87
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$7.7M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana: 87 recorded events between 1969 and 2024. The strongest on record measured 89. That places the county #2,372 nationally and #55 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in St. Mary Parish is the 2000s, when 25 of the county's 87 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the St. Mary Parish archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 45.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #2,372 for this hazard and #55 within Louisiana, putting it in the 24.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in St. Mary Parish with 21 recorded events, while Oct is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 1985 | 0 | 0 | 3 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2024 | FRANKLIN | 50 | $1K |
| Aug 27, 2023 | GLENWILD | 50 | $5K |
| May 12, 2021 | STERLING JCT | 50 | $1K |
| May 12, 2021 | CANEL | 50 | $0 |
| Dec 24, 2020 | MORGAN CITY | 50 | $15K |
| May 28, 2020 | LOUISA | 50 | $5K |
| Apr 18, 2019 | RHODA | 50 | $3K |
| Nov 1, 2018 | STERLING JCT | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 29, 2018 | PATTERSON | 50 | $5K |
| May 3, 2017 | STERLING JCT | 50 | $2K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
An isolated strong thunderstorm moved east across the lower sections of the Atchafalaya Swamp including Flat Lake. As the storm neared the northern sections of Morgan City and Lake End Park the storm intensified farther producing winds around 70 knots. The storm downed many trees and power lines and flipped 3 recreational vehicles at Lake End Park on their side. One business had its metal roof partially blown off and several structures had trees fall on them and awnings removed. The roof of an elementary school in the area suffered minor damage and began to leak. A wind gust of 100 knots was recorded at the heliport in Amelia. Note this anemometer was at 145 ft AGL. Another nearby anemometer on the heliport failed at 44 MPH.
Local media and law enforcement reported a large downburst with winds estimated around 80 mph struck from the Patterson Memorial Airport to the city of Patterson. A tree fell on a home on Highway 182 just west of the airport. One tied-down helicopter was blown over and two tied-down airplanes were flipped upside down at the airport and severely damaged. Numerous trees were blown down in Patterson with some falling on homes. Damage from this storm was reportedly worse than that seen from Hurricane Gustav.
Numerous reports from local media indicate a large downburst with winds estimated up to 80 mph struck the city of Charenton. The roof was blown off the Chitimacha Police Station trailer and a nearby radio tower was toppled. Many flag poles at the Immaculate Conception Church were blown over. The Highway 324 bridge over Bayou Teche received minor wind damage to its wooden beams. Several homes received minor to moderate damage to roofs and siding, and numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Damage was reportedly worse than seen during Hurricane Gustav.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana?
87 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in St. Mary Parish between 1969 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in St. Mary Parish?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in St. Mary Parish measured 89.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for St. Mary Parish come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/louisiana/st-mary-parish/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.