1. Many times the storms occur at night. NWS meteorologists are constantly monitoring radar, satellite, and other weather data. For the fall season between 1950 and 2008, ten tornadoes produced fatalities across southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Ninety percent of these tornadoes occurred between the hours of 7 pm and 5 am. The NWS issues a tornado warning when someone reports a tornado on the ground, or when radar indicates one may be developing. The importance of NOAA Weather Radio can not be understated. These special radios can be programmed to set off a tone alert anytime the NWS issues a tornado, flash flood, or even a severe thunderstorm warning for your area.
2. Tornadoes and flooding are more likely during El Nino episodes. When El Nino (warmer water near the equatorial Pacific Ocean) occurs, a change in the weather pattern sets up across the Gulf Coast. The jet stream tends to become more active, and enhances the potential for heavy rain or severe weather.
3. Tornadoes and flooding can occur simultaneously. Remember the safety rules. In tornadoes, stay on the lowest floor, in an interior section of your home such as a closet or hallway. Stay away from windows. People in mobile homes need to plan ahead and find a more secure, safe location. Sometimes even mobile homes that are tied down have been flipped over and destroyed in tornado and other high wind events. In flash floods, the biggest dangers occur at night, when it is hard to see the depth of water on area roadways. Be especially caution on flood-prone areas such as underpasses and other low water crossings.
Recent Notable Fall Severe Weather and Flooding Events
October 25-27 1996…Around ten inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours, resulting in widespread flooding across Orange and Jefferson counties in southeast Texas. Ten earthen dams failed in Tyler County after they saw ten inches of rain in three hours, shortly after midnight on the 27th. In southwest Louisiana, flooding was reported from the Lake Charles area to Lafayette and New Iberia, after they saw ten inches of rain in less than 24 hours.
October 23-24 1997…Six tornadoes touched down in Beauregard, Acadia, and Evangeline Parishes, as well as Jasper and Tyler Counties, mainly between 6 pm on the 23rd and 1 am on the 24th. One tornado was rated F2 in Beauregard Parish where around five people were injured and ninety homes were damaged in Merryville.
October 28-29 2002…Five tornadoes touched down in Calcasieu, Beauregard, Acadia, St. Landry, and Evangeline Parishes, and Hardin County. Two women were killed and three other people were seriously injured near Chataignier, LA when an F2 tornado flipped a mobile home 100 yards across a field. To compound the weather problems, over five inches of rain fell in less than 3 hours. One woman drowned in Beaumont, TX when she drove into a flooded underpass late at night. Over 600 homes flooded in Orange County, and another 500 homes flooded in Beaumont, TX. Total property loss over this two day period was almost 9 million dollars region-wide. A detailed report on the flooding can be found here.
November 22-23 2004…Fifteen tornadoes ripped across southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, mainly at nighttime. Three tornadoes were rated as F2. One woman died in Hardin County where several large trees fell on her mobile home. A detailed report on this event can be found here.
October 2006…A series of severe weather and flooding events occurred in response to the developing El Nino in the Pacific Ocean. Between October 15th and 22nd, tornadoes and flooding wreaked havoc across the region. A more detailed report can be viewed here. Later in the month, October 25th-29th brought nine to twelve inches of rain to a region from Sour Lake, TX to Port Barre, LA. Significant flooding was seen across Calcasieu, Beauregard, Allen, Evangeline, and St. Landry Parishes, as well as Jefferson, Orange, and Hardin Counties. A complete report on this can be found here.
For additional information, contact Roger Erickson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NWS Lake Charles, by email at roger.erickson@noaa.gov or by phone at 337-477-5285 ext.
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