The start of what would eventually be a very potent Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) began around midnight on June 4th in central Oklahoma. A cluster of thunderstorms became outflow dominant with the convection chasing the outflow boundary southeastward.
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 LIX wrote it up.
The start of what would eventually be a very potent Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) began around midnight on June 4th in central Oklahoma. A cluster of thunderstorms became outflow dominant with the convection chasing the outflow boundary southeastward. The MCS had weakened quite a bit as it moved into northwest Louisiana. However, strong daytime heating and pooling moisture ahead of this was waiting for it in southeast Louisiana. Those warm temps and high dewpoints increased surface and mid level instability that would support very strong updrafts. Although shear was relatively low, it was sufficient to support severe weather. About the time the MCS reached the Mississippi River, it began to rapidly intensify into a well organized system. As it moved through the area, it produced wide spread wind damage and four tornadoes. No injuries or fatalities reported with these tornadoes.
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 Jun 4, 2:57 PM CST, 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service New Orleans LA 357 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MARINE... .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 338 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024 Upper ridging near both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts this afternoon with shortwaves over the middle and lower Mississippi River Valley and a second over the Great Plains. A complex of thunderstorms was moving into the area from the northwest at press time and necessitated the issuance of a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 8 PM CDT across much of the northern half of the CWA with the primary threat of damaging winds. Will eventually see the current complex weaken with the loss of surface heating. Ahead of the storms, temperatures ranged from the mid 80s to lower 90s across the area with dew points generally in the mid 70s. As has been the case for several days, the main concerns will be with thunderstorm potential. As long as we continue in northwesterly upper flow, each shortwave moving toward the upper trough position will trigger a thunderstorm complex to our northwest at some point. The complex then moves southeastward toward the local area and eventually weakens as it outruns the best thermodynamic support. Global and convection allowing models have struggled to model these complexes both in spatial and temporal details. Seemingly over the last several days, the ECMWF operational model and longer range runs of the HRRR have performed a bit better than most of the other models. The NBM certainly gives these solutions some credence and will keep those numbers, and in the case of this evening, bump them up somewhat, at least through 02z or so. Once things stabilize behind the convection, rain chances should diminish quickly for the remainder of the night. The ECMWF and HRRR both signal another complex during the day tomorrow, and will not go with a dry forecast like the GFS and NAM would indicate. Still will see temperatures get into the 90s before convection gets going again, and won't depart from the NBM temperature numbers tomorrow/tomorrow night. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday through Monday night) Issued at 338 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024 Troughing will be exiting the area to the east by Thursday morning, leaving a remnant boundary behind. The most likely area for the boundary seems to be in the northern portions of the area. Areas south of the boundary will see enhanced heating due to compressional warming. We will still have quality moisture on Thursday with PW around 1.9-2 inches where the boundary lays up. So, with the heating, moisture and trigger, expect storms to develop in the vicinity of the best surface convergence where the boundary lays up in the area. Drier mid-level air looks to filter into the area Friday, decreasing rain chances while keeping the boundary somewhere in the area. Scattered showers and storms are still possible Friday, but the coverage will be less than Thursday due to the drier air filtering in. The boundary looks to become diffuse by the weekend, so that will lead to a lack of low-level trigger for convection. With quality moisture still in the area with PW around 1.6-1.8 inches, expect a more summer-time isolated convective regimes Saturday and Sunday. Medium-range guidance differs significantly beyond the weekend with a potential front at the beginning of next week. The spatial and temporal aspect of the front seems very uncertain at this time, but that is not surprising given it is about a week out. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1255 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024 Main question for aviation interests is convective development. While TSRA are still well back toward KSHV, there's been quite a bit of SHRA development in advance of that in the past 30-60, so we may need additional amendments to add thunder in the next few hours. Cloud bases generally between FL025 and FL035, but direct impacts could produce MVFR ceilings and IFR visibilities. Most convection should dissipate by 01z Wednesday. Potential for MVFR to IFR ceilings prior to sunrise Wednesday. Based on the last few days, certainly won't rule out an additional round of convection on Wednesday. && .MARINE... Issued at 338 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024 Main marine concern will be the thunderstorm threat over the next several days. Outside of thunderstorm wind potential, we'll have the usual evening increase in winds to near 15 knots before they subside again. Otherwise, no major marine issues anticipated. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MCB 70 90 71 89 / 40 50 40 40 BTR 75 94 76 94 / 30 40 20 50 ASD 75 93 76 93 / 30 30 30 50 MSY 77 92 78 92 / 30 30 20 60 GPT 77 90 76 91 / 30 30 30 50 PQL 74 92 75 92 / 20 20 30 40 && .LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. GM...None. MS...None. GM...None. && SHORT TERM...RW LONG TERM....JZ AVIATION...RW MARINE...RW
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service New Orleans LA
246 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024
MSZ068-042030-
Wilkinson MS-
246 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL WILKINSON
COUNTY THROUGH 330 PM CDT
...
At 245 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Black Hawk, or 18 miles northeast of Simmesport, moving northeast at
25 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Fort Adams and Dolorosa.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3114 9122 3107 9157 3112 9162 3124 9156
3124 9154 3122 9153 3123 9149 3126 9148
3128 9149 3129 9147 3132 9146 3132 9142
3134 9136 3134 9134
TIME...MOT...LOC 1945Z 242DEG 21KT 3114 9157
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
ZeringueSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service New Orleans LA
346 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024
LAZ034>036-MSZ068-069-042115-
East Feliciana LA-Pointe Coupee LA-West Feliciana LA-Wilkinson MS-
Amite MS-
346 PM CDT Tue Jun 4 2024
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF WEST FELICIANA,
POINTE COUPEE AND NORTHWESTERN EAST FELICIANA PARISHES, WILKINSON AND
AMITE COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM CDT
...
At 346 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Garden City to near Fort Adams to near
Grand Prairie. Movement was southeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
New Roads, Jackson, St. Francisville, Liberty, Centreville, Livonia,
Woodville, Gloster, Fordoche, Morganza, Wilson, Norwood, Wakefield,
Spillman, Batchelor, Lettsworth, Fort Adams, Dolorosa, Lottie, and
Crosby.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT for
southeastern Louisiana...and southern Mississippi.
&&
LAT...LON 3132 9112 3135 9083 3125 9055 3049 9159
3050 9175 3071 9173 3086 9182 3097 9181
3104 9172 3104 9165 3097 9166 3104 9156
3113 9163 3124 9156 3122 9151 3124 9148
3128 9149 3132 9146 3137 9123
TIME...MOT...LOC 2046Z 303DEG 34KT 3135 9108 3103 9157 3065 9213
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
95/DMThe Hammond radar (KHDC), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:16 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree and powerline damage across the city of Jackson.
Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree and powerline damage across the city of Clinton.
Thunderstorm winds snapped a large oak Lazy Lake Drive in Central.
An NWS Survey found several trees downed by straightline thunderstorm winds near the intersection of Arnold Lane and Dick J Road.
Powerlines downed by thunderstormwinds on Cheray Dr. Relayed via social media.
A EF-1 tornado formed just east of Highway 449 and tracked due east producing swaths of tree damage over mostly inaccessible areas. The areas south of Stone Road are where the most extensive damage occurred per high resolution satellite imagery which was not accessible to ground survey, but clearly aligned with the presence of a tornado debris signature on KHDC radar imagery. The tornado crossed through Beaver Run and Rocky Hill Roads where damaged large branches and caused a few uproots of large hardwood trees. No further damage could be identified via ground survey or high resolution satellite imagery to support the tornado continuing much further beyond Highway 43, west of Hillsdale. Peak wind speed was estimated to be 95 mph.
An EF-0 85 MPH tornado was identified after further analysis of radar and high resolution satellite data. This tornado was embedded within a line of strong storms and quickly moved east-southeast causing intermittent, but confined swaths of tree damage along a linear path extending from near Highway 37 south of Greensburg, LA all the way to Highway 441. The most notable swath of tree damage was noted on high resolution satellite imagery near Highway 43 about a mile north of Muse Road. Tornado intensity is estimated by tree damage evident on high resolution satellite imagery.
This EF-1 tornado touched down approximately 2 miles east of Kentwood and north of Highway 38 where a snapped pine tree was observed. The tornado continued over mostly open fields until Highway 1054 where it uprooted and snapped numerous trees. It then continued east to W Lewiston Rd where the most impressive tree damage was observed. There, almost every tree in a 300 yard swath was either snapped or uprooted. Nearby, a shed with tin roofing was ripped off and sent tin across the field to the east of the road. The tornado continued eastward across a field and inaccessible trees before making it to Gregot Rd. Here, almost every tree was either snapped, uprooted, or had large branches twisted and broken. The tornado continued to the east before it ended near R Booty Rd where snapped trees were observed. Some adjustments to the start and end points of this tornado were made after further analysis from high resolution satellite imagery. Peak wind speed estimated to be 100 mph.
A combination of high resolution satellite imagery, ground survey, and radar imagery has aided in the confirmation of an EF-1 tornado that tracked across Interstate 55 near LA Hwy 16 and into Amite City, LA. This more focused area of tree and minor structural damage was associated with a tornado that is estimated to have begun near Highway 1045 and tracked generally east. Tree damage was noted on high resolution satellite imagery off of Puleston Rd with additional tree damage observed along the entrance/exit ramp region of I-55 onto LA Hwy 16. The damage path weakened and damage became more sparse as the circulation moved into Amite City, LA with only tree damage noted along Chestnut St. While the tornado debris signature on KHDC radar imagery did appear to continue east toward the Tangipahoa River, no further damage was observed to the east so the estimated conclusion of the tornado track is near South Duncan Avenue. Peak wind speed estimated to be 95 mph.
An NWS Survey found several trees downed by straightline thunderstorm winds along Neal Road.
An NWS Survey found one partially uprooted softwood pine tree and another tree had large branches removed from thunderstorm winds at the intersection of Hwy 445 and Osceola Rd.
An NWS Survey found one hardwood tree uprooted at the intersection of Osceola Road and Old Uneedus Road from thunderstorm winds.
The Lakefront Airport ASOS KNEW measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph.
Two trees were snapped by thunderstorm winds and fell on a large shed off of Susan Ln in Slidell.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Louisiana, 2024Warnings in Louisiana, June 2024
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: 1193105, 1193106, 1193107, 1193116, 1193108, 1193114, 1193115, 1193112, 1193113, 1193117, 1193118, 1193120, 1193109, 1193110.