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By Sam Shamburger, Meteorologist
Intern
Across southeast
Texas,
and central and southern Louisiana, snowfall is considered a rather rare
event. Weather records show that measurable snow is only recorded across
this region once every few years. Snow falling on Christmas Day is even
more unlikely. However, measurable snow fell on portions of the NWS Lake
Charles area of responsibility on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2004,
giving some locations a rare white Christmas.
Areas along
the immediate Gulf Coast of southeast Texas and southern Louisiana saw the
heaviest amounts in our region. Constance Beach, Louisiana reported 1 inch
of snow, while Cameron, Louisiana received a ½ inch of snow accumulation.
Areas around Vermilion Bay received up to 3 inches of snow in isolated
locations. Light snow and flurries were even observed as far north as the
I-10 corridor, including in the Lake Charles area. New Orleans even had
their first White Christmas in over 50 years!
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However, the
heaviest snowfall by far was to the southwest of our area in southern
Texas. Many locations across this region received both their heaviest
snowfalls in recorded history and their first White Christmas ever.
Some snowfall totals from southern Texas include Victoria (12.5”), Alice
(12”), Corpus Christi (4.4”), and Brownsville (1.5”).
This snow
event comes nowhere near the record snowfall for our area, which
occurred 110 years ago on February 14 & 15, 1895. That epic snowstorm
left a swath of heavy snow all along the Gulf Coast, including 30 inches
in Beaumont, 24 inches in Lake Charles, and 14 inches in Lafayette!
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www.nws.noaa.gov 
