Talking about Severe Weather: Respect Severe Thunderstorms

A lot of talk about severe weather lately. It's Springtime in the southland. Let me tell you about this storm. On May 27, 1997, a severe storm struck Ouachita Parish approaching from the southwest. The NWS estimated winds at 100 kts (115 mph). The wind blew that night. The building I was in had a radio tower on top. The whole building shook for what seemed like forever. KTVE had a brand new doppler radar. It had just been commissioned. Meteorologist Tim Erickson probably saved lives that night. We remember Tim.

There was a corridor of damage from Southwest Ouachita Parish to North Monroe. It was a very large damage area. I remember checking on this mobile home. The fella came to the door and said, "Come in, my daughter is asleep in her room. It's the only room she will sleep in." I looked down the hall where her room was, and the end of the trailer was gone. A tree had fallen and cut the end of the trailer off. And there was no power. Similar damage could be found throughout the damage corridor. I remember Bawcomville being heavily damaged.

Severe thunderstorms are dangerous. Develop your severe weather plan on a blue-sky day. Make sure there is a severe weather plan wherever your family members are.

May 27, 1997, NWS Storm Event Database Report:

A squall line pushed through Ouachita Parish during the evening toppling trees and power lines. Many homes suffered wind damage and roads were blocked by trees. Several people were trapped inside their cars by downed power lines. Over 200 telephone poles were snapped leaving 45,000 people without power. The damage area was nearly 180 square miles which covered much of the southern half of the Parish. In the city and surrounding communities over 400 homes suffered some sort of structural damage. The damage was so severe that Ouachita Parish was put under a declaration of emergency by the governor of Louisiana. The State Department of transportation and Development donated several trucks to help with the clean-up.

Source: National Weather Service, Newspaper.com and local knowledge

Thank you, Shreveport NWS.

Tom M.