An isolated thunderstorm along the shore of Sabine Lake produced a landspout that touched down in Port Arthur.
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.
An isolated thunderstorm along the shore of Sabine Lake produced a landspout that touched down in Port Arthur.
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 Aug 7, 9:58 AM CST, 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 1058 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018 .DISCUSSION... Cluster of convection ongoing over South Central LA to the N/NE of a weak upper low over the NW Gulf has not been depicted well by guidance. Thus, made manual adjustments to grids for the next few hours to get the forecast to better match up with reality. This region of enhanced lift should tend to shift SWWD with time as the upper low drifts SW roughly parallel to the TX coast. Generally speaking, another day of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms is expected. 13 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 654 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018/ AVIATION... Storms over the coastal waters of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana are lifting to the west northwest. BPT is in direct line of the storms this am w/ LCH getting brushed towards the late mrng hrs. Storms to gradually spread eastward. Look for lower ceilings... vsby... gusty winds and lightning... in and near storm actvty... actvty tapering off late aftn hrs ending drg the eve hours. This is the typical summertime pattern. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 409 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018/ DISCUSSION... Another active radar this morning with scattered showers dotting the coastal waters and even a few light showers further inland across portions of St. Landry and Avoyelles parishes. The activity is attributed to a weak upper low centered over the northern gulf coast. Aiding in the development is the very tropical airmass in place across the region. 00Z RAOB (the second attempt after the first was eaten by a developing updraft) measured a PWAT of 2.12 and forecast soundings suggest that the 2+ inch values will remain in place through much of the day. When combined with afternoon heating, another day of above normal precipitation is expected. Storms will gradually dissipate this evening with the loss of daytime heating. The weak upper low enhancing precip chances today is expected to wash out overnight allowing overall convective coverage to be a bit lower on Wednesday, which is to say closer to climatological normals. The reprieve from higher rain chances will be brief, however, as a large upper trough is still progged to dig southward to the coast Thursday. An associated frontal boundary will stop well short of moving through the area, but the system and the shortwaves wrapping around it will provide plenty of energy to keep rain chances elevated through at least Saturday before upper ridging builds back in across the gulf of Mexico Sunday through early next week. Jones MARINE... High pressure stretching west across the northern Gulf coast will maintain a generally light southeast flow the next couple of days with winds becoming more south and then southwest during the mid to latter part of the week as the high settles south into the Gulf. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible through mid week with higher rain chances expected toward the end of the week as an upper level trough approaches from the northwest. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 92 69 94 70 / 40 10 20 10 LCH 90 75 91 75 / 60 10 30 10 LFT 89 75 91 75 / 70 10 50 10 BPT 91 77 91 77 / 50 10 30 10 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 416 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018 LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262- 080930- 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- 416 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 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 showers and thunderstorms will develop across the area beginning late this morning and continuing through this evening before dissipating around sunset. While severe storms are not anticipated, stronger storms will be accompanied by occasional to frequent cloud to ground lightning, gusty winds, and brief heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Overall shower and thunderstorm coverage is expected to be lower during the day Wednesday although scattered activity is still anticipated during the afternoon hours. Precipitation chances will increase to above normal once again Thursday through Saturday. At this time, no severe thunderstorms are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-080930- 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- 416 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Gulf of Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Isolated to scattered showers will continue to move across the coastal waters this morning. Intermixed thunderstorms will develop late this morning through this evening. While severe storms are not anticipated, stronger storms will be accompanied by occasional to frequent cloud to ground lightning, gusty winds, and brief heavy downpours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday A daily chance for showers and thunderstorms will continue through mid week. An upper level trough digging into the area will enhance precipitation chances further beginning Thursday and continuing through Saturday. At this time, no severe thunderstorms are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 1009 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018 LAZ027>032-041-042-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-080000- Vernon-Rapides-Avoyelles-Beauregard-Allen-Evangeline-Calcasieu- Jefferson Davis-West Cameron-East Cameron-Tyler-Hardin-Jefferson- Orange-Northern Jasper-Northern Newton-Southern Jasper- Southern Newton- 1009 AM CDT Tue Aug 7 2018 ...TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUD SIGHTED... At 955 AM...The National Weather Service has received a report of a funnel cloud in the vicinity of Kaplan. A very moist and unstable tropical airmass is in place across the area. Meanwhile...the vertical wind profile over the area is light and variable. These conditions are favorable for the development of tropical funnel clouds...especially where rain cooled boundaries...known as outflow boundaries...and the seabreeze collide. These tropical funnel clouds are usually short-lived and do not reach the ground. If the funnel cloud becomes more severe and reaches the ground...minor damage may occur...and a tornado warning will likely be issued. Stay tuned for later statements and updates on this weather situation. 26
The Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:30 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple videos taken around Port Arthur and Groves indicated a landspout briefly occurred near Sabine Lake and Pleasure Island. No damage was noted.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2018Warnings in Texas, August 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: 779661.