Louisiana’s Weather

Fact # 2 Fact #1 Weather –is often confused with the word “climate” but they are not the same. Weather is a look at the current conditions – temperature, precipitation, and wind.

Fact # 3 Fact #2 Climate – is the average of weather over an area during a long span. The weatherman does not give a climate report.

Fact # 4 Humid Subtropical – Louisiana has the same weather as areas near the equator yet we had some cold snaps which give us our subtropical status. Fact #3

Fact #4 Temperature – Louisiana has two extremes and both were recorded in north Louisiana. The record cold was -15 at Minden in Webster parish (2/15/1899). The record high was 114 at Plain Dealing in Bossier parish (8/10/1936). The towns were less than 50 miles apart.

Precipitation – means any form of water – rain, sleet, hail, snow – liquid or solid. You tend to get more in southern Louisiana and less in northern Louisiana. Fact #5

Tornadoes – give very little warning and develop in less than 5 to 10 minutes. Radar can spot tornadoes but not in time to warn people. Tornado wind speeds can reach as much as 300 mph and have a destructive path as wide as a football field. Fact #6

Fajita Scale – Tornadoes use a Fajita scale of intensity from F-0 (40- 72mph) up to a F-5 ( mph) Louisiana ranks in the top 12 states that are hit by tornadoes each year. Fact #7

Hurricane – begins over tropical waters and rotate around a calm center. Radar can generally predict landfall to with a few hours. Even though they cover more land than tornadoes, people have time to prepare and move from their path. Fact #8

Saffir-Simpson – Hurricanes are rated on a SS Scale of 1-5. Category 1 (74-95mph) to Cat 5 (over 155). More than 60 hurricanes have hit Louisiana since 1850 but it will be the two that struck in 2005 that will be long remembered – Katrina and Rita. Fact #9

Climate and Agriculture – Our climate helps with a longer growing season nearly 200 days - more moist days, more sunlight, less chance for frost but sometimes the unexpected happens like hurricanes, tornadoes, early frost. Fact #9