Storm Surge/Tide — Iberia, Louisiana

2008-09-12 to 2008-09-14 · Iberia, Louisiana

Event narrative

Hurricane Ike resulted in a 7-8 foot storm surge, similar to Hurricane Rita in 2005. Homes and businesses along and south of Highway 14 and Highway 90 had water enter them. This included the Port of Iberia. Over 1000 homes were flooded. A bridge was damaged when a barge rain into it near Weeks Island.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Ike caused wind damage, storm surge flooding, and tornadoes across southwest Louisiana.

Ike made landfall near Galveston, TX early in the morning on September 13th as a strong category 2 hurricane.

Sustained hurricane force winds were confined to extreme western Cameron Parish. The highest recorded winds in southwest Lousiana were at Lake Charles Regional Airport with sustained winds of 46 kts (53 mph) and gusts of 67 kts (77 mph). The lowest pressure reading occurred at Southland Field near Sulphur, LA, with a low of 994.6 mb.

Several tornadoes were reported across southwest Louisiana. The most significant one was near Mamou, where a home lost its roof, and another 10-15 homes were damaged.

Storm surge was a significant event. Water levels ranged from 14 ft in western Cameron Parish, to 8 ft in St. Mary Parish. This resulted in widespread flooding of the same areas that flooded in Hurricane Rita in 2005. Most of Cameron Parish was under water. Over 3000 homes were flooded. This extended north into Calcasieu Parish, where another 1000 homes flooded in Lake Charles, Westlake, and Sulphur. In Vermilion Parish, at least 1000 homes flooded in Pecan Island, Forked Island, Intracoastal City, and Henry. This extended east into Iberia Parish, where another 1000 homes flooded south of Highway 14 and Highway 90. In St. Mary Parish, some of the worst flooding occurred in Franklin, where a man-made levee failed, flooding over 450 homes.

Maximum storm total rainfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches across Cameron, Calcasieu, and Beauregard Parishes.

No fatalities were reported in southwest Louisiana.

Total property damages, however, were high. Loses are estimated to be almost 420 million dollars across southwest Louisiana. Agricultural loses were over 225 million dollars.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 136880. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.