Tornadoes · United States · Louisiana · 2012

EF1 tornado, Shear to De Ridder, Louisiana, February 4, 2012

From Shear to De Ridder, this EF1 tornado ran 4.3 miles across Beauregard Parish on February 4, 2012, touching down at 7:59 AM CST and reaching 20 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $100,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF1
Date
February 4, 2012
Touchdown
7:59 AM CST (13:59 UTC)
Lifted
8:03 AM CST (14:03 UTC)
On the ground
4 minutes
Path length
4.3 miles (7.0 km)
Path width
20 yards (18 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$100,000
County
Beauregard Parish
Touchdown point
30.795, -93.344
Lift-off point
30.804, -93.272
Record number
1202040759-01

What the Weather Service recorded

As a cold front moved across Louisiana, a tornado touched down near DeRidder, damaging some barns and outbuildings. Extensive rainfall of 3-6 inches produced widespread flooding across Rapides, Avoyelles, and Allen Parishes.

A tornado touched down on Maul Road, blowing down trees, and caused the most extensive damage along Granberry Road where it tore part of the roof off a large barn, several outbuildings, and trim work off a couple of houses.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Feb 4, 7:53 AM CST, 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 4, 7:53 AM CST, 6 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 4, 5:14 AM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
514 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

LAZ027>033-041>045-052>055-073-074-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-
051115-
VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-
CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-
VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-LOWER ST. MARTIN-WEST CAMERON-
EAST CAMERON-TYLER-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-NORTHERN JASPER-
NORTHERN NEWTON-SOUTHERN JASPER-SOUTHERN NEWTON-
514 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
LOUISIANA...SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WEST
CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ADVANCE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY ALONG AND AHEAD OF AN INCOMING COLD
FRONT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE AREA ALONG AND
NORTH OF INTERSTATE 10. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL BE
COMMON...WITH ISOLATED AREAS RECEIVING UP TO 5 INCHES. THIS ON TOP
OF GROUND ALREADY SATURATED BY RECENT RAINS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR
POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING FLOODING. THIS ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH
GOING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS THE FRONT PASSES EAST OF THE
REGION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ANTICIPATED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

GMZ430-432-435-450-452-455-470-472-475-051115-
SABINE LAKE-CALCASIEU LAKE-VERMILION BAY-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAMERON LA TO HIGH ISLAND TX OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO CAMERON LA OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY
LA OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM CAMERON LA TO HIGH ISLAND TX FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM  INTRACOASTAL CITY TO CAMERON LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LA FROM
20 TO 60 NM-
514 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST
GULF OF MEXICO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A COLD FRONT WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ADVANCE ACROSS
THE NORTHWEST GULF LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DRIER AND COOLER
AIR FILTERING INTO THE GULF WATERS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WILL END
ANY FURTHER DENSE FOG DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS BEEN COMMON FOR THE
LAST SEVERAL DAYS. A STRONG OFFSHORE FLOW WILL DEVELOP LATER
TONIGHT...WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LIKELY TO BE REQUIRED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH SUNDAY. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS
THEN ANTICIPATED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE REQUIRED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 4, 6:16 AM CST, 1 hour 43 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Feb 4, 6:28 AM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Feb 4, 7:07 AM CST, 52 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Feb 4, 7:15 AM CST, 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
715 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

LAZ030-041-TXZ180-201-215-216-259>262-041415-
HARDIN TX-NORTHERN JASPER TX-NORTHERN NEWTON TX-TYLER TX-JEFFERSON
TX-BEAUREGARD LA-CALCASIEU LA-ORANGE TX-SOUTHERN JASPER TX-SOUTHERN
NEWTON TX-
715 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARDIN...JASPER...NEWTON...
TYLER...JEFFERSON AND ORANGE COUNTIES...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY
FOR BEAUREGARD AND CALCASIEU PARISHES UNTIL 815 AM CST...

AT 711 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 8 MILES EAST OF FRED TO NOME...
MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...
LUMBERTON...BEVIL OAKS...CHINA...EVADALE...WEISS BLUFF AND BUNA.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH...
WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...RESULTING IN PONDING OF WATER AROUND LOW LYING
ROADWAYS. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATER COVERED
ROADWAYS. THE DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW A SAFE CROSSING.

LAT...LON 3065 9432 3050 9361 2989 9413 3000 9445
      3011 9445 3011 9459 3013 9461 3030 9467

JT
Special weather statement, Feb 4, 7:51 AM CST, 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
751 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

LAZ027-028-030-031-041-TXZ259-260-262-041445-
NORTHERN JASPER TX-NORTHERN NEWTON TX-RAPIDES LA-BEAUREGARD LA-
ALLEN LA-VERNON LA-CALCASIEU LA-SOUTHERN NEWTON TX-
751 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR JASPER AND NEWTON COUNTIES...
SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RAPIDES...BEAUREGARD...ALLEN...
VERNON AND CALCASIEU PARISHES UNTIL 845 AM CST...

AT 747 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 13 MILES WEST OF LENA TO 8 MILES
WEST OF FIELDS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...
PICKERING...SLAGLE...HUTTON...FORT POLK...ROSEPINE AND SIMPSON.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH...
WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...RESULTING IN PONDING OF WATER AROUND LOW LYING
ROADWAYS. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATER COVERED
ROADWAYS. THE DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW A SAFE CROSSING.

LAT...LON 3146 9270 3144 9268 3141 9268 3139 9263
      3039 9322 3057 9398 3137 9329 3137 9303
      3135 9295 3137 9294 3137 9292 3140 9291
      3150 9275 3150 9268

JT
Special weather statement, Feb 4, 7:56 AM CST, 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
756 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

LAZ030-041-073-TXZ201-215-216-259>262-041500-
HARDIN TX-NORTHERN JASPER TX-NORTHERN NEWTON TX-JEFFERSON TX-
BEAUREGARD LA-CALCASIEU LA-ORANGE TX-SOUTHERN JASPER TX-
SOUTHERN NEWTON TX-WEST CAMERON LA-
756 AM CST SAT FEB 4 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARDIN...JASPER...NEWTON...
JEFFERSON AND ORANGE COUNTIES...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR
BEAUREGARD...CALCASIEU AND CAMERON PARISHES UNTIL 900 AM CST...

AT 752 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF BUNA TO 7
MILES NORTH OF HAMSHIRE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND...
PINE FOREST...DEVILS POCKET...FANNETT...GIST...ROSE CITY AND VIDOR.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH...
WHICH COULD DOWN TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...RESULTING IN PONDING OF WATER AROUND LOW LYING
ROADWAYS. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO WATER COVERED
ROADWAYS. THE DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW A SAFE CROSSING.

LAT...LON 3059 9399 3035 9306 3004 9330 3004 9332
      2976 9352 2973 9374 2969 9382 2966 9393
      2967 9403 2957 9435 2988 9436 2989 9445
      3011 9445 3011 9455 3012 9455

JT

The surface observations

De Ridder/Beauregard Regional (DRI), 5 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
00:00 UTC

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2012 tornado in LouisianaEvery tornado in Louisiana since 1950Warnings in force in Louisiana nowThe forecast where you are

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.