A strong upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Southern Plains during the afternoon and evening hours on April 2nd, with strong southerly low level winds ahead of the trough allowing for a warm front to mix north across East Texas and North Louisiana. Very warm, humid, and unstable air spread north along and south of this front, with the approaching trough reinforcing a dry line…
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 SHV wrote it up.
A strong upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Southern Plains during the afternoon and evening hours on April 2nd, with strong southerly low level winds ahead of the trough allowing for a warm front to mix north across East Texas and North Louisiana. Very warm, humid, and unstable air spread north along and south of this front, with the approaching trough reinforcing a dry line into Southeast Oklahoma and East Texas during the late afternoon and evening, and across the remainder of the region during the early morning hours on the 3rd. Given the increased forcing along these boundaries and the approaching upper trough, scattered severe thunderstorms developed across East Texas and North Louisiana, which produced numerous instances of large hail and damaging winds before weakening during the late evening into the early morning hours on the 3rd.
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 2, 5:20 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Shreveport LA 620 PM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 ...New AVIATION... .UPDATE... Issued at 607 PM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 A warm front has been the source for convection across the I-20 corridor early this evening. Elevated storms along and north of the front could produce large hail over the next few hours. However, a transition is expected to occur later this evening as the low-level jet increases producing sufficient shear to produce tornadoes with some storms. Thus, a tornado watch is now in effect for much of east Texas and north Louisiana through 1 AM. /05/ && .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Monday Night) Issued at 131 PM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 Thunderstorms have started to develop along a dryline in western north Texas this afternoon and will gradually push eastward towards our area during the remainder of the afternoon. Additional development may occur across deep east Texas and into northwest Louisiana during the late afternoon hours, with the rest of the storms expected to reach the western portion of our CWA by early evening. So things could get busy in the next few hours across our region. SPC has upgraded the threat for severe weather this afternoon across east Texas, painting an Enhanced risk for portions of Smith, north Cherokee, Rusk, Gregg, Harrison, Upshur, Camp, and Wood counties. A Slight Risk then covers the rest of our east Texas counties, most of our Louisiana Parishes, and parts of southwest Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma. All modes of severe weather will be possible this afternoon and into the evening hours. However, thinking the greater tornado threat will be across east Texas with hail and wind being the main threat elsewhere. In addition, a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall remains in place for much of our area. We could see upwards of 2-3 inches across portions of the area as thunderstorms move through. While our area has not been inundated with rainfall as of late, this could bring a isolated Flash Flood threat to flood prone areas. Showers and thunderstorms will continue into the overnight hours, clearing from west to east after midnight before clearing the early in the early morning hours Monday. Dry conditions will then settle in, at least through Monday night. In the wake of our passing shortwave trough responsible for the showers and thunderstorms, upper-air pattern will become southwest with some weak ridging across the southeast CONUS. At the same time, another large trough will begin digging into the Pacific Northwest and will be the main feature for another severe weather event on Tuesday. (See long term for more information). High temperatues on Monday will reach the 80s across the region, lower to mid 80s north of I-20 and mid to upper 80s south of I-20. Monday night will be mild, with lows only able to drop into the upper 60s to lower 70s across the region. /33/ && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday through next Saturday) Issued at 131 PM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 Main focus of interest in the long-term period is the potential for severe thunderstorms across areas mainly north of Interstate 20 on Tuesday. Surface setup ahead of the storm system will be characterized by an enhanced pressure gradient bringing strong southerly winds to the ArkLaTex on Tuesday into Tuesday evening. Dewpoint values will quickly climb into the mid to upper 60s which will help to destabilize the lower-levels of the warm sector ahead of an approaching dryline boundary from the west. Southwest flow aloft will further aid in destabilizing the atmosphere as a broad trough across the western CONUS migrates eastward into the Southern Plains allowing for moisture to deepen areawide through Tuesday night. Surface boundary to be the trigger for convection on Tuesday evening as it moves east across the region, tapping into an atmosphere already primed with moisture and a strong low-level jet. Supercell thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail may be possible ahead of the convective line, followed by a damaging wind and isolated tornado threat within the line as it migrates east across the region. At this time SPC has the I-30 corridor as well as southeast Oklahoma in an Enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms with a Slight risk in an area surrounding Tyler to Shreveport to El Dorado. An unsettled weather pattern to prevail from Tuesday onward. Frontal boundary that moves into the region on Tuesday will likely linger across south Louisiana into Mississippi through late in the work week. Scattered elevated post-frontal showers to persist through Thursday night before the surface high shifts east allowing the front to return back north as a warm front bringing showers and isolated thunderstorms to parts of the region on Friday. A slow moving upper-level trough will set up across northern Mexico into Texas and southeast Oklahoma on Saturday, bringing continued rain chances with isolated thunderstorms to portions of the ArkLaTex. /05/ && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 616 PM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 For the 03/00Z TAFs, conditions will continue to deteriorate from the west and south as several waves of strong to severe thunderstorms enter ArkLaTex airspace. As storms impact area terminals, visibilities will briefly drop due to torrential rainfall, accompanied by strong gusty winds. Storm chances will continue through 03/06Z, diminishing from west to east. In the wake of these storms, MVFR CIGs will linger through the night and into the morning, lifting to VFR tomorrow. Winds will remain southerly at sustained speeds of 10 to 15 kts, with locally strong gusts possible in or near thunderstorms through the evening. /26/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 66 87 71 86 / 90 0 0 0 MLU 66 87 70 87 / 90 0 0 0 DEQ 60 84 67 83 / 80 0 10 30 TXK 64 87 69 85 / 80 0 0 20 ELD 61 86 68 85 / 90 0 0 10 TYR 66 87 70 85 / 80 0 0 10 GGG 66 86 70 85 / 90 0 0 10 LFK 68 89 71 87 / 40 0 0 0 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. LA...None. OK...None. TX...None. && SHORT TERM...05 LONG TERM....05 AVIATION...26
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Shreveport LA 559 AM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 ARZ050-051-059>061-070>073-LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-OKZ077-TXZ096- 097-108>112-124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167-031100- 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- 559 AM CDT Sun Apr 2 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Arkansas, southwest Arkansas, north central Louisiana, northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, east Texas and northeast Texas. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Thunderstorms will return to the region this afternoon through this evening, some possibly strong to severe with the primary threat of large hail up to golf ball size. Damaging wind gusts and tornadoes also cannot be ruled out with these storms as a returning warm front will allow for greater instability and shear, especially south of the I-20 corridor. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible by late Tuesday into Tuesday night as the next cold front will arrive. The threat appears to be highest along and north of the I-30 corridor where all modes of severe weather will be possible through the early morning hours on Wednesday. The pattern looks to remain unsettled through the end of the week as rounds of heavy rainfall will become more likely as the front stalls south of the region. This could reintroduce flooding concerns across the region through the end of the week as several inches of rainfall may be possible over the next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed this afternoon and evening. 19
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
656 PM CDT SUN APR 2 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0655 PM HAIL 1 E KILGORE 32.39N 94.85W
04/02/2023 M1.00 INCH GREGG TX PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORT.
&&
BTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
658 PM CDT SUN APR 2 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0657 PM HAIL 4 SSE LONGVIEW 32.46N 94.74W
04/02/2023 M1.50 INCH GREGG TX TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORT.
&&
BTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
659 PM CDT SUN APR 2 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0659 PM HAIL 3 SE LIBERTY CITY 32.42N 94.92W
04/02/2023 M1.75 INCH GREGG TX PUBLIC
REPORT OF GOLF BALL SIZE OR LARGER.
&&
BTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
705 PM CDT SUN APR 2 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0648 PM HAIL 1 NE KILGORE 32.40N 94.85W
04/02/2023 E2.00 INCH GREGG TX PUBLIC
PICTURES SENT VIA EMAIL.
&&
BTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
707 PM CDT SUN APR 2 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0654 PM HAIL 2 SSE ROLLING MEADOWS 32.38N 94.80W
04/02/2023 E2.00 INCH GREGG TX BROADCAST MEDIA
RELAYED VIA EMAIL.
&&
BTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
712 PM CDT SUN APR 2 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0651 PM HAIL 6 WSW HALLSVILLE 32.48N 94.67W
04/02/2023 E1.75 INCH HARRISON TX PUBLIC
&&
BTThe Shreveport radar (KSHV), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:24 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down near Old Mooringsport-Latex Road and Highway 169 south of Mooringsport.
Trees were downed on the north side of Blanchard.
A NWS Storm Survey confirmed straight line wind damage from an intense thunderstorm bowing arc that moved through the city of Blanchard during the evening of April 2nd. These winds were estimated to range from 65-85 mph, with a vast majority of the damage due to uprooted trees with any structural damage to buildings and infrastructure overwhelmingly due to trees falling. Trees were blown down along West Phelps Avenue, North Olney Street, West Warriner Avenue, as well as near Katie Circle and Pine Hill Road in Blanchard. There were also few cases of wind that caused minor damage to structures. In addition, the majority of the trees fell to the east and did not exhibit a convergent damage pattern typical of tornadoes.
A tree was blown down into the kitchen of a home in the Willow Ridge subdivision on the south side of Cross Lake.
A 73 mph wind gust was measured at the Shreveport Regional Airport.
Trees were blown down on Dixie Shreveport Road and George Road.
A tree was blown down near Quinton Street, Orla Avenue, and Velva Avenue in Shreveport.
Trees were blown down near Fairview Street and Line Avenue in Shreveport.
Trees were blown down near Dillingham Avenue and Mitchell Lane in Shreveport.
Multiple trees were blown down on Sligo Road south of Bossier City.
A tree was blown down near the 8500 block of Barksdale Blvd near the Taylortown community. A vehicle collided with this tree, but no injuries were reported.
Several trees and power lines were down throughout the southern third of Webster Parish.
A large tree was blown down on Highway 3062 near Homer.
Several trees were blown down near Highway 507.
Several trees were blown down near the intersections of Highway 33 and Highway 822 northeast of Ruston.
Penny size hail fell on Woodlake Drive just southeast of Benton.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, April 2023
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: 1084940, 1084939, 1084937, 1084941, 1084942, 1084943, 1084944, 1084945, 1084946, 1084947, 1084948, 1084949, 1084950, 1084951, 1084953, 1084955.