Storm Surge/Tide — Lower Lafourche, Louisiana

2024-09-11 to 2024-09-12 · Lower Lafourche, Louisiana

Event narrative

Using a combination of NAVD88 data as well as analysis from the storm surge unit, peak storm surge in lower Lafourche was 4-6 feet above normally dry ground right along the southwestern coast of the parish. MHHW levels in Grand Isle and Fourchon indicate surge was closer to 1-2 feet above normal along the southeastern coast of Lafourche. This resulted in minor flooding of the lower sections of the parish, and inundating portions of Hwy 1 between Golden Meadow and Port Fourchon.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Francine formed as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on September 9, 2024, and intensified into a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall near Houma, Louisiana, on the morning of September 11. With sustained winds of 100 mph and gusts peaking at 105 mph, Francine brought widespread damage to southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. A storm surge of 6-9 feet inundated low-lying coastal areas, while torrential rainfall of 10-15 inches caused significant flash flooding, including in the New Orleans metro area. Over 400,000 residents experienced power outages, and extensive wind damage was reported, with numerous trees and powerlines downed. There were a total of 6 direct injuries, 0 indirect injuries and 0 fatalities. The Louisiana Department of Health reported 18 ED visits for carbon dioxide exposure across various parishes in southeast Louisiana. In terms of dollar damage, the best estimate around $100 million but that could be very conservative as some online reports suggest much more than that.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1217846. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.