Whio Weather: NWS Confirms Two Additional Tornadoes in Capital Area After Weekend Storms

Whio Weather coverage: Storm survey crews have confirmed two additional tornadoes tracked through portions of Ascension and St. James Parish, raising the total number of tornadoes within the Storm Station coverage area to four after earlier confirmations in Amite and Wilkinson Counties. The surveys identified two EF-1 tornadoes that produced line-embedded damage across open fields, roads and utility infrastructure.

Whio Weather: Survey findings and confirmed tracks

A National Weather Service storm survey team determined that one EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 105 mph touched down shortly after midnight on February 14 just north of the Ascension/Assumption Parish line. That track began roughly 2 miles southwest of Donaldsonville in Ascension Parish and ended about 6 miles north-northwest of Lutcher in St. James Parish. Damage along the track included snapped large branches, uprooted trees, snapped power poles and multiple snapped power lines as the tornado moved east-northeast across open fields and crossed the Mississippi River; the survey notes the final damage point was along Interstate 10. The track is preliminary and may be adjusted following review of high-resolution satellite imagery in the coming weeks.

A second EF-1 tornado, with peak winds estimated at 90 mph, was recorded just after midnight on February 15 along Highway 1 in far western Ascension Parish. That track started near White Castle and ended near Sorrento, with observed damage including snapped large branches, small tree trunks and isolated tree trunk failures near Highway 70. The tornado crossed the Mississippi River multiple times, moved over open fields and near refinery areas, and appears to have lifted near the Ascension/St. James Parish line. This track is also preliminary pending further imagery review.

Damage patterns, wider confirmations and local impact

Survey teams have now linked similar line-embedded tornado behavior across multiple parishes. The newly confirmed tracks complemented earlier confirmations of tornadoes in Amite and Wilkinson Counties that were added to the count on Monday. Other ground surveys in the region identified additional tornadoes with varying ratings, including an EF-1 track recorded in Washington Parish and smaller-rated events elsewhere; reported impacts ranged from roof damage at a residence to snapped trees and power poles, and at least one track was documented with a multi-mile path.

Practical effects from the confirmed EF-1 tracks included snapped power poles and lines and widespread tree damage along road corridors, which produced localized outages and hazards along key roadways. At least one EF-1 track crossed Interstate 10 and multiple state highways, and another moved past refinery areas and open marshland.

Uncertainties, missing details and what survey teams will still look for

• Final track endpoints and exact paths may be adjusted after analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery.
• Complete damage tallies, including full counts of property damage and power outage duration, have not been finalized in the surveys.
• One damaged track description in the regional review is incomplete in available survey text and awaits final documentation.

Next steps for officials, residents and response teams

• Additional imagery review: survey teams will refine track lines and intensity estimates when high-resolution satellite imagery becomes available; trigger: completion of imagery analysis.
• Infrastructure assessments: utilities and county crews will inspect and repair snapped poles and lines along identified corridors; trigger: deployment orders from local utility authorities.
• Public information updates: survey teams are expected to issue final confirmed track maps and revised intensity ratings after review; trigger: finalized survey reports.
• Damage reporting and assistance checks: local officials may update damage inventories to support recovery; trigger: consolidated field reports and community requests.

Why this matters: the additional confirmations change the regional tornado tally and clarify where emergency response and infrastructure repairs will be focused in the near term. The EF-1 ratings indicate wind forces sufficient to snap poles, uproot trees and damage structures along the tracks, so households and road users in the affected corridors should expect ongoing repair work and possible lane or service interruptions as teams complete assessments and restorations.