Thunderstorm Wind — Grant, Louisiana

2024-05-30 · near Colfax, Grant, Louisiana

Event narrative

Trees downed in the southbound lane of Highway 71 near Colfax.

Wider weather episode

Remnants of a pre-dawn mesoscale convective system (MCS) that developed over the southern High Plains propagated downstream into the Ark-La-Tex region during the evening hours on May 30th. Diurnal heating and weak convective inhibition allowed for renewed development of severe thunderstorms along the leading edge of this long-lived MCS. Surface temperatures warmed into the 80s ahead of this convection across North Louisiana and South Arkansas, which contributed to MLCAPE values on the order of 1500-2000 J/kg within a modestly sheared environment. Additionally, a shortwave trough associated with this convection promoted further advancement downstream into an air mass that was supportive of robust updrafts. As a result, numerous severe thunderstorms affected much of North Louisiana with widespread damaging winds and several tornadoes. In addition, isolated reports of flash flooding were also documented.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (31.5400, -92.6800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1187779. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.