71409 Zip Code Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in 71409 Zip Code is about the same as Louisiana average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in 71409 Zip Code is lower than Louisiana average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #280
| 71409 Zip Code | 0.02 |
| Louisiana | 0.03 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| 71409 Zip Code | 0.0000 |
| Louisiana | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #574
| 71409 Zip Code | 191.25 |
| Louisiana | 235.86 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 1,982 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of 71409 Zip Code were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 1 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 3 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 119 | Hail: | 658 | Heat: | 0 | Heavy Snow: | 0 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 1 | Ice Storm: | 3 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 4 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,147 | Tropical Storm: | 4 | Wildfire: | 1 | Winter Storm: | 0 | Winter Weather: | 1 |
| Other: | 40 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near 71409 Zip Code.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near 71409 Zip Code.
No historical earthquake events found in or near 71409 Zip Code.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 74 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near 71409 Zip Code.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 5.9 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°10'N / 92°49'W | 31°23'N / 92°24'W | 28.80 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.5M | 0 | Rapides |
| 8.0 | 1957-11-07 | 3 | 31°23'N / 92°40'W | 31°18'N / 92°28'W | 13.30 Miles | 67 Yards | 3 | 16 | 2.5M | 0 | Rapides |
| 8.9 | 1971-06-22 | 3 | 31°20'N / 92°33'W | 0.10 Mile | 17 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Rapides | |
| 13.1 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°30'N / 92°45'W | 31°30'N / 92°43'W | 1.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Rapides |
| 13.5 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°30'N / 92°43'W | 31°31'N / 92°42'W | 1.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 13.7 | 1999-01-21 | 2 | 31°18'N / 92°28'W | 31°18'N / 92°28'W | 2.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 1 | 1.0M | 0 | Rapides |
| Brief Description: A small, yet powerful tornado moved across southern sections of Alexandria. Touching down southwest of Highway 71, the storm moved through the Mayeau subdivision and the MacArthur-Lee business district. The one injury occurred when a man driving down the road had a tree land on his vehicle. Several homes were destroyed, a strip mall lost its entire roof, and at least 30 other homes and businesses received some form of damage. Trees as wide as 15 feet were snapped 20 feet off the ground. | |||||||||||
| 14.5 | 2004-11-23 | 2 | 31°20'N / 92°57'W | 31°29'N / 92°53'W | 20.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 1.0M | 0 | Natchitoches |
| Brief Description: A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A DAMAGING TORNADO THAT MOVED INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF NATCHITOCHES PARISH. THE STORM MOVED IN A NORTHEAST DIRECTION...CROSSING HWY 119 EAST OF GORUM AND HWY 1 NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF GALBRAITH AND THEN PROCEEDED TO MOVE ALONG HWY 490 FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES BEFORE THE HIGHWAY CURVED AWAY FROM THE STORM'S PATH. THE STORM THEN CROSSED THE CANE RIVER NORTH OF THE COMMUNITY OF MARCO AND CROSSED THE RED RIVER...MOVING INTO GRANT PARISH. THE PATH WIDTH RANGED FROM 100 TO 300 YARDS AND APPEARS TO HAVE STAYED ON THE GROUND CONTINUOUSLY FOR SOME 20 MILES. PRIOR TO IT'S MOVING ALONG HWY 490...IT WAS IN MAINLY RURAL FORESTED AREAS AND OTHER THAN EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE...RESULTED IN ONLY ISOLATED MINOR DAMAGE TO FARM OUTBUILDINGS. AS THE STORM MOVED ALONG HWY 490...IT DAMAGED OR DESTROYED TREES AND PROPERTY EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A TWO MILE STRETCH. SEVERAL HOMES SUSTAINED MODERATE TO MAJOR DAMAGE INCLUDING TWO FRAME HOMES WHICH WERE DESTROYED AND TWO MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED. THE ONLY INJURY WAS ONE LADY WHO SUFFERED BROKEN RIBS AND A PUNCTURED LUNG. | |||||||||||
| 15.0 | 1981-06-05 | 2 | 31°16'N / 92°27'W | 0.10 Mile | 23 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Rapides | |
| 15.1 | 1951-01-06 | 3 | 31°18'N / 92°28'W | 31°26'N / 92°26'W | 9.50 Miles | 317 Yards | 0 | 11 | 250K | 0 | Rapides |
| 15.3 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°22'N / 93°05'W | 31°30'N / 92°45'W | 21.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Natchitoches |
| 15.6 | 1981-06-05 | 3 | 31°18'N / 92°28'W | 31°19'N / 92°24'W | 4.30 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 10 | 2.5M | 0 | Rapides |
| 16.2 | 1975-04-29 | 2 | 31°09'N / 92°30'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Rapides | |
| 16.4 | 1992-11-21 | 2 | 31°23'N / 92°26'W | 0.50 Mile | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Rapides | |
| 17.9 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°23'N / 92°24'W | 31°26'N / 92°26'W | 4.10 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Rapides |
| 18.5 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°26'N / 92°26'W | 31°35'N / 92°32'W | 11.90 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Grant |
| 19.2 | 1953-03-22 | 2 | 31°06'N / 93°13'W | 31°42'N / 92°48'W | 48.10 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Vernon |
| 19.4 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°04'N / 93°03'W | 31°10'N / 92°49'W | 15.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 7 | 20 | 2.5M | 0 | Vernon |
| 19.9 | 2004-11-23 | 2 | 31°19'N / 93°04'W | 31°22'N / 93°00'W | 10.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 0 | 3 | 500K | 0 | Vernon |
| Brief Description: A strong tornado formed in rural sections of Vernon Parish, blowing down many trees and power lines, before hitting the small community of Hutton. 10 to 15 homes were damaged or destroyed. Several people were injured, none seriously. | |||||||||||
| 19.9 | 1950-05-01 | 2 | 31°33'N / 92°54'W | 31°34'N / 92°51'W | 3.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 7 | 250K | 0 | Natchitoches |
| 20.4 | 1951-01-06 | 3 | 31°26'N / 92°26'W | 31°32'N / 92°24'W | 7.30 Miles | 317 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 20.5 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°23'N / 93°12'W | 31°29'N / 92°50'W | 22.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Natchitoches |
| 20.6 | 1992-11-12 | 2 | 31°35'N / 92°33'W | 1.50 Miles | 57 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Grant | |
| 22.9 | 1981-06-05 | 2 | 31°06'N / 92°24'W | 0.10 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Rapides | |
| 23.8 | 1992-11-21 | 2 | 31°12'N / 93°08'W | 31°16'N / 93°03'W | 6.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Vernon |
| 26.3 | 1967-01-26 | 2 | 31°24'N / 93°08'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Grant | |
| 27.0 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°35'N / 92°32'W | 31°43'N / 92°24'W | 12.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Grant |
| 28.7 | 1957-10-23 | 2 | 31°06'N / 92°18'W | 31°20'N / 92°09'W | 18.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Rapides |
| 28.8 | 1957-11-13 | 2 | 31°09'N / 92°15'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Rapides | |
| 29.7 | 1991-11-19 | 2 | 31°07'N / 92°15'W | 31°11'N / 92°13'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Rapides |
| 30.4 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°22'N / 93°13'W | 31°23'N / 93°12'W | 1.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Sabine |
| 30.5 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°43'N / 92°24'W | 31°36'N / 92°21'W | 8.70 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Grant |
| 30.6 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°16'N / 93°21'W | 31°22'N / 93°05'W | 17.20 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Vernon |
| 30.9 | 1991-11-19 | 2 | 31°11'N / 92°13'W | 31°13'N / 92°10'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Avoyelles |
| 31.9 | 1965-01-22 | 2 | 31°14'N / 92°10'W | 2.30 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Avoyelles | |
| 33.7 | 1975-04-29 | 2 | 30°56'N / 93°11'W | 30°56'N / 92°56'W | 14.80 Miles | 50 Yards | 2 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Vernon |
| 35.4 | 1974-10-28 | 2 | 31°09'N / 93°16'W | 0.20 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 12 | 250K | 0 | Vernon | |
| 35.4 | 1968-06-17 | 2 | 30°48'N / 92°40'W | 0.10 Mile | 17 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | St. Helena | |
| 36.0 | 1976-03-30 | 2 | 31°19'N / 93°24'W | 31°22'N / 93°13'W | 11.30 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Vernon |
| 36.2 | 1974-03-20 | 3 | 31°47'N / 92°58'W | 31°48'N / 92°56'W | 2.70 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Winn |
| 37.1 | 1999-01-02 | 2 | 30°50'N / 93°04'W | 30°53'N / 93°00'W | 5.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 50K | 0 | Beauregard |
| Brief Description: This tornado originally touched down 4 miles west of Sugartown, damaging one home. it continued northeast and intersected Highway 113 near the Whiskey Chitto Creek bridge. A large swath of large trees were sheared off and twisted. A few homes in this area received roof damage. A large trampoline was found 20 feet in the air, wrapped around a tree. | |||||||||||
| 38.3 | 2010-11-29 | 4 | 31°47'N / 92°48'W | 31°57'N / 92°39'W | 14.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 750K | 0K | Winn |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Numerous trees were snapped near the intersection of Collier and Water Well Roads. The tornado then crossed Gum Springs Road, where it completely destroyed one well-built two story brick home and an adjacent brick garage. The home was approximately 4000 sq. ft in size, built in 1997, and its destruction was the basis of the EF-4 rating. Many of the nearby trees were completely snapped, with several near the home snapped off at the base. One single wide mobile home was also destroyed, with its remnants blown into a wooded area about 300 yards away. Another nearby home was moderately damaged, while two other homes suffered minor damage. The tornado then crossed into an open field, before entering a heavily wooded area, traveling northeast across Highways 84 and 167, where sporadic minor tree damage was observed just west and north of Winnfield. Maximum winds are estimated around 170 mph, with a maximum width of 400 yards. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A potent...upper level short wave accompanied a prefrontal feature during the afternoon hours of November 29th across north central Louisiana. These thunderstorms developed in a weakly unstable airmass across the region. However...there was strong wind shear present...especially in the lowest 3 kilometers of the atmosphere. A broken line of thunderstorms developed across east central Texas into northwest Louisiana along the prefrontal trough axis. These thunderstorms quickly became supercells. One of these storms produced a significant tornado in Winn Parish which traveled northeast and dropped again in southern Ouachita Parish. Other storms downed powerlines in northwest Louisiana and minor flooding problems. | |||||||||||
| 38.8 | 1974-03-20 | 3 | 31°49'N / 92°57'W | 31°55'N / 92°40'W | 20.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Winn |
| 38.8 | 1983-05-19 | 3 | 31°52'N / 92°55'W | 31°53'N / 92°28'W | 23.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 10 | 25.0M | 0 | Winn |
| 39.3 | 1968-03-11 | 3 | 31°46'N / 93°06'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Natchitoches | |
| 39.3 | 1953-05-18 | 2 | 30°45'N / 92°48'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Allen | |
| 39.3 | 1983-03-04 | 2 | 31°38'N / 92°12'W | 31°42'N / 92°09'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | La Salle |
| 39.4 | 1953-12-03 | 4 | 31°46'N / 92°21'W | 31°49'N / 92°19'W | 4.30 Miles | 300 Yards | 2 | 15 | 2.5M | 0 | La Salle |
| 39.6 | 1983-05-19 | 3 | 31°47'N / 93°05'W | 2.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Natchitoches | |
| 40.2 | 2000-11-06 | 2 | 30°54'N / 92°13'W | 30°56'N / 92°11'W | 3.00 Miles | 25 Yards | 0 | 3 | 200K | 0 | Avoyelles |
| Brief Description: An F-2 tornado moved across rural sections of Avoyelles Parish, destroying two homes and damaging several other bulidings. The tornado began near a church in Eola, where a home lost part of its roof and the steeple blew off the church. A neighboring home lost its porch and had a window blown out, while some old buildings nearby were flattened. Many trees were also blown down. On Highway 29 south of Bunkie, one permanent home lost a portion of its roof, one outside wall, and the carport. Another permanent home bult on a foundation was swept off its foundation and moved 200 feet. In this home, three people received minor injuries. They were found in debris 300 feet from where the home originally lay. The wood frame home they were in was torn to pieces. Two cars and a horse trailer were thrown over 100 feet into a field. | |||||||||||
| 41.0 | 1983-01-31 | 3 | 30°56'N / 92°10'W | 30°59'N / 92°07'W | 5.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Avoyelles |
| 42.7 | 1974-03-20 | 3 | 31°43'N / 93°26'W | 31°49'N / 92°57'W | 30.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Natchitoches |
| 43.6 | 1993-04-14 | 2 | 31°37'N / 93°26'W | 31°38'N / 93°15'W | 10.00 Miles | 125 Yards | 0 | 3 | 5.0M | 500K | Sabine And Natchitoches |
| 44.0 | 2000-04-23 | 2 | 31°42'N / 92°06'W | 31°40'N / 92°05'W | 2.30 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 750K | 0 | La Salle |
| Brief Description: A high precipitation supercell produced a tornado as part of an outbreak of tornadoes across the region. Damage consisted of large pine and oak trees snapped and broken as well as damage to homes. Most damage to residences were from falling trees. One manufactured home was completely destroyed. A number of outbuildings were damaged by either falling trees or high wind. | |||||||||||
| 44.3 | 1953-03-22 | 2 | 31°42'N / 92°48'W | 32°09'N / 92°09'W | 49.20 Miles | 200 Yards | 2 | 22 | 2.5M | 0 | Winn |
| 44.5 | 1967-05-01 | 3 | 30°40'N / 92°56'W | 30°43'N / 92°52'W | 5.20 Miles | 750 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Allen |
| 44.8 | 1964-11-27 | 2 | 31°08'N / 92°00'W | 31°12'N / 91°55'W | 6.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Avoyelles |
| 44.9 | 1957-11-16 | 3 | 31°34'N / 93°24'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Sabine | |
| 45.0 | 1970-05-24 | 2 | 30°44'N / 92°18'W | 30°48'N / 92°16'W | 5.20 Miles | 417 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Evangeline |
| 45.0 | 1983-01-31 | 2 | 30°43'N / 92°22'W | 30°45'N / 92°20'W | 3.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | East Feliciana |
| 45.6 | 1982-09-11 | 2 | 30°43'N / 92°22'W | 2.50 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Evangeline | |
| 46.1 | 1950-05-02 | 2 | 31°33'N / 91°58'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Catahoula | |
| 46.2 | 2003-11-26 | 2 | 30°45'N / 93°19'W | 30°51'N / 93°05'W | 16.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 5 | 1.0M | 0 | Beauregard |
| Brief Description: A long-lasting tornado tore across northern Beauregard Parish, staying in mainly rural areas. The worst damage occurred along Highway 26 east of DeRidder, where two mobile homes were flipped over. Debris was strewn for over a half mile. One person was injured after he was thrown from the mobile home. In the Longacre community, a family of 4 climbed into a homemade storm cellar, moments before the tornado destroyed their home. They received minro bumps and brusies when the roof of the storm cellar lifted off and debris landed on them. This tornado continued into Vernon Parish. | |||||||||||
| 46.4 | 1984-06-07 | 2 | 31°02'N / 91°59'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 3 | 250K | 0 | Avoyelles | |
| 46.4 | 1982-09-11 | 2 | 31°04'N / 91°58'W | 0.80 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Avoyelles | |
| 47.3 | 2008-12-09 | 2 | 31°41'N / 92°12'W | 31°55'N / 92°04'W | 18.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 750K | 0K | La Salle |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A funnel cloud was first observed just west of Pineview by staff members from the local hospital. Shortly afterward, the tornado touched down near Industrial Rd. and snapped or uprooted several trees, causing EF0 damage. The storm path at this location was 75 yards wide. The tornado then traveled northeast to Hwy 127 where it caused EF2 damage. Several modular homes were completely destroyed. One man received minor injuries as he was temporarily trapped in his home after the storm struck. Two brick homes in the immediate area suffered severe roof damage. Several 2 to 3 foot-thick trees were snapped or uprooted and carried up to 50 yards. The path of the storm at this location was about 300 yards wide. The tornado then proceeded to Wilburn Rd. and caused EF1 damage. Several 12 to 18 inch-diameter trees were snapped in this heavily wooded area. One 2 to 3 foot-diameter trees was uprooted. The path of the storm at this location was 100 yards wide. The storm continued northeast, crossing Industrial Rd. 8, where it caused EF0 damage. A few 8 to 12 inch-diameter trees were snapped. The path was 50 yards wide at this location. In northern La Salle Parish, the storm crossed Boneyard Rd just south of Hwy 124, causing EF0 damage. A few 8 to 12 inch-diameter trees were snapped. The top of one tree landed on powerlines along the road. The path of the storm was 50 yards wide at this location. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Strong low level wind shear accompanied a broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms across portions of northwest and north central Louisiana the morning of December 9th. These thunderstorms produced large hail, damaging thunderstorm wind gusts and a few tornadoes across the region. | |||||||||||
| 47.3 | 2003-11-17 | 2 | 31°08'N / 93°29'W | 31°09'N / 93°28'W | 1.00 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.0M | 0 | Newton |
| Brief Description: Seven homes were destroyed, and 11 were damaged from a short-lived tornado on River Road just below the Toledo Bend Dam. | |||||||||||
| 47.6 | 1983-05-19 | 3 | 31°52'N / 92°18'W | 31°56'N / 92°15'W | 5.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 1 | 30 | 25.0M | 0 | St. Helena |
| 47.9 | 1973-12-03 | 2 | 30°50'N / 93°17'W | 1.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Beauregard | |
| 47.9 | 2001-11-26 | 2 | 31°53'N / 93°11'W | 31°57'N / 93°01'W | 15.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 40K | 0 | Natchitoches |
| Brief Description: Damage was confined mostly to trees and tree limbs. A row of Pecan trees was knocked over at the beginning of the path. Some power lines were down, a mobile home had its roof stripped and a home had its chimney and roof damaged. | |||||||||||
| 47.9 | 1954-04-30 | 2 | 31°30'N / 93°36'W | 31°35'N / 93°20'W | 16.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 6 | 25K | 0 | Sabine |
| 48.3 | 2009-12-24 | 2 | 30°46'N / 92°09'W | 30°51'N / 92°07'W | 6.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0K | St. Landry |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The Whiteville Tornado touched down near Interstate 49 about 2 miles southwest of the community, then moved north-northeastward. Upon reaching Parish Road 5-230, the tornado destroyed an outbuilding and blew down numerous trees along Bayou Boeuf. A home was damaged south of Highway 182 just east of Bayou Boeuf, and two mobile homes received roof damage along Sonnier Road. The tornado then struck the Resurrection Catholic Church, obliterating the building and damaging several tombstones and tombs in the nearby graveyard. A farm located just north of the church received major damage, with one large rice silo blown 50 yards southwestward into the bayou and another rice silo severely damaged. Two tractor trailers at the farm were also damaged, with one blown by the tornado into a jack-knife position, and the other having a large tree fall onto it. Continuing north-northeastward across open fields, the tornado then blew down numerous trees along WPA Road. No damage occurred for the next few miles as the tornado moved across open farmland and crossed into Avoyelles Parish. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A powerful upper level storm system moved across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley from Wednesday, December 23, 2009, through Thursday, December 24, 2009. Numerous showers and elevated thunderstorms, including some supercells, repeatedly developed and moved northward across much of southwest Louisiana and the northern Gulf of Mexico from late Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. As the main upper level system approached Louisiana early Thursday morning, a squall line developed across east Texas and moved rapidly eastward across Louisiana, causing several reports of wind damage in southern Louisiana. Meanwhile, some of the elevated supercells became surface-based and tracked north-northeastward across south-central and east-central Louisiana, spawning at least a dozen tornadoes. In addition, the widespread rainfall caused flooding in some of these same areas. In total, at least 12 tornadoes affected portions of Vermilion, Acadia, St. Landry, Evangeline, and Avoyelles Parishes within a two hour timespan from 7-9 AM. Seven tornadoes affected Acadia Parish alone, the biggest single outbreak of tornadoes ever recorded in that parish. Three tornadoes were rated EF2, three were rated EF1, and six were rated EF0. Other tornadoes likely occurred that were reported by area residents but could not be confirmed by NWS storm surveys. These included a likely tornado just east of I-49 in extreme northeastern Evangeline Parish, a possible tornado about 8 miles southwest of Gueydan, and another east of Palmetto in far northeastern St. Landry Parish. This was the largest outbreak of tornadoes in the NWS Lake Charles county warning area since November 23, 2004. | |||||||||||
| 48.5 | 1974-02-18 | 2 | 30°58'N / 91°59'W | 0.50 Mile | 23 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Avoyelles | |
| 48.6 | 1974-03-20 | 3 | 31°35'N / 93°50'W | 31°47'N / 92°58'W | 23.10 Miles | 77 Yards | 0 | 18 | 250K | 0 | Natchitoches |
| 48.9 | 2004-11-23 | 3 | 31°53'N / 92°15'W | 31°55'N / 92°13'W | 3.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 1 | 20 | 5.0M | 0 | La Salle |
| Brief Description: A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM MOVED INTO EXTREME NORTHWEST LA SALLE PARISH AND TRACKED TOWARDS THE TOWN OF OLLA. THE TRACK BEGAN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OLLA AND TRACKED NORTHEAST FOR 3 MILES TOWARDS THE LA SALLE/CALDWELL PARISH LINE. THE LA SALLE PARISH HIGH SCHOOL SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE WHERE THE TORNADO WAS RATED A LOW END F2. THE DAMAGE PATH EXTENDED INTO THE MIDDLE OF OLLA WERE NUMEROUS HOMES SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE. SOME HOMES LOST THE ROOF...EXTERIOR WALLS AND A FEW INTERIOR WALLS. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AN F3 AT THIS LOCATION. ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PART OF TOWN...5 MOBILE HOMES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND A PICKUP WAS LAUNCHED 200 FEET AND SMASHED UPSIDE DOWN. IN THE COMMUNITY OF STANDARD...4 HOMES AND A STORE WERE DESTROYED. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AN F3 AT THIS LOCATION. TOTAL DAMAGE CONSISTED OF MINOR TO MAJOR DAMAGE TO 106 HOMES AND THE HIGH SCHOOL. F89PH | |||||||||||
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.