A series of upper disturbances and fast moving cold fronts cause multiple rounds of stormy weather across portions of Louisiana. Several severe storms occurred.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 LCH wrote it up.
A series of upper disturbances and fast moving cold fronts cause multiple rounds of stormy weather across portions of Louisiana. Several severe storms occurred. Behind the fast paced systems, tides fell below normal.
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 Lake Charles, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 11, 2:33 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
333 PM CDT Wed Mar 11 2026
...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION, MARINE, FIRE WEATHER...
.KEY MESSAGES...
- A tornado watch is in effect until 6 PM for strong storms moving
across the region tonight. A further watch will likely be needed
into south-central Louisiana.
- Damaging winds, tornadoes and large hail will all be possible
with the risk persisting after dark. Make sure to have a way to
receive emergency alerts overnight.
- Cooler and drier weather expected behind the front to end the
week before a light warming trend prior to another cold front
passage Sunday night.
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 332 PM CDT Wed Mar 11 2026
Frontal system is moving into the region at this hour. The
environment is still progged to become more supportive of
deepening cells with rotation ahead of the main line consisting
of storms with damaging winds and embedded tornadoes.
For further mesoscale analysis, see spc.noaa.gov.
Tornado watch will persist until 6 PM with an extension likely
needed as we progress into the evening.
Behind the front, strong northeast winds will develop bringing
much colder and drier air into the region.
11/Calhoun
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 306 PM CDT Wed Mar 11 2026
Showers and thunderstorms ongoing across the region as a frontal
system moves through. Periods of showers with stronger
thunderstorms are
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 332 PM CDT Wed Mar 11 2026
Scattered showers and thunderstorms, some strong to severe, will
be expected during the afternoon and evening. Winds turn offshore
and strengthen quickly in the wake of a passing front with
rapidly building seas to follow. A small craft advisory is in
place through midnight tonight before winds strengthen further and
conditions turn over to Gale force winds and gusts through
Thursday morning. Winds and seas will fall quickly to below small
craft criteria after sundown Thursday.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 332 PM CDT Wed Mar 11 2026
Strong southeast winds have developed over the region in response
to a cold front moving into east Texas. Surface winds have
overachieved so far and sustained surface winds 15 to 20 knots
with gusts up to 30 knots are ongoing at this hour. Anticipate
these winds to persist and perhaps could be slightly higher thru
the afternoon.
A cluster of afternoon showers and thunderstorms followed by a
line of strong thunderstorms is expected to impact east Cameron
Parish this afternoon and evening. With storms, frequent
lightning, damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes will be the main
threat. Rainfall will be heavy, but storm motion will limit how
much can reach the surface.
Winds will shift swiftly behind the main line of storms this
evening and will strengthen thru Thursday morning. A much cooler
and drier airmass will arrive beginning THU AM.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AEX 44 62 38 72 / 90 0 0 0
LCH 49 63 43 70 / 60 0 0 0
LFT 50 64 42 72 / 90 0 0 0
BPT 49 68 46 73 / 40 0 0 0
&&
.LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...Wind Advisory until 5 PM CDT this afternoon for LAZ033-044-045-
055-073-074-141>143-152>154-241>243-252>254.
TX...Wind Advisory until 5 PM CDT this afternoon for TXZ515-516-615-
616.
GM...Small Craft Advisory from 1 AM to 7 PM CDT Thursday for GMZ430-
432-435.
Small Craft Advisory from 10 AM to 7 PM CDT Thursday for GMZ436-
450-452-455-470-472-475.
Small Craft Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 1 AM CDT
Thursday for GMZ450-452-455-470-472-475.
Gale Warning from 1 AM to 10 AM CDT Thursday for GMZ450-452-455-
470-472-475.
&&
SHORT TERM...11
LONG TERM....11
AVIATION...11Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Lake Charles LA
321 PM CDT Wed Mar 11 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0303 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 S Hillister 30.64N 94.38W
03/11/2026 Tyler TX Emergency Mngr
Report of tree down on Allison Cemetery Rd.
&&
MKCThe Lake Charles radar (KLCH), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:16 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 6 astronomical low tide, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was downed onto Highway 113 near Dry Creek.
Beauregard Electric reported a tree downed onto power lines which was causing outages in Moss Bluff.
The American Red Cross reported a tree was downed onto a home in Lecompte. Multiple trees were downed between Elmer and Glenmora. Beauregard Electric also reported powerlines were downed at East River and Sunset Roads near the community of Calcasieu. A street sign was blown down on Highway 181 near Lecompte.
Several power poles were snapped in the Goudeau area. Trees were also reported downed in Simmesport and onto a vehicle in Centerpoint..
A roof was partially removed on David Street in Church Point.
Trees were reported downed southeast of Sunset, on Highway 361 near Washington, and on Highway 35 in Lawtell.
The tide gage at Cameron fell below -1 foot MLLW for multiple hours. The tide fell to a low of -1.3 foot MLLW.
The tide gage at Cameron fell below -1 foot MLLW for multiple hours. The tide fell to a low of -1.3 foot MLLW.
The tide gage at Freshwater Lock fell below -1 foot MLLW for multiple hours. The tide fell to a low of -2.17 foot MLLW.
The tide gage at Freshwater Lock fell below -1 foot MLLW for multiple hours. The tide fell to a low of -2.8 foot MLLW.
The tide gage at Cameron fell below -1 foot MLLW for multiple hours. The tide fell to a low of -2.09 foot MLLW.
The tide gage at Cameron fell below -1 foot MLLW for multiple hours. The tide fell to a low of -2.09 foot MLLW.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Louisiana in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, March 2026
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: 1324691, 1324692, 1324694, 1324695, 1324696, 1324697, 1327385, 1327386, 1327387, 1324689, 1324690, 1327388, 1327389, 1327391.