Marine Thunderstorm Wind — Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Maurepas, Gulf of Mexico

2025-05-06 · near Mid Mid Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - Xptn Weatherflow, Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Maurepas, Gulf of Mexico

Event narrative

The Weatherflow mesonet XPTN at Mid Lake Pontchartrain measured severe thunderstorm wind gusts for several minutes with a peak gust of 71 mph or 62 knots.

Wider weather episode

A deep upper level trough over the southwest US was very slowly moving east on May 6th. At the same time, a ridge of high pressure was centered over Central America. This creased a split flow pattern between those 2 features which increases buoyancy. As a previously stalled boundary in the northern Gulf lifted north as a warm front. High instability created by this environment supported severe wind gusts over local marine areas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (30.2000, -90.1200)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1259415. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.