On June 4^th, 2007, an isolated severe thunderstorm developed near Corrigan, Texas, along an outflow boundary left from a complex of severe thunderstorms that had affected the region the previous day.  This storm moved southeastward along the outflow boundary into Tyler County, Texas during the afternoon.  As the storm approached the Colmesneil and Woodville areas, large hail and damaging winds began to be reported.  Radar showed this storm to be an outflow-dominant multicell/occasional supercell thunderstorm, a type of severe thunderstorm which produces mainly damaging winds and large hail instead of tornadoes.  The storm continued southeastward at 35 to 40 mph across Jasper and Newton Counties, and continued to produce large hail and wind damage reports as it moved into Southwest Louisiana. 

As the storm entered southwestern Beauregard and Calcasieu parishes, radar began showing a large area of 50 to 70 mph winds heading towards the Lake Charles metropolitan area.  The thunderstorm began intensifying even further as it reached the Carlyss area, with radar-indicated winds up to 80 mph and a strong likelihood of large hail.  As the storm moved into Lake Charles, numerous reports of high winds and hail up to golfball size covering the ground were received, mainly in southern Lake Charles south of the I-210 corridor.  When the storm reached the NWS Lake Charles office (located at the  Lake Charles Regional Airport), several

Hail completely covered the ground in parts of South Lake Charles
Photo by Stephen Carboni, Journeyman Forecaster

A quick look at historical records shows that there have been 31 reports of golfball size (1.75" diameter) or larger hail across Calcasieu Parish since 1960.  The peak month for hail of golfball size and larger was May, with June a close second.  However, there have been no recorded major damaging hailstorms in the parish.  This data, combined with the widespread reports of broken windows, trees blown onto homes, and vehicles damaged on June 4th by the hail and high winds, indicate the June 4th event was one of the most damaging hailstorms in Lake Charles' history - a truly historic event!