Hail in Louisiana, May 15, 2022

Name: Hail in Louisiana, May 15, 2022
Start: 2022-05-15T15:36
End: 2022-05-15T15:54
Location: Louisiana

May 15, 2022 · NWS LIX · 10 events in 2 counties and zones

The region was under the influence of northwest flow in the upper levels. More importantly, the mid levels cooled and low levels warmed quite a bit compared to previous days.

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: 10

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 LIX wrote it up.

The region was under the influence of northwest flow in the upper levels. More importantly, the mid levels cooled and low levels warmed quite a bit compared to previous days. That combination resulted in steep lapse rates, a very unstable mid level environment. This was especially so over coastal locations of the local area, multiple storms produced very large hail.

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 New Orleans, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 15, 2:33 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 15, 2:33 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service New Orleans LA
333 PM CDT Sun May 15 2022

.SHORT TERM (Tonight through Tuesday)...

Troughiness extending from the NE Conus hangs into the NE Gulf
with an weak upper level low with ridging from the SW Conus trying
to nudge into the region from the west. Environment unstable
enough for isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms to
develop through the overnight hours...likely with less than 30
percent coverage of the area and mainly east of I-55 where it will
be a bit more away from the influence of the nudging ridge.
MCS developed over the plains today and will drop south towards
LA...though may stay west of the area according to HRRR runs and
weaken as it does. Will go with that...but this must be watched
in case it ends up slightly further west. Don't think it is any
severe threat for the region..but could bring rainfall that is
currently not forecasted early tomorrow morning if that should
occur. Ridhing nudges further east into the area and the upper
level low moves into FL by afternoon Monday...maybe an isolated
T-storm in the late afternoon and evening with peak heating. Ridge
moves into the area by early Tuesday. Above average temps will
continue through the period...with normal highs around 85 this
part of May.
-ABS

.LONG TERM (Wednesday through Sunday)...

Ridging looks to be set in place Wednesday and Thursday above
average temps and dry mostly sunny days for the region. Friday a
large syatem moves from the Rockies into the far Northern Plains
and flattens the ridging across the region...surface high siting
off FL will start to push deeper moisture back into the area as a
cold front tries to push into LA but stalls by Saturday allowing
for better chances of showers and thunderstorms as we start the
weekend. The front fizzles north of the area...but could be enough
for continued showers and thunderstorms Sunday. Above normal temps
are likely through the period...though a bit cooler over the
weekend is possible due to the clouds and rainfall. -ABS

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 1225 PM CDT Sun May 15 2022/

AVIATION (18z TAFS)...

VFR conditions across the region with light winds. Seabreeze/lake
breeze will affect winds through the afternoon as it pushes inland
across the coastal sites. VCTS has been added especially along the
MS Gulf Coast as the seabreeze boundary may help focus TS
development later today. Will continue to watch for development
and if coverage looks more widespread than anticpated may need to
consider addition of VCTS or TSRA at MSY/BTR/NEW. Soon after
sunset chances for TS should be low, and VFR will dominate with
light west or NW winds. Don't think fog will be much of an issue
with some CI blow off from storms up stream...will have to watch
that MCS complex as it may reach here early morning/daybreak and
TAFs currently do not show such a scenario. -ABS

MARINE...

A few scattered storms this afternoon but other than that just a
potential for isolated, mainly nocturnal, thunderstorms, no major
impacts are expected over marine areas during the forecast period.
35/ABS

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MCB  67  91  67  92 /   0  20  20  10
BTR  68  92  69  92 /   0  20  20  10
ASD  68  93  68  93 /  10  20  20  10
MSY  72  91  73  91 /  10  10  10  10
GPT  70  91  70  91 /  10  30  20  10
PQL  67  91  67  92 /  10  30  20  10

&&

.LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...None.
GM...None.
MS...None.
GM...None.
&&

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 15, 2:02 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

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Special weather statement, May 15, 2:36 PM CST, 1 hour before

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Special weather statement, May 15, 2:56 PM CST, 40 minutes before

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Special weather statement, May 15, 3:09 PM CST, 27 minutes before

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Special weather statement, May 15, 3:23 PM CST, 13 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

10 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:36 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi W of (Nbg)nas New Orleans
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 29.820, -90.010

Received an MPING report of 1 inch hail.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:38 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.91 mi SE of Augusta
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 29.790, -90.020

A picture from social media showed golf ball sized hail in Cedar Grove.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:38 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi W of Port Nickel
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 29.850, -89.980

A picture from social media showed 2 inch sized hail near the Braithwaite Ferry on the east side of the Mississippi.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi E of Sone Chasse
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 29.850, -89.990

A picture from social media showed golf ball sized hail in Belle Chasse.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:43 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi W of (Nbg)nas New Orleans
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 29.820, -90.010

Received an MPING report of half dollar sized hail.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:45 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 1.93 mi WNW of Belle Chasse
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 29.880, -90.010

A trained spotter reported ping pong ball sized hail just southeast of Terrytown.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:46 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi E of Augusta
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 29.800, -90.020

Ping pong ball sized hail was reported along Highway 23 near the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station entrance.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:46 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi W of (Nbg)nas New Orleans
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 29.820, -90.010

Half dollar sized hail was reported via MPING.

Hail, Plaquemines

When: May 15, 3:48 PM CST
Where: Plaquemines County, 0.6 mi E of Sone Chasse
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 29.850, -89.990

A picture from social media showed quarter sized hail in Belle Chasse.

Hail, Jefferson

When: May 15, 3:54 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, 2.27 mi SE of Terrytown
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 29.860, -90.040

A video from social media showed sized hail falling along Stonebridge Country Club.

What these are

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

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Louisiana in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Louisiana, May 2022

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: 1031145, 1031146, 1031147, 1031149, 1031150, 1031151, 1031152, 1031153, 1031154, 1031155.