Winter Storm — Calcasieu, Louisiana

2021-02-14 to 2021-02-15 · Calcasieu, Louisiana

Event narrative

Temperatures fell below freezing during the evening of the 14th as freezing developed then quickly changed over to sleet. Half an inch to near 2 inches of sleet and some snow had fallen across Calcasieu Parish by the end of the event. Most bridges were closed during the event and most roads were icy. A 77 year old man slipped on ice and drowned in a swimming pool.

Wider weather episode

The first in a series of Arctic Cold Fronts arrived during the 12th pushing tide levels down along the coast, however the subfreezing temperatures and winter weather did not arrive until the 14th. The event on the 14th began at many places as a light glaze of freezing rain, but quickly changed over to sleet or snow. Another round of winter weather occurred on the 17th, however this round was mainly freezing rain. The long duration event set many records in the area and rivaled the historic freezes of the region. The event was likely the longest and coldest since December 1989.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 943284. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.