Louisiana, 2019

Flash Flooding and Hail in Louisiana, April 6, 2019

April 6, 2019 · NWS SHV · 8 events in 5 counties and zones

A negatively tilted upper level trough moved through the Southern Plains and across the Ark-La-Tex during the morning and afternoon hours on April 6th, with deep southerly winds returning warm and moist air north into East Texas and North Louisiana near of a warm front. Very steep mid level lapse rates and strong shear were present ahead of this trough, which resulted in severe thunderstorms…

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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 negatively tilted upper level trough moved through the Southern Plains and across the Ark-La-Tex during the morning and afternoon hours on April 6th, with deep southerly winds returning warm and moist air north into East Texas and North Louisiana near of a warm front. Very steep mid level lapse rates and strong shear were present ahead of this trough, which resulted in severe thunderstorms producing large hail and occasional damaging winds across portions of East Texas and Northcentral Louisiana during the afternoon hours before weakening during the evening with the loss of instability and the departure of the upper trough. These storms also produced heavy rainfall which moved repeatedly over the same areas across portions of Union Parish, resulting in areas of flash flooding.

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 6, 6:12 AM CST, 4 hours 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 6, 6:12 AM CST, 4 hours 32 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 6, 5:11 AM CST, 5 hours 33 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 6, 8:28 AM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 6, 9:19 AM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 6, 9:27 AM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 6, 10:14 AM CST, 30 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 6, 10:23 AM CST, 21 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 6, 10:39 AM CST, 5 minutes before
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The radar

The Ft Polk radar (KPOE), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:47 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 3 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When
April 6, 10:44 AM CST
Where
Grant County, 2.32 mi NNW of Aloha
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
31.612, -92.793

A tree was blown down off of Highway 71 near Nantachie Road and Johnson Circle.

Hail, La Salle

When
April 6, 12:05 PM CST
Where
La Salle County, 1.59 mi SE of Searcy
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.704, -92.210

Nickel to quarter size hail fell at the Searcy Y Stop Gas Station on Highway 84.

Hail, Winn

When
April 6, 7:15 PM CST
Where
Winn County, 1.5 mi WNW of Wheeling
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
31.758, -92.874

Two inch diameter size hail fell in the Wheeling community just north of Montgomery. Report via social media.

Hail, Natchitoches

When
April 6, 7:17 PM CST
Where
Natchitoches County, 1.19 mi SW of Montrose
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
31.566, -93.012

Quarter size hail fell near the Cypress community. Report via social media.

Flash Flood, Union

When
April 6, 7:32 PM CST to 9:45 PM CST
Where
Union County, 1.36 mi NW of Farmerville to 0.91 mi NNE of Farmerville
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.785, -92.415

Street flooding was reported in Farmerville.

Flash Flood, Union

When
April 6, 7:38 PM CST to 9:45 PM CST
Where
Union County, 3.95 mi SSE of Bayou D Arbonne Lake to 3.93 mi SSE of Bayou D Arbonne Lake
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.694, -92.404

Street flooding was reported north of Downsville in Southwest Union Parish.

Flash Flood, Union

When
April 6, 7:45 PM CST to 9:45 PM CST
Where
Union County, 2.01 mi SSE of Spencer to 2.16 mi SSE of Spencer
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
32.724, -92.135

Flash flooding was reported about 8 miles northwest of the Fairbanks community in Southeast Union Parish.

Hail, Grant

When
April 6, 8:52 PM CST
Where
Grant County, 0.75 mi ENE of Pollock
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
31.524, -92.408

Ping pong ball size hail fell in Pollock.

What these are

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 808903, 808904, 808907, 808905, 808908, 808911, 808914, 808915.