Snow Across the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast; Unsettled Weather in the West

Light to moderate snow will continue into Saturday over the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast. This weekend into next week, a series of atmospheric rivers will bring gusty winds, periods of heavy rain, and mountain snow to northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Colder temperatures are in store for the weekend from the Great Lakes to East Coast. Read More >

Overview

The events of October 28-30, 2009 began as a very strong upper level low pressure system began moving across the Texas/Oklahoma Panhandles on the 28th. Moisture began to return to the region by the night of the 28th as the low level winds increased ahead of this system, and scattered showers began to develop across the region in the wee hours of the 29th. As the early morning hours of the 29th continued and the environment across the Four State Region became moist and unstable, showers and thunderstorms became more numerous ahead of the cold front. The National Weather Service in Shreveport issued the first Tornado Warning of the event at around 1 pm on the 29th. The tornadic portion of this event lasted through the remainder of the day and continued into the late evening. Flash flooding became a problem by the late afternoon of the 29th, as the thunderstorms continued to move over the same areas repeatedly. As the cold front began moving through the region, the tornadic threat transitioned into a full-blown flash flooding event. The cold front stalled over Deep East Texas, Northwest Louisiana, and Southwest Arkansas during the overnight hours heading into the 30th. Widespread flash flooding was reported across areas of East Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and North Louisiana during this time. The rainfall also aggravated and worsened flooding that was already ongoing across North Louisiana and East Texas. By mid day on the 30th, the front finally began moving eastward again, ending rainfall in the Four State Region by that evening.

The region received anywhere from one to eight inches of rainfall, with widespread totals of five to six inches across Deep East Texas, Southern Arkansas, and North/Northwest Louisiana. Damage was reported in East Texas in Panola, Bowie, and Angelina Counties, in Southwest Arkansas in Little River, Lafayette, Columbia, and Union Counties, and in North Louisiana in Bossier, Caddo, Union, and Red River Parishes. The most extensive damage occurred in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, with numerous homes and businesses sustaining moderate to significant damage.

TOTAL TORNADO COUNT = 22

EF0 = 15

EF1 = 6

EF2 = 1

Tornado Table

Tornado Graphics

Heavy Rainfall

Photos

TOR. #	START POINT	RATING	TIME	LENGTH/ WIDTH	REMARKS
OCTOBER 29, 2009
#1	Haughton, Bossier Parish, LA	EF1	12:50pm CDT	2.50 miles/ 200 yards	The tornado snapped several trees causing a shut down of Interstate 20 as trees fell across the interstate. It continued north damaging several homes in the Eastwood community. Severe structural damage was observed to several homes due to fallen trees, and nearly 30 homes had significant roof damage. The tornado continued north across Hwy 80 into the Eastwood Golf Course. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted on the golf course. The damage track ended north of Eastwood Golf Course before reaching Winfield Road. Peak winds are estimated at 90-100 mph. This tornado was responsible for 8 injuries.
#2	Hall Summit, Red River Parish, LA	EF0	1:29pm CDT	4.5 miles/ 75 yards	A tornado skipped along a path from near Hall Summit northward across the Red River-Bienville Parish line along Hwy 371. The Hall Summit Chief of Police witnessed three funnels, two small, and one main funnel, sporadically dropping down in a forested area north of Hall Summit, west of Hwy 371. Several large limbs were broken in trees along Hwy 371.
#3	5 miles S of Bernice, Union Parish, LA	EF0	1:35pm CDT	5 miles/ 50 yards	A tornado began just west of Hwy 167. Damage consisted of trees downed and large branches downed. Tin was also removed from the roof of a car wash, and roof damage was observed to a home along the south side of Bernice.
#4	ENE of Junction City, Union County, AR	EF0	1:55pm CDT	1.5 miles/ 50 yards	This tornado downed three large trees along with large limbs along its path east-northeast of Junction City, AR.
#5	NW of Elysian Fields, Harrison County, TX	EF0	2:27pm CDT	1.5 miles/ 75 yards	The tornado touched down along Woodley Road. Several trees were uprooted and snapped.
#6	3 miles WSW of Smackover, Union County, AR	EF1	3:13pm CDT	1 mile/ 75 yards	This tornado downed large trees and snapped several others.
#7	8 miles SW of Smackover, Union County, AR	EF1	3:13pm CDT	7 miles/ 75 yards	This tornado downed several large trees and snapped several others. A roof was also peeled back from a home southwest of town. The damage track continued into Ouachita County.
#8	SW of Blanchard, Caddo Parish, LA	EF0	3:16pm CDT	3 miles/ 75 yards	This tornado began along Blanchard-Furrh Road. Several trees were snapped and uprooted north of the road in a forested area. The tornado continued northeast across Blanchard Latex Road uprooting a couple of trees. The tornado ended along State Rt 173 north of Blanchard where several large branches were broken.
#9	SW of Belcher, Caddo Parish, LA	EF0	3:25pm CDT	1 mile/ 100 yards	This tornado began along Haygood Road and Dixie Mooringsport Road. Several trees were snapped and uprooted along a treeline in a field.
#10	NW of Plain Dealing, Bossier Parish, LA	EF0	3:53pm CDT	4.5 miles/ 100 yards	This tornado began along Hwy 537. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted in a path that started along Hwy 537, crossed Log Ferry Road, and ended along Wise Road.
#11	Shreveport/Bossier City, Caddo and Bossier Parishes, LA	EF2	4:14pm CDT	13 miles/ 600 yards	This tornado snapped several trees and took the steeple off the top of the First United Methodist Church in Downtown Shreveport. It continued northeast causing significant damage to the Shreveport Convection Center and other downtown businesses. The tornado crossed the Red River just north of Sam's Town Casino knocking down several trees along the river. The tornado crossed the Red River just south of Interstate 220 near Benton Road, where several trees were snapped along the levee and a barn was damaged. The tornado crossed I-220 just west of Benton Road and caused minor to significant damage at several car dealerships along Benton Road. The tornado crossed Benton Road and entered the Green Acres Place Subdivision causing moderate to major damage to numerous homes and town houses. The track continued northeast into the Brownlee subdivision where more homes had significant damage. The tornado moved northeast causing some damage to the Reserve Apartment Complex and the Cypress Pointe Apartment Complex on Airline Drive. The tornado crossed Airline Drive just north of Le Oaks Drive and caused significant damage in Cross Creek and Bayou Bend subdivisions. Continuing northeast, the tornado caused major damage at the Bossier Emergency Service Center on Swan Lake Road and snapped and uprooted numerous trees in Rose Neath Cemetery. The tornado moved north and crossed Swan Lake Road causing significant damage to homes in the Legacy subdivision. It continued northeast causing minor damage to a home and uprooted and snapped trees on Deen Point Road. The track continued farther to the northeast causing tree damage on Jessie Jones Road and West Lakeshore Drive in Benton. The tornado then continued northeast crossing Cypress Lake and causing more damage to trees on Merritt Road before dissipating. Over 100 homes in Bossier Parish were damage by this tornado. Peak estimated wind speeds are 110 to 115 mph.
#12	Gary City, Panola County, TX	EF0	4:44pm CDT	4 miles/ 100 yards	A tornado skipped along a path which started along FM 1970 where a couple trees were uprooted. Numerous trees were snapped near the end of the track along CR 116.
#13	Magnolia, Columbia County, AR	EF1	5:34pm CDT	1.5 miles/ 100 yards	A tornado touched down in Magnolia and uprooted several trees and some minor damage was noted to homes at the intersection of South Washington and Hampton Drive. One business in downtown had its sign blown out. Peak wind speeds were estimated at 80-90 mph.
#14	Magnolia, Columbia County, AR	EF1	5:39pm CDT	1.5 miles/ 100 yards	A tornado touched down on the northeast side of Magnolia. This tornado uprooted and snapped several trees. The damage was first noted on CR 47 about one-quarter mile east of Hwy 79. Some significant to major damage was observed to mobile homes and power lines and poles were snapped. A residential shop was also damaged by fallen trees. Peak winds were estimated at 95-105 mph. One injury was attributed to this tornado.
#15	SE of Oil City, Caddo Parish, LA	EF0	5:52pm CDT	0.5 mile/ 75 yards	This tornado began near the intersection of Hwy 1 and State Rt 538. Several trees were uprooted.
#16	SE of Vivian, Caddo Parish, LA	EF0	6:04pm CDT	0.5 mile/ 75 yards	This tornado occurred along Hwy 170 southeast of Vivian. Several trees were snapped and uprooted in the wooded areas along the highway. One fatality occurred indirectly from their car hitting one of the downed trees across Hwy 170.
#17	Stonewall, Caddo Parish, LA	EF0	6:28pm CDT	0.5 mile/ 100 yards	The tornado occurred along Preston Road west of Stonewall. Several trees were snapped and uprooted north of Preston Road in a forest and in a field.
#18	Magnolia, Columbia County, AR	EF1	6:33pm CDT	7.5 miles/ 100 yards	A tornado touched down just northeast of Magnolia near CR 6 just east of CR 431, or about 1.5 miles east of Hwy 79. Some roof damage observed to one home, and a tree fell on one vehicle. Sporadic tree damage was associated with this tornado just east of CR 61 to just north of CR 75. Peak wind speeds were estimated to be 80-90 mph.
#19	10 miles SE of Haynesville, Claiborne Parish, LA	EF0	6:49pm CDT	5 miles/ 75 yards	The tornado began just south of Old Colquitt Road on Fire District Road 910, or about three miles south of Hwy 2. The tornado moved north crossing Hwy 2. Sporadic tree damage was found up to Holly Ridge Road before the tornado dissipated. Peak wind speeds were estimated to be 75-85 mph.
#20	10 miles SW of Texarkana, Bowie County, TX	EF0	7:02pm CDT	4 miles/ 75 yards	The tornado began on Hwy 67 about a half mile west of Clear Springs Road. Several trees were uprooted and damaged, with additional sporadic tree damage noted as the tornado moved northeast. The tornado dissipated on Tri State Road just south of Hwy 82. Peak winds were estimated to be 75-85 mph.
#21	3 miles W of Shongaloo, Webster Parish, LA	EF0	7:42pm CDT	2 miles/ 50 yards	The tornado touched downed a few large trees and several large limbs.
#22	Near Emerson, Columbia County, AR	EF0	8:10pm CDT	3 miles/ 75 yards	Several trees were downed near the intersection of Hwy 9 and CR 26. The tornado crossed Hwy 79 and moved northeast. Sporadic tree damage was observed just east of Hwy 79 to just north of Hwy 98. Peak winds were estimated to be 75-85 mph.

Map of the 22 tornado tracks that occurred on October 29th. Many of these were small EF0 tornadoes with very short tracks. However, there were several stronger tornadoes including the Magnolia, Haughton, and Shreveport tornadoes. Click on the graphic for a larger version.

Detailed map of the Shreveport-Bossier City tornado. Click on the graphic for a larger version.

October 2009 was one of the wettest Octobers on Record in terms of precipitation areawide. The top five record Octobers for rainfall are listed below for some locations across the region.

SHREVEPORT, LA (RECORDS SINCE 1872)	RAINFALL
1. October 2009	20.35 inches
2. October 1949	14.02 inches
3. October 1984	12.05 inches
4. October 1985	9.84 inches
5. October 1994	9.14 inches
Note: October 2009 ranks third among all time wettest months.

MONROE, LA (RECORDS SINCE 1930)	RAINFALL
1. October 2009	20.54 inches
2. October 1906	12.14 inches
3. October 1991	10.84 inches
4. October 1937	9.36 inches
5. October 1982	9.16 inches

TEXARKANA, AR (RECORDS SINCE 1892)	RAINFALL
1. October 1919	18.28 inches
2. October 2009	16.51 inches
3. October 1984	12.81 inches
4. October 1926	12.08 inches
5. October 1981	10.12 inches

LUFKIN, TX (RECORDS SINCE 1948)	RAINFALL
1. October 1994	15.54 inches
2. October 2009	15.04 inches
3. October 2006	13.24 inches
4. October 1949	11.53 inches
5. October 1985	9.87 inches

TYLER, TX (RECORDS SINCE 1896)	RAINFALL
1. October 1985	14.82 inches
2. October 2009	13.69 inches
3. October 1945	10.61 inches
4. October 1949	10.19 inches
5. October 1994	10.10 inches
Note: These monthly rainfall totals are taken at the cooperative observing station in Tyler due to record-keeping purposes.

LONGVIEW, TX (RECORDS SINCE 1902)	RAINFALL
1. October 2009	15.16 inches
2. October 1994	14.08 inches
3. October 1919	12.97 inches
4. October 1957	12.68 inches
5. October 1984	11.48 inches

Radar estimated rainfall from October 29, 2009

Rainfall analysis of the event on October 29. Data is courtesy of NWS River Forecast Center Multi-Sensor Precipitation Estimates. http://water.weather.gov

October rainfall.

EL DORADO, AR (RECORDS SINCE 1904)	RAINFALL
1. October 2009	19.75 inches
2. October 1919	16.02 inches
3. October 1984	12.98 inches
4. October 2004	10.56 inches
5. October 1985	10.52 inches

DE QUEEN, AR (RECORDS SINCE 1936)	RAINFALL
1. October 1984	15.67 inches
2. October 2009	14.12 inches
3. October 1993	13.26 inches
4. October 1984	9.89 inches
5. October 1949	9.84 inches

EF2 damage to homes in North Bossier City

Home that sustained EF2 damage in the Green Acres subdidivion in North Bossier City.

Apartment complex along Benton Road totaled after a fire started following the EF2 tornado that movd across North Bossier City.

Betty Virginia Park during the peak of the rainfall on October 29, 2009.

Pickup truck swept off Barron Road in southeast Bossier Parish, LA, during the flash flooding on October 29.

A large pine fell on a home in Haughton, LA

A home in Haughton, LA, was cut in half by a large pine, which fell after an EF1 tornado crossed Interstate 20 and hit this neighborhood.

Highway 157 washed out south of Haughton, LA

Highway 157 south of Haughton, LA.

Highway 538 washed out near Oil City, LA

Highway 538 near Oil City, LA, following the flash flooding on October 29, 2009.

Sandbagging efforts along Red Chute in Bossier City

Sandbagging efforts along Red Chute Bayou in Bossier City, LA, helped prevent up to 2000 homes from flooding.

NWS employee surveying the flooding at Lake Bisteneau

NWS Employee witnessing the water spilling out of Lake Bisteneau.

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Snow Across the Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast; Unsettled Weather in the West

October 28-29, 2009: Heavy Rain and Severe Weather