EF1 Tornado — St. James, Louisiana

2024-05-16 · near Welcome, St. James, Louisiana

Event narrative

NWS Storm Survey team determined an EF-1 tornado, with a peak wind of 105 mph and a maximum width of 120 yards, impacted Romeville in St. James Parish. This tornado caused damage to the roofs of a number of mobile homes and residences. Additionally, several trees and power poles were snapped all along the path.

Wider weather episode

Continual progressive flow aloft coupled with unstable air ignited thunderstorms across southeastern Texas during the afternoon hours. These storms formed into a linear complex and traversed along a northward advancing warm front draped across the gulf coast. Aided by ample instability and favorable wind shear, this cluster organized into a damaging wind with embedded tornado risk across southeastern Louisiana. Multiple rounds of storms also aided in flash flooding across urbanized areas. The complex continued to dive southward, favoring the highest instability and continued in to the coastal waters off of Mississippi. This complex continued to produce strong wind gusts until it exited the coastal waters.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (30.0700, -90.8900)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1185928. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.