Autumn Severe Weather
Sam Shamburger, Journeyman Forecaster
 

Several severe weather events affected portions of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana during the autumn months of September, October, and November 2006.  Climatologically, this is a favorable time for severe weather in this region of the country.  In fact, many historic weather events have affected Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana during these months.   

The two most significant severe weather events occurred in September and October.  On September 21, 2006, a series of intense thunderstorms called supercells spawned four tornadoes of either F0 or F1 intensity along a line stretching from south of Forked Island, Louisiana to near St. Martinville, Louisiana.  The strongest tornado was an F1 that struck near Lozes, Louisiana, and damaged several homes.

The strongest storm system of the Fall 2006 season impacted the region from October 15th through 17^th.  Widespread flooding rains, high winds up to 50 mph, the worst coastal flooding since Hurricane Rita, and at least 11 tornadoes were all spawned by this powerful storm system.  Once again, all of these tornadoes were rated as either F0 or F1 intensity, but they caused more significant damage than the September storms.  The strongest tornado was an F1 that struck China, Texas, around sunrise on October 16^th, destroying 10 homes and damaging 17 others, and also injured several people.