Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
285 NOUS44 KLCH 081512 PNSLCH LAZ027>033-044-045-055-073-074-141>143-152>154-241>243-252>254- TXZ180-201-259>262-515-516-615-616-090315- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 912 AM CST Wed Jan 8 2025 ...NWS Damage Survey for 12/28/24 Tornado Event Update #1... .Update... to extend tornado path east of Sabine Lake into the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. .Sabine Ranch Tornado... Rating: EF3 Estimated Peak Wind: 161 mph Path Length /statute/: 42.25 miles Path Width /maximum/: 880 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 1 Start Date: 12/28/2024 Start Time: 03:10 PM CST Start Location: 5 SSE Stowell / Chambers County / TX Start Lat/Lon: 29.7168 / -94.3555 End Date: 12/28/2024 End Time: 04:26 PM CST End Location: 6 W Sabine National Wildlife Refuge / Cameron Parish / LA End Lat/Lon: 29.8973 / -93.6857 Survey Summary: Tornado continued into southwest Jefferson County from Chambers County. It snapped off power poles at French Rd before continuing northeast. An area of trees were snapped off and uprooted just south of the Big Hill Strategic Oil Reserve. Tornado continued northeast where it destroyed the top floor of the Sabine Ranch Lodge, stripped metal from a nearby industrial building, flipped a car into a side yard, and damaged the roofs of two homes. The car contained two people, one sustained a minor injury. The tornado crossed hwys 87 and 82 where it snapped transmission poles. Finally, it moved overtop Sabine Lake. Track likely continued into western Cameron Parish. Post-radar analysis extends the tornado track east of Sabine Lake where it crossed into the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0.....65 to 85 mph EF1.....86 to 110 mph EF2.....111 to 135 mph EF3.....136 to 165 mph EF4.....166 to 200 mph EF5.....>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$