Flash Flooding and Flooding in Louisiana, April 13, 2019

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in Louisiana, April 13, 2019
Start: 2019-04-13T00:45
End: 2019-04-13T21:15
Location: Louisiana

April 13, 2019 · NWS SHV · 31 events in 13 counties and zones

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: 2
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 31

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 SHV wrote it up.

A strong upper level trough entered the Southern Plains during the afternoon hours of April 12th, which allowed southerly low level winds to gradually return warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico north into East Texas and North Louisiana. An upper level disturbance ejecting northeast ahead of the trough across portions of East Texas and North Louisiana during the early morning hours of April 13th carried enough elevated instability, shear, and forcing north of an advancing warm front over Southeast Texas and South Louisiana, such that scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed, with numerous reports of large hail and occasional damaging winds received. The warm front continued to gradually mix north northwest into East Texas and Northcentral Louisiana by late morning and early afternoon hours, with a very warm, moist, and unstable air mass noted over Deep East Texas and portions of Northcentral Louisiana south of the front. Coupled with even stronger forcing and low level shear ahead of the approaching upper trough, additional strong to severe thunderstorms developed near and south of the front from late morning through the afternoon, producing several reports of damaging winds across portions of Northcentral Louisiana. These storms also produced locally heavy rainfall that led to instances of flash flooding, which resulted in two separate fatalities in Ouachita Parish. A 13 year old boy drowned in a drainage canal in the Bawcomville community during the heavy rains, and an 80 year old female drove past barricades on a closed road in Calhoun several hours after the heavy rains had ended, with her car becoming submerged in the flood waters. Unfortunately, she was unable to escape and drowned. These showers and thunderstorms diminished by early evening with the departure of the trough, and the arrival of an associated cold front which brought about cooler, drier, and more stable air southeast into the region.

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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 12, 10:53 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 12, 10:53 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 12, 11:15 AM CST, 13 hours 30 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Shreveport LA
1215 PM CDT Fri Apr 12 2019

ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-
TXZ096-097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-131715-
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-McCurtain-Bowie-Franklin-Titus-Camp-
Morris-Cass-Wood-Upshur-Marion-Smith-Gregg-Harrison-Cherokee-Rusk-
Panola-Nacogdoches-Shelby-Angelina-San Augustine-
1215 PM CDT Fri Apr 12 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central
Arkansas, southwest Arkansas, north central Louisiana, northwest
Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, east Texas and northeast Texas.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight...

Thunderstorms will gradually increase in coverage late tonight. A
few storms could be severe, especially along and north of Interstate
20 in east Texas, extreme Northwest Louisiana, extreme southwest
Arkansas, and southeast Oklahoma. Large hail will be the biggest
threat. Locally heavy rain may also lead to isolated flash
flooding.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday...

A low pressure system will move from central Texas across the
ArkLaTex and into Arkansas Saturday into Saturday night, bringing
a potential tornado outbreak to the area with severe thunderstorms
likely. Initially on Saturday morning, large hail and damaging
winds will be the primary threats during the morning hours, mainly
north of Interstate 20, ahead of a northward moving warm front.
By late Saturday morning into the afternoon, most of the Four
State Region will be within the warm sector. Multiple rounds of
severe thunderstorms are expected. Tornadoes, damaging winds,
large hail, and locally heavy rainfall will be possible. In far
east Texas, southern Arkansas, and northern Louisiana, a few of
the tornadoes may be strong, long-tracked tornadoes. Rainfall
amounts of one to three inches are likely, which may lead to
isolated flooding. The severe weather threat should quickly end
shortly after midnight Sunday morning.

More thunderstorms are possible late Tuesday through early Thursday.
Some of these storms may be strong to severe Wednesday and
Wednesday night. In addition, heavy rainfall may lead to a renewed
threat for flooding.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected tonight, but will be needed on
Saturday.

04-Woodrum

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 12, 11:07 PM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 12, 11:20 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 12, 11:22 PM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 12, 11:49 PM CST, 56 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 12, 11:59 PM CST, 46 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 13, 12:24 AM CST, 21 minutes before

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The radar

The Ft Polk radar (KPOE), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 5 flash flood, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Sabine

When: April 13, 12:45 AM CST
Where: Sabine County, 1.1 mi SE of Florien
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 31.439, -93.457

Golfball size hail fell in Florien.

Hail, Natchitoches

When: April 13, 1:36 AM CST
Where: Natchitoches County, 0.89 mi ESE of Cloutierville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 31.543, -92.917

Golfball size hail fell in the Cloutierville community. Report via social media.

Hail, Grant

When: April 13, 2:15 AM CST
Where: Grant County, 2.4 mi ESE of Aloha
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 31.571, -92.741

Ping pong ball size hail fell just northwest of Colfax.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caddo

When: April 13, 4:09 AM CST
Where: Caddo County, 3.83 mi N of Blanchard
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 32.635, -93.883

Several trees were uprooted, a tree was blown down on a home, a roof was blown off of a shop, and trees were downed across Highway 173 near Highway 1.

Hail, Ouachita

When: April 13, 4:10 AM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 1.28 mi SSW of Wilds
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.414, -92.192

Half dollar size hail fell just south of the Brownsville-Bawcomville community.

Hail, Bossier

When: April 13, 4:25 AM CST
Where: Bossier County, 2.99 mi ESE of Willow Chute
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.660, -93.700

Dime to quarter size hail fell in the Woodlake Ridge subdivision just north of Bossier City.

Hail, Bossier

When: April 13, 4:25 AM CST
Where: Bossier County, 2.51 mi W of Hughes
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.787, -93.763

Quarter size hail fell south of Highway 160 in Western Bossier Parish.

Hail, Ouachita

When: April 13, 4:39 AM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 1.77 mi S of Frizzell
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 32.545, -92.004

Half inch to quarter size hail fell and covered the ground near Swartz.

Hail, Caddo

When: April 13, 4:47 AM CST
Where: Caddo County, 0.58 mi W of Blanchard
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.580, -93.890

Penny size hail fell in Blanchard.

Thunderstorm Wind, Claiborne

When: April 13, 5:23 AM CST
Where: Claiborne County, 0.74 mi NNW of Ruple
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.839, -93.156

Numerous trees were blown down across Highway 534.

Thunderstorm Wind, Claiborne

When: April 13, 5:29 AM CST
Where: Claiborne County, 2.29 mi NNE of Homer
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.810, -93.053

Numerous trees were blown down on Highway 2 and Highway 79.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: April 13, 6:10 AM CST
Where: Union County, 1.12 mi N of Bernice
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.836, -92.653

Trees were blown down on Pisgah Church Road.

Hail, Winn

When: April 13, 9:45 AM CST
Where: Winn County, 1.87 mi WNW of Atlanta
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 31.812, -92.778

Golfball size hail fell in the Piney Grove area west of Atlanta.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caddo

When: April 13, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Caddo County, 1.57 mi SE of La Rosen
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 32.385, -93.779

A tree was blown down on a home on Rose Court off of Kingston Road between Williamson Way and Flournoy Lucas Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caddo

When: April 13, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Caddo County, 1.08 mi SE of La Rosen
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.391, -93.785

Several trees were downed in the Southern Hills neighborhood in South Shreveport.

Flood, Bossier

When: April 13, 10:58 AM CST to 12:45 PM CST
Where: Bossier County, 0.45 mi W of Sligo to 1.26 mi E of Sligo
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.450, -93.588

Minor flooding was observed at the Olde Oaks Golf Course.

Hail, Lincoln

When: April 13, 12:55 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 0.22 mi ENE of Grambling
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.521, -92.716

Quarter size hail fell at Grambling State University.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: April 13, 1:02 PM CST
Where: Union County, 1.69 mi ESE of Farmerville
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 32.765, -92.372

Trees and power lines were downed at the intersection of Dean Road and Highway 2.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: April 13, 1:02 PM CST
Where: Union County, 1.64 mi E of Farmerville
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.770, -92.372

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: April 13, 1:32 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 4.5 mi SW of Oakgrove
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 31.467, -92.594

Numerous trees were downed across much of Southwest Grant Parish.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ouachita

When: April 13, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 0.3 mi SSW of West Monroe
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 32.516, -92.121

A tree was uprooted and fell on a home in the Garden District in Monroe.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sabine

When: April 13, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Sabine County, 0.4 mi SSE of Converse
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 31.775, -93.697

Several trees and power lines were downed near Converse.

Flash Flood, Bienville

When: April 13, 2:30 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where: Bienville County, 0.91 mi NNE of Arcadia to 0.3 mi NE of Arcadia
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 32.562, -92.913

Pictures were posted to Facebook of flash flooding which inundated Hazel Street just off of Interstate 20 in Arcadia.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caldwell

When: April 13, 2:40 PM CST
Where: Caldwell County, 1.83 mi ESE of Vixen
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 32.220, -92.241

Trees were downed northwest of Columbia.

Thunderstorm Wind, Red River

When: April 13, 2:53 PM CST
Where: Red River County, 3.98 mi W of Howard
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 32.232, -93.548

Trees were blown down near the Caddo Parish line in Northwest Red River Parish.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sabine

When: April 13, 2:58 PM CST to 2:59 PM CST
Where: Sabine County, 0.6 mi SSE of Fisher
Measured: 87 kt (100 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 31.492, -93.467

A damaging downburst with estimated peak winds near 100 mph impacted much of the community of Fisher in Central Sabine Parish, with numerous trees snapped or uprooted along 4L Drive, with this large extent of damage spreading across the entire village including Railroad Avenue, 1st Avenue, 2nd Avenue, and 3rd Avenue. A large hardwood tree fell through a home on 1st Avenue. This downburst spread east northeast across Highway 171 where a couple of trees were downed, with damage widespread once again across Cottonwood Street and Laurel Street east of Highway 171. A metal roofed canopy was ripped off of a home and thrown across the street on Cottonwood Street, with a number of shingles torn off of a home across the street where the metal roof was tossed. The majority of the damage on the east side of Fisher was on Laurel Street, where 7-8 trees were snapped or uprooted on one property, with two of these trees landing through a home and a minivan, and a third narrowly missing the home. Throughout the entire path of the downburst, the trees/metal roofing fell in a north northeasterly direction.

Flash Flood, Union

When: April 13, 3:00 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Union County, 1.38 mi SW of Randolph to 3.2 mi SSW of Litroe
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.967, -92.698

Several roads were flooded throughout Union Parish.

Flash Flood, Ouachita

When: April 13, 3:50 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 0.73 mi ESE of Bawcomville to 0.74 mi ESE of Bawcomville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 32.478, -92.168

A 13 year old boy drowned in floodwaters in a drainage canal on Evergreen Street just past the Boys and Girls Club in the Bawcomville community.

Flash Flood, Lincoln

When: April 13, 4:00 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 1.97 mi N of Mt Zion to 1.59 mi N of Dubach
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.699, -92.728

Several roads were flooded throughout Lincoln Parish.

Flash Flood, Ouachita

When: April 13, 4:00 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 2 mi NNE of Folksville to 1.44 mi NNE of Forest Park
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 32.547, -92.309

Several roads were flooded throughout Ouachita Parish, including in West Monroe and Monroe.

Flood, Ouachita

When: April 13, 9:15 PM CST
Where: Ouachita County, 0.49 mi SW of Folksville to 0.52 mi SW of Folksville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 32.515, -92.325

An 80 year old female drove past barricades on Golson Rd. south of I-20 in Calhoun. The road had residual flooding from previous flash flooding earlier in the day. The vehicle became submerged by the flood waters, and the driver was unable to escape and drowned.

The people who died

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, Ouachita	2019-04-13	13	Male	In Water	Direct
Flood, Ouachita	2019-04-13	80	Female	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
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 Louisiana in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Louisiana, April 2019

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: 809815, 809816, 809818, 809820, 809822, 809819, 809824, 809826, 809827, 809830, 809829, 809831, 809832, 809833, 809835, 809836, 809837, 809838, 809839, 809840, 809843, 810085, 810096, 810089, 810090, 810093, 809841, 810094, 809842, 810095, 836420.