MORE Strong Storms For SE TX / SW LA possible
Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:02 am
Last night I was in Nederland & Port Arthur and shortly before dark, I saw some of the darkest clouds approaching that I'd seen in quite some time. When I looked off to the west however, the sunset was gorgeous. (didn't last long though)
Anyway, I needed just a few things from Walmart and thought maybe I could beat the rain and get in and get out quickly. I was flying and grabbed 2 things and was heading to get the last 2 things I needed, when I heard the loudest KA-POW and kids started screaming. Then it started pouring. Not that big of a deal, but being in a SuperWalmart and it being that loud, I knew it was a doozy outside. On my way to the checkout, I figured I'd better buy an umbrella since my "good one" was broken at home from the last wind event. I found one of those handy dandy wind-proof ones (I just learned about these about a week ago) and figured I'd put it to the test.
After I checked out, there was a conglomeration of storm-shocked people in the little entry area waiting for the storm to subside so they could get to their cars. We didn't know then, but that wait was gonna be a while. It was pouring, torrential type rains, lightning was non-stop, and you could see small things flying around in the wind, but I didn't want to wait. I opened my new wind-proof umbrella, thinking to myself that I was about to break yet another umbrella, and headed for my car. Much to my surprise, the wind-proof umbrella worked!! It is huge, but I was still soaking wet when I got to my car. The rain was coming down sideways.
So I started to drive off, when I noticed that I couldn't see to drive. Whoops, maybe I should have just stayed in Walmart. But....I had a better view. I just sat in the flooding parking lot and watched the cloud to ground lightning all around me, thinking what are the odds it's gonna strike me? I decided it wasn't very likely, so I sat there in awe of this surprising storm, to me. I hadn't been home in hours and thought high pressure sitting over the area bringing these horrible temps was gonna keep rain away for a few days. So my Mom calls to tell me to look out, there was a severe thunderstorm warning and it was headed my away (she was watching TWC). Umm Mom, TWC is behind. It's heeeeeeeeeere. lol
Anyway, I eventually ventured onto the street and headed home, poking along on the freeway with everyone else. Once I had hydroplaned a little, I decided I needed to go even slower.
It's rained A LOT this summer, but this was by far the strongest storm I've seen in a while.
Looks like a repeat may be possible...
Special Weather Statement
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
430 AM CDT THU AUG 17 2006
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-172100-
VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-
CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-
CAMERON-VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-LOWER ST. MARTIN-TYLER-JASPER-
NEWTON-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LEESVILLE...ALEXANDRIA...MARKSVILLE...
DERIDDER...OAKDALE...VILLE PLATTE...OPELOUSAS...LAKE CHARLES...
JENNINGS...CROWLEY...LAFAYETTE...ST. MARTINVILLE...CAMERON...
ABBEVILLE...NEW IBERIA...MORGAN CITY...WOODVILLE...JASPER...
NEWTON...LUMBERTON...BEAUMONT/PORT ARTHUR...ORANGE
430 AM CDT THU AUG 17 2006
...AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE UPPER 90S TO 100 EXPECTED TODAY...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE BY LATE AFTERNOON...
ANOTHER HOT DAY IS IN STORE FOR THE REGION...WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS
REACHING 100 DEGREES ACROSS INLAND SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND CENTRAL
LOUISIANA...AND UPPER 90S FROM I-10 SOUTH. HEAT INDICES WILL
LIKELY RANGE BETWEEN 105 TO 108 DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN DURING THE LATE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. A FEW OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE POSSIBILTY EXISTS
FOR SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS REACHING SEVERE LIMITS...WITH WET
MICRO BURSTS THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT http://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION...FORECASTS...AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
Anyway, I needed just a few things from Walmart and thought maybe I could beat the rain and get in and get out quickly. I was flying and grabbed 2 things and was heading to get the last 2 things I needed, when I heard the loudest KA-POW and kids started screaming. Then it started pouring. Not that big of a deal, but being in a SuperWalmart and it being that loud, I knew it was a doozy outside. On my way to the checkout, I figured I'd better buy an umbrella since my "good one" was broken at home from the last wind event. I found one of those handy dandy wind-proof ones (I just learned about these about a week ago) and figured I'd put it to the test.
After I checked out, there was a conglomeration of storm-shocked people in the little entry area waiting for the storm to subside so they could get to their cars. We didn't know then, but that wait was gonna be a while. It was pouring, torrential type rains, lightning was non-stop, and you could see small things flying around in the wind, but I didn't want to wait. I opened my new wind-proof umbrella, thinking to myself that I was about to break yet another umbrella, and headed for my car. Much to my surprise, the wind-proof umbrella worked!! It is huge, but I was still soaking wet when I got to my car. The rain was coming down sideways.
So I started to drive off, when I noticed that I couldn't see to drive. Whoops, maybe I should have just stayed in Walmart. But....I had a better view. I just sat in the flooding parking lot and watched the cloud to ground lightning all around me, thinking what are the odds it's gonna strike me? I decided it wasn't very likely, so I sat there in awe of this surprising storm, to me. I hadn't been home in hours and thought high pressure sitting over the area bringing these horrible temps was gonna keep rain away for a few days. So my Mom calls to tell me to look out, there was a severe thunderstorm warning and it was headed my away (she was watching TWC). Umm Mom, TWC is behind. It's heeeeeeeeeere. lol
Anyway, I eventually ventured onto the street and headed home, poking along on the freeway with everyone else. Once I had hydroplaned a little, I decided I needed to go even slower.
It's rained A LOT this summer, but this was by far the strongest storm I've seen in a while.
Looks like a repeat may be possible...
Special Weather Statement
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
430 AM CDT THU AUG 17 2006
LAZ027>033-041>045-051>055-TXZ180>182-201-215-216-172100-
VERNON-RAPIDES-AVOYELLES-BEAUREGARD-ALLEN-EVANGELINE-ST. LANDRY-
CALCASIEU-JEFFERSON DAVIS-ACADIA-LAFAYETTE-UPPER ST. MARTIN-
CAMERON-VERMILION-IBERIA-ST. MARY-LOWER ST. MARTIN-TYLER-JASPER-
NEWTON-HARDIN-JEFFERSON-ORANGE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LEESVILLE...ALEXANDRIA...MARKSVILLE...
DERIDDER...OAKDALE...VILLE PLATTE...OPELOUSAS...LAKE CHARLES...
JENNINGS...CROWLEY...LAFAYETTE...ST. MARTINVILLE...CAMERON...
ABBEVILLE...NEW IBERIA...MORGAN CITY...WOODVILLE...JASPER...
NEWTON...LUMBERTON...BEAUMONT/PORT ARTHUR...ORANGE
430 AM CDT THU AUG 17 2006
...AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE UPPER 90S TO 100 EXPECTED TODAY...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE BY LATE AFTERNOON...
ANOTHER HOT DAY IS IN STORE FOR THE REGION...WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS
REACHING 100 DEGREES ACROSS INLAND SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND CENTRAL
LOUISIANA...AND UPPER 90S FROM I-10 SOUTH. HEAT INDICES WILL
LIKELY RANGE BETWEEN 105 TO 108 DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN DURING THE LATE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. A FEW OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE POSSIBILTY EXISTS
FOR SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS REACHING SEVERE LIMITS...WITH WET
MICRO BURSTS THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT http://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION...FORECASTS...AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
Tell me more about that umbrella! I'm always losing mine.