A question many New Orleans residents have been asking in recent years is, “What’s happening?” Southeast Louisiana is battling Category Four Hurricanes Laura and Ida within a two-year period. The only other Category 4 hurricane to hit Louisiana was the Last Island Hurricane over 160 years ago. We’re also seeing more flooding, often in the same neighborhoods. When it rains heavily, New Orleans residents run to move their cars. Another weather pattern Louisiana has seen is extreme heat. Last June was the hottest on record for New Orleans. The city also had a major wake-up call with tornadoes. The EF2 tornado in early February 2007 wreaked havoc from Westwego through Carrollton to Pontchartrain Park, killing an elderly woman. New Orleans’ first EF3 tornado struck New Orleans East in February 2017. It was a large wedge tornado that battered 10 miles, injuring 33 people and destroying more than 600 homes. We used to say we were safe from tornadoes, but that’s no longer the case. On March 22, 2022 it happened again. Another large EF3 wedge tornado hit Arabi with winds reaching 160 mph. Connor Lambert and his dog died not far from his destroyed home. His truck was wrapped around a tree. Another woman, Maria Castellanos, died from injuries sustained when her house was lifted from its foundations. Just months later, an EF2 tornado with winds reaching 120 miles per hour struck Edgard and Montz, killing a woman. New Orleans residents watched in horror as cars drove into the rotating storm on the Bonnet Carre Spillway. About an hour and a half later, another tornado made landfall on the West Bank, moving from Marrero to Algiers and again to Arabi. This was another EF2 tornado with winds reaching 125 mph. Six people were injured in this storm. The total number of tornadoes in the last 15 years is five, in the last two years three. There have been 11 killer tornadoes in southeast Louisiana since 1950. Three of these were on the north coast and eight on the south coast. Three tornadoes have been associated with hurricanes. An EF4 tornado created during Hurricane Hilda in 1964 killed 22 people. A tornado that formed during Hurricane Andrew killed two people on August 25, 1992. The outer bands of Tropical Storm Frances also killed one person on September 10, 1998. A tornadic waterspout moved ashore on Grand Isle, killing three people. Our climate is changing, so we should prepare for more severe weather in the years to come.
NEW ORLEANS —
A question many New Orleans residents have been asking in recent years is, “What’s going on?”
Southeast Louisiana has dealt with Category Four Hurricanes Laura and Ida in the span of two years.
The only other Category 4 hurricane to hit Louisiana was the Last Island Hurricane over 160 years ago.
We’re also seeing more flooding, often in the same neighborhoods.
When it rains heavily, New Orleans residents run to move their cars.
Another weather pattern Louisiana has seen is extreme heat. Last June was the hottest on record for New Orleans.
The city also had a major wake-up call with tornadoes.
The EF2 tornado in early February 2007 wreaked havoc from Westwego through Carrollton to Pontchartrain Park, killing an elderly woman.
New Orleans’ first EF3 tornado struck New Orleans East in February 2017. It was a large wedge tornado that battered 10 miles, injuring 33 people and destroying more than 600 homes.
We used to say we were safe from tornadoes, but that’s no longer the case.
On March 22, 2022 it happened again. Another large EF3 wedge tornado hit Arabi with winds reaching 160 mph.
Connor Lambert and his dog died not far from his destroyed home. His truck was wrapped around a tree.
Another woman, Maria Castellanos, died from injuries sustained when her house was lifted from its foundations.
Just months later, an EF2 tornado with winds reaching 120 miles per hour struck Edgard and Montz, killing a woman.
New Orleans residents watched in horror as cars drove into the rotating storm on the Bonnet Carre Spillway.
About an hour and a half later, another tornado made landfall on the West Bank, moving from Marrero to Algiers and again to Arabi.
This was another EF2 tornado with winds reaching 125 mph. Six people were injured in this storm.
The total number of tornadoes in the last 15 years is five, in the last two years three.
There have been 11 killer tornadoes in southeast Louisiana since 1950. Three of these were on the north coast and eight on the south coast.
Three tornadoes have been associated with hurricanes.
An EF4 tornado created during Hurricane Hilda in 1964 killed 22 people.
A tornado created during Hurricane Andrew killed two people on August 25, 1992.
The outer bands of Tropical Storm Frances also killed one person on September 10, 1998.
A tornadic waterspout moved ashore on Grand Isle, killing three people.
Our climate is changing, so we should prepare for more severe weather in the years to come.
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