be enough coverage to warrant VCTS. Most storms will dissipate by around sunset, but with the weakness aloft beginning to interact with a northward advancing subtropical storm Alberto, developed storms will have the potential to linger later into the evening than is typically seen. Jones && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 405 AM CDT Sat May 26 2018/ DISCUSSION... Late night sfc analysis continues to show the forecast area under the influence of high pressure centered over the Atlantic, providing for a mainly light onshore flow across the forecast area. Meanwhile, our interest also lies in disorganized Subtropical Storm Alberto centered south of the Yucatan Straits. Water vapor imagery/00z UA analysis shows troffing in place from the Great Lakes swd to the wrn Gulf region and adjacent Gulf waters. Regional 88Ds show a bit of convection associated with a weak disturbance dropping swd on the back side of the trof approaching the nwrn zones, although coverage/intensity have been diminishing of late. Closer to home, another round of nocturnal convection has been developing near the coast, primarily west of Marsh Island. Not many changes to the short term this morning as scattered/possibly widespread convection looks possible by the afternoon, especially across the ern 2/3 of the area, with nil capping aloft under the trof axis overhead plus low convective trigger temps per forecast soundings. Convection could be a little less widespread west of the Sabine where ridging aloft to our west could have a little more influence. Coverage will begin to diminish around sunset, with best rain chances during the overnight hours coming closer to the coast as well as over lower Acadiana (although only slight chance POPs are being carried at this time). Most eyes across the Gulf Coast continue to watch the future track of Alberto...expected to gain tropical characteristics over the next 24 hours or so as shear over the storm lessens while it moves over warmer Gulf waters. Models are in good agreement with the track, moving the storm nwd/nnwwd around expected cutoff low development in the base of the mid/upper trof over the cntl Gulf into Monday...taking the center of what's expected to be a high end tropical storm into the Mobile Bay area on Monday. With the bulk of the rainfall with this system expected to remain east of its center, forecast POPs for our area are only expected to run in the chance neighborhood into the early portion of the new week...in fact, no mention of precip is being carried over sern TX on Monday. Once Alberto pushes nwd past the Gulf Coast, the remainder of the forecast period looks mainly dry and hot as ridging aloft builds across the region. Daytime highs are expected to top out in the mid 90s for most of the area during the latter half of the week. MARINE... For now, no headlines are being carried on the coastal waters in relation to Alberto...as long as future tracks stay as far east of the area as they are now, see no changes to this trend coming. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 91 72 93 71 / 50 30 40 10 LCH 91 74 92 74 / 40 30 40 10 LFT 90 74 90 73 / 70 30 40 20 BPT 92 75 95 75 / 40 30 40 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. && AVIATION...66
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 555 AM CDT Sat May 26 2018 LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262- 271100- 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- 555 AM CDT Sat May 26 2018 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 Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected again today. The main threats will be brief heavy rainfall and frequent lightning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Weather conditions Sunday and on through the middle of next week will be highly dependent on the evolution and track of what will become Tropical Storm Alberto as it moves north through the Gulf of Mexico. At this time, it appears Alberto will track east of the area, keeping the bulk of heavy rainfall across the north- central or northeast Gulf Coast. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will still be possible, with stronger storms producing gusty winds along with frequent cloud to ground lightning and very heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-271100- 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- 555 AM CDT Sat May 26 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Gulf of Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Scattered storms are expected today which may produce gusty winds and frequent lightning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Weather conditions Sunday and on through the middle of next week will be highly dependent on the evolution and track of what will become Tropical Storm Alberto as it moves north through the Gulf of Mexico. At this time, it appears Alberto will track east of the area, keeping the bulk of heavy rainfall across the north- central or northeast Gulf Coast. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will still be possible, with stronger storms producing gusty winds along with frequent cloud to ground lightning and very heavy rainfall. Swells could produce small craft advisory seas late Sunday or Monday. Please continue to closely monitor the forecast for the weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. 25
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 1253 PM CDT SAT MAY 26 2018 LAZ042-043-261845- Acadia LA-Jefferson Davis LA- 1253 PM CDT SAT MAY 26 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN JEFFERSON DAVIS AND WEST CENTRAL ACADIA PARISHES UNTIL 145 PM CDT... At 1253 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Jennings, moving west at 5 mph. Dime size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Jennings, Welsh, Mermentau, Evangeline, Pine Island, Egan, Hathaway and Roanoke. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 3039 9257 3022 9250 3010 9274 3035 9285 TIME...MOT...LOC 1753Z 069DEG 5KT 3027 9269 13
The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:55 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 59 mph was recorded on a spotter's home weather station north of Jennings. A few tree limbs were also downed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, May 2018
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: 756681.