Thunderstorm Wind in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

Numerous homes and businesses were severely damaged in the town of Natchez, Louisiana including the City Hall where the roof was completely removed. Officials reported that 53 residences, 11 vehicles, 2 businesses and 2 boats were damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted from Natchez southward along State Route 494 and across the Cane River. Winds were estimated to be between 100 and 110 mph.

A very unstable airmass developed across the four state region during the afternoon hours of May 2nd. A weak cold front had moved southward during the morning hours into southeast Oklahoma and southwest Arkansas and had stalled. A weak shortwave moved into the Texas Hill County and produced enough lift...along with the development of a strong low level jet...for strong to severe thunderstorms to erupt across the region. The storms initially developed as supercells...producing large hail and isolated tornadoes but then evolved into a squall line. Strong straight line winds accompanied the squall line with winds in excess of 100 mph reported with some storms. There were also isolated tornadoes reported within the squall line itself. Damage was extensive across the region but overnight...the repeated training of storms resulted in a widespread flash flooding event. Numerous counties and parishes were flooded with rainfall amounts in excess of 6 inches in a 12 hour period common. By the time the event ended...there were five different line echo wave patterns that developed across the four state region the afternoon of May 2nd through the morning hours of May 3rd.