High Wind event
of
March 17-18, 2008 |
An intense area of low pressure developing across Texas from Monday March 17
into Tuesday March 18 combined with a strong area of high pressure across the
Southeastern U.S. to create a tight pressure gradient across the Southeast Texas
and Southwest Louisiana. This led to two days of strong southeasterly
winds across the area, with the heaviest winds across the area, with the
heaviest winds occurring on Tuesday March 18. The gusty winds led to
numerous reports of downed trees and power lines, power outages, and other minor
damage.
This was the strongest non-convective wind event across Southeast Texas and
Southwest Louisiana since October 15-16, 2006.
By late in the day, a cold front pushing eastward across the area spawned a
few severe thunderstorms over far eastern portions of Central and South-Central
Louisiana, prompting the issuance of Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and Tornado
Warnings. No evidence of tornadoes was found, but some reports of trees
down were received with these storms.
![Big Cane Downed Tree 1](031808/stormsurvey031908a.jpg)
A large tree was
blown down near the
Big Cane Baptist Church in
northern St. Landry Parish |
![Big Cane Downed Tree 2](031808/stormsurvey031908b.jpg)
Another view of a large tree blown down near the
Big Cane Baptist Church |
![Big Cane Downed Tree 3](031808/stormsurvey031908c.jpg)
The large tree crushed a fence near the
Big Cane Baptist Church |
PUBLIC
INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
901 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2008
...SPRING STORM SYSTEM BRINGS WIDESPREAD HIGH
WINDS TO THE AREA...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS AND PEAK WIND GUSTS FOR
MARCH 17-18 2008:
LOCATION (ASOS)
MARCH 17 MARCH 17
MARCH 18 MARCH 18
SUST WND PK GUST
SUST WND PK GUST
ALEXANDRIA
26 MPH 38 MPH
35 MPH 48 MPH
BEAUMONT
35 MPH 47 MPH
36 MPH 45 MPH
LAKE CHARLES
32 MPH 44 MPH
39 MPH 52 MPH
LAFAYETTE
23 MPH 35 MPH
33 MPH 47 MPH
NEW IBERIA
30 MPH 38 MPH
40 MPH 54 MPH
---------------------------------------------------------------------
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS AND PEAK WIND GUSTS FOR
MARCH 18 2008:
LOCATION (AWOS/MESONET) MARCH
18 MARCH 18
SUST WND PK GUST
ALEXANDRIA ESLER
30 MPH 48 MPH
FORT POLK SELF STRIP
29 MPH 47 MPH
FORT POLK
30 MPH 44 MPH
DERIDDER
31 MPH 45 MPH
OAKDALE
30 MPH 43 MPH
PATTERSON
29 MPH 40 MPH
ORANGE
23 MPH 38 MPH
JASPER
17 MPH 30 MPH
CROWLEY LAIS
34 MPH 52 MPH
LAKE CHARLES LAIS
34 MPH 52 MPH
PORT BARRE LAIS
30 MPH 52 MPH
AEX DEAN LEE LAIS
32 MPH 51 MPH
JEANERETTE LAIS
16 MPH 41 MPH
---------------------------------------------------------------------
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM
REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
1023 AM CDT FRI MAR 21 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY
LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY
LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0101 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAFAYETTE
30.22N 92.03W
03/18/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTS OF
TREES DOWN ON POWERLINES AND ON A HOUSE IN THE
LAFAYETTE
AREA.
0138 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 8 NE PINEVILLE
31.40N 92.30W
03/18/2008
RAPIDES LA
OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 48 MPH MEASURED AT ESLER FIELD AIRPORT
ASOS
0146 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 S CENTRAL GARDENS
29.95N 94.02W
03/18/2008
JEFFERSON TX
OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 45 MPH MEASURED AT SOUTHEAST TEXAS
REGIONAL
AIRPORT ASOS
0154 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG SUGARTOWN
30.84N 93.01W
03/18/2008
BEAUREGARD LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
TREE FELL ON
HOME. REPORTED BY KPLC-TV.
0200 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 W BIG CANE
30.82N 92.03W
03/18/2008
ST. LANDRY LA NWS
STORM SURVEY
A LARGE TREE
WAS BLOWN DOWN BY THE STRONG GRADIENT WINDS
NEXT TO BIG
CANE BAPTIST CHURCH AND DESTROYED A FENCE.
0230 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG ALEXANDRIA
31.29N 92.46W
03/18/2008
RAPIDES LA
NEWSPAPER
ROOF BLOWN
OFF OF AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. SEVERAL POWER
LINES DOWN.
WITH APPROX. 2500 WITHOUT POWER IN ALEXANDRIA
AND ABOUT
2500 WITH OUT POWER IN PINEVILLE.
0230 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG BORDELONVILLE
31.11N 91.91W
03/18/2008
AVOYELLES LA
NWS STORM SURVEY
A FEW TREES
AND LARGE TREE LIMBS WERE BLOWN DOWN ACROSS
THE PARISH
FROM STRONG GRADIENT WINDS.
0233 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 6 S LAKE CHARLES
30.12N 93.22W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 52 MPH MEASURED AT LAKE CHARLES
REGIONAL
AIRPORT ASOS
0237 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG JENNINGS
30.22N 92.66W
03/18/2008
JEFFERSON DAVIS LA FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TREE FELL ON
A VEHICLE
0244 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG ALEXANDRIA
31.29N 92.46W
03/18/2008
RAPIDES LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
52 MPH WIND
GUST MEASURED AT KALB-TV.
0244 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG ALEXANDRIA
31.29N 92.46W
03/18/2008
RAPIDES LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
4 INCH
DIAMETER TREE LIMB BLOWN DOWN. RELAYED FROM KALB.
0258 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 ESE LAFAYETTE
30.20N 92.00W
03/18/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 47 MPH MEASURED AT LAFAYETTE REGIONAL
AIRPORT ASOS
0313 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 6 WNW ALEXANDRIA
31.33N 92.55W
03/18/2008
RAPIDES LA
OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 48 MPH MEASURED AT ALEXANDRIA INTL
AIRPORT ASOS
0314 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAFAYETTE
30.22N 92.03W
03/18/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
STREET LIGHT
BLOWN DOWN. RELAYED BY KATC.
0314 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CARENCRO
30.31N 92.04W
03/18/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
TREES
REPORTED DOWN. RELAYED BY KATC.
0314 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAFAYETTE
30.22N 92.03W
03/18/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
NUMEROUS
TREES REPORTED DOWN. RELAYED BY KATC.
0343 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 WNW NEW IBERIA
30.03N 91.88W
03/18/2008
IBERIA
LA OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 54 MPH MEASURED AT ACADIANA REGIONAL
AIRPORT ASOS
0354 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 6 S LAKE CHARLES
30.12N 93.22W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
OFFICIAL NWS OBS
PEAK WIND
GUST OF 51 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED AT NWS LAKE
CHARLES
OFFICE
0417 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG OPELOUSAS
30.52N 92.08W
03/18/2008
ST. LANDRY LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
TREE BLOWN
DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 182 TEMPORARILY CLOSING
THE ROAD.
REPORTED BY KATC-TV.
0417 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG OPELOUSAS
30.52N 92.08W
03/18/2008
ST. LANDRY LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
TREE BLOWN
DOWN ON HOME IN OPELOUSAS. REPORTED BY
KATC-TV.
0418 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAFAYETTE
30.22N 92.03W
03/18/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
SEVERAL TREES
BLOWN DOWN ACROSS LAFAYETTE. WINDOW BLOWN
OUT OF
DOWNTOWN HIGH-RISE. REPORTED BY KATC-TV.
0444 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAKE CHARLES
30.21N 93.20W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES
REPORTED IN LAKE CHARLES BY KBIU-FM AND
KPLC-TV.
0444 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WESTLAKE
30.25N 93.26W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES
REPORTED IN WESTLAKE BY KPLC-TV.
0448 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 6 SSE LAKE CHARLES
30.13N 93.16W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
NWS EMPLOYEE
SKIRTING ON
MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED ON TANK FARM ROAD. METAL
ROOF BLOWN
OFF PATIO.
0500 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAKE CHARLES
30.21N 93.20W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
SEVERAL TREES
BLOWN DOWN AROUND LAKE CHARLES. REPORTED BY
KPLC-TV.
0600 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LAKE CHARLES
30.21N 93.20W
03/18/2008
CALCASIEU LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
A FEW WINDOWS
WERE BLOWN OUT OF A DOWNTOWN BUILDING.
REPORTED BY
KPLC-TV.
0608 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG ALEXANDRIA
31.29N 92.46W
03/18/2008
RAPIDES LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
SEVERAL TREE
LIMBS AND A FEW TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ACROSS
ALEXANDRIA.
REPORTED BY KALB-TV.
1130 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 13 SSE PECAN ISLAND
29.47N 92.37W
03/18/2008 M44.00 MPH GMZ452
LA PUBLIC
REPORTED BY
PLATFORM IN VERMILION BLOCK 26.
1223 AM TSTM WND DMG LAFAYETTE
30.22N 92.03W
03/19/2008
LAFAYETTE LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
TREES DOWN
NEAR INTERSECTION OF AMBASSADOR CAFFERTY AND
CONGRESS.
ESTIMATED WINDS UP TO 75 MPH.
1259 AM TSTM WND DMG CECILIA
30.34N 91.85W
03/19/2008
ST. MARTIN LA
BROADCAST MEDIA
TREES DOWN
NEAR HIGHWAY 347.
|