115-573: The Lake Charles Symphony is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana . It has about 50 players in the orchestra and it was conducted by Bohuslav Rattay (2010-2018). It regularly performs in the Rosa Hart Theatre. It was originally formed in 1938, and reorganized after World War II . This article about a United States classical music orchestra is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lake Charles, Louisiana Lake Charles
230-455: A Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale before becoming a Category 4 hurricane six hours later. Continuing to strengthen into August 27, Laura reached its peak intensity of 150 miles per hour (240 km/h), a high-end Category 4 hurricane, and a minimum pressure of 937 mbar ( hPa ; 27.67 inHg ). At this time, the hurricane turned north toward
345-466: A grid pattern . Interstate 10 passes through Lake Charles, connecting the city with Houston to the west and New Orleans to the east. The Calcasieu River Bridge crosses the Calcasieu River and part of lake . Featuring decorative flintlock pistols on the railing, it is 135 feet (41 m) high. About 50,000 vehicles pass over it daily. Despite its age of over 60 years, it is considered safe by
460-623: A monsoon trough emerged off the west coast of Africa over the Atlantic Ocean. At this time, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the possibility of tropical cyclogenesis over the next five days as environmental conditions gradually became more favorable for development. The system produced disorganized convection over a broad area and steadily consolidated. A surface low accompanied by organizing banding features coalesced about 700 mi (1,100 km) west-southwest of
575-494: A 121-acre (0.49 km ) campus lined with oak trees in the heart of Lake Charles, is a four-year public university in the University of Louisiana System . Contraband Bayou flows through it. McNeese was founded in 1939 and named after educator John McNeese . It offers over 80 majors, and includes the colleges of Business , Education , Engineering and Engineering Technology, Liberal Arts , Nursing , Science , Honors College, and
690-527: A barn also had its roof removed in Wilmot . Trees were uprooted and power lines were downed across a widespread area in several counties. In the town of Camden , numerous trees were blown down, including one that fell on a house, and a metal roof was blown off a shop building. Downed trees were also reported in Sheridan and power poles were snapped along US 67 northeast of Caddo Valley . Eastbound I-30
805-672: A casino, golf course, meeting space, retail corridor and a private beach and marina. While Horseshoe Lake Charles is technically in one of the city's suburbs known as Westlake, Louisiana , it forms part of the city's gambling market along with Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana and Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Louisiana . Lake Charles has a Creole and Cajun culture because of its location in Southwest Louisiana —an extension of Acadiana . The city has its own symphony orchestra ,
920-485: A church, were damaged. Structural damage also occurred in Bridge City . More trees and power lines were blown down across both Angelina and Sabine Counties , some of which blocked roads. In Hemphill , a roof collapsed at an Ashley HomeStore and multiple roads were blocked by falling trees. A man was killed northeast of the town when a tree fell on him while he was sitting on a recliner in his home. Southeast of
1035-472: A day, the depression center reformed and an increase an organization and the presence of tropical storm-force winds prompted an upgrade to tropical storm status and storm was named Laura . This marked the earliest classification of a season's twelfth named storm since reliable records began in 1851, surpassing the previous record set by Hurricane Luis , on August 28, 1995. Moderate wind shear hampered further development through August 22, displacing
1150-541: A dozen small businesses. Lake Charles has Louisiana's biggest casino market. The L'Auberge du Lac Casino Resort is a 242 acres (98 ha), 26-story hotel in Lake Charles. It has nearly 1000 guest rooms, a casino, golf course, spa, and meeting center. A second casino, the Golden Nugget Lake Charles , opened in 2014 next to L'Auberge du Lac. The 18-story casino resort hotel has more than 740 guest rooms,
1265-624: A high-end EF3 tornado just under six months earlier . Two EF0 tornadoes were confirmed in the state. Multiple tornado warnings were also issued in Southern Missouri , Kentucky , Northern Alabama , and Eastern Maryland . Four tornadoes were confirmed in Alabama with three being rated EF1 while the other was rated EF0. Following the passage of Laura, Haiti's Directorate General of Civil Protection (DGCP) began damage assessments. The agency quickly distributed food kits to affected residents in
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#17328552438171380-511: A house, injuring a person inside, while another tree fell on a vehicle. In Monroe , metal roofing was blown off of multiple buildings. Widespread flooding was reported in Natchitoches Parish , where I-49 had to be closed past SH 174 west of Powhatan due to a downed tree. The police station in Robeline had its roof ripped off to go with the numerous downing of large trees throughout
1495-561: A household in the city was $ 36,001. The per capita income for the city was $ 22,855. 20.9% of the population was below the poverty line ; in 2020, the median income for a household in the city was $ 37,894. 26.7% of the population was below the poverty line. The average commute time was 22.4 minutes. The 2010 census determined that the racial and ethnic makeup for the city was 47% African American , 46% White <1% Native American , 2% Asian , 1% from other races , 2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3% of
1610-598: A large tropical wave that moved off the West African coast on August 16 and became a tropical depression on August 20. Laura intensified into a tropical storm a day later, becoming the earliest twelfth named storm on record in the North Atlantic basin, forming eight days earlier than 1995 's Hurricane Luis . Laura first hit the Lesser Antilles and brushed Puerto Rico as a tropical storm, then moved across
1725-460: A level plain about 30 miles (48 km) from the Gulf of Mexico , has an elevation of approximately 13 feet (4.0 m) above sea level, and is located on the banks of the Calcasieu River in southwestern Louisiana . It borders both Lake Charles and Prien Lake . Contraband Bayou , Henderson Bayou, and English Bayou flow through the city. Oak trees and pine trees dot the landscape; the lumber industry
1840-431: A local state of emergency, and mandatory evacuations for mobile homes and boats, although visitors were allowed to stay. Hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge watches were issued for areas mainly near and east of Galveston on August 24. Most were upgraded to warnings the next day and a flash flood watch was also issued for the eastern portion of the state. On August 23, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared
1955-491: A manufacturing facility which manufactures and exports parts for nuclear power plants. With small businesses, big box stores, and a regional mall, Lake Charles serves as the shopping and retail hub of the five-parish area . Prien Lake Mall , which serves nearly 300,000 people is anchored by three department stores. The Lake Charles Power Center is a shopping area that has 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m ) of shopping space. The Cottage Shop District supports approximately
2070-473: A period of rapid intensification on August 26. That day, Laura became a major hurricane, and later attained its peak 1-minute sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h), making it a Category 4 hurricane. The approaching storm prompted the issuing of many warnings and watches for Louisiana, as well as the evacuation of many people. Early on August 27, Laura made landfall near peak intensity on Cameron, Louisiana . Measured by windspeed, Laura
2185-514: A personal weather station in Port-au-Prince measured 6.61 in (168 mm) of rain. Extensive flooding affected the nation, forcing many families to evacuate their homes. As of August 28, at least 31 people were confirmed dead with another 8 missing. The Péligre Dam overflowed, sending floodwaters down the Artibonite valley . Public Works Minister Nader Joaseus alerted residents that
2300-413: A population of 276,909. The 2020 population of the five-parish region of Southwest Louisiana was 313,951. For the city proper of Lake Charles at the 2020 census , it had a population of 84,872, with a population density of 1,890 people per square mile among 38,434 housing units. In 2010, the population was 71,993, reflecting a rebound from its 1990 population of 70,580. In 2010, the median income for
2415-507: A remnant low over Kentucky , before being absorbed into another extratropical storm near the East Coast of the U.S. shortly afterward. Overall, Laura caused more than $ 23.3 billion in damage and 81 deaths. Areas that were affected by Laura, namely the Gulf Coast , were affected again six weeks later by Hurricane Delta . On August 16, 2020, a tropical wave along the eastern end of
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#17328552438172530-534: A sinking boat during the storm. Finally, one person died in Calcasieu Parish in a house fire, four people died in Calcasieu Parish, Natchitoches Parish , and Rapides Parish during the cleanup process, and eight others died in Beauregard Parish , Grant Parish , Rapides Parish, and Vernon Parish due to heat-related illnesses following the loss of electricity. Before the hurricane made landfall, one person
2645-503: A state of emergency for 23 counties in eastern Texas. On August 25, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for low-lying areas of Chambers , Galveston and Jefferson counties, and for the entirety of Orange County . This included the entirety of the Bolivar Peninsula and cities of Galveston and Port Arthur . Galveston city officials advised residents that all city services would cease at noon on August 25 and upon
2760-590: A state of emergency for southern counties in the state. A mobile hospital unit was pre-staged in Marion County and personal protection equipment kits were readied for distribution to shelters. A tropical storm watch was issued for the Florida Keys as the storm approached, although the north side of the area was dropped when Laura went farther south than expected. The rest were eventually upgraded to warnings. The mayor of Monroe County , Heather Carruthers declared
2875-554: A state-of-the-art park, was also built by volunteers, and is specifically designed for handicapped children. Hunting and fishing are popular with both residents and visitors to the Lake Area. An All-American Road , the Creole Nature Trail – "Louisiana's Outback" – brings tourists to Lake Charles and throughout Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas . Lake Charles has a mayor-council government. The elected officials include
2990-524: A storm surge of 6 feet (1.8 m). Storm surge also flooded over SH 317 at Burns Point in St. Mary Parish . In Sulphur , a hotel was damaged. Extensive structural damage also occurred in Vinton . Softwood trees were blown down on Fort Polk . The NWS radar at Fort Polk also suffered a communication outage, causing it to go down. A home in Carlyss had its roof and entire back room ripped off, while another home
3105-446: A west-northwest trajectory, Laura entered the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and quickly organized throughout August 25, reaching hurricane-strength by 12:15 UTC. After moving out of an area of dry air, the hurricane began a period of rapid intensification on August 26. The storm grew in size and featured a well-defined eye surrounded by increasingly symmetric deep convection. By 12:00 UTC, Laura strengthened into
3220-1163: Is McNeese State University 's student newspaper. Major television network affiliates include KPLC 7, an NBC affiliate also operating the area's CW affiliate on its DT2 subchannel, KSWL-LD 17, a CBS affiliate, KLTL 18, a PBS member station, KWWE-LD 19, a MyNetworkTV / MeTV affiliate, and KVHP 29, a Fox affiliate also operating the area's ABC affiliate on its DT2 subchannel. KBYS 88.3 Oldies , KRVS 88.7 Npr , KRLR 89.1 K-Love , KYLC 90.3, KOJO (FM) 91.1, KBAN 91.5, KTSR 92.1 Classic Rock , KHLA 92.9 Classic Hits , KPPM-LP 93.5 Black Gospel , KSMB 94.5 Top40(Chr) , KYKZ 96.1 Country , KQLK 97.9 Country , W252AQ 98.3, KNGT 99.5 Country , KELB-LP 100.5, KKGB 101.3 Mainstream Rock , KYBG 102.1 Classic Hits , KAJN-FM 102.9 Contemporary Christian , KBIU 103.3 Chr , KLCJ 104.1 Oldies , KKMY 104.5 Rhythmic Top 40 , KZWA 104.9 Urban Adult Contemporary , KIOC 106.1 Active Rock , KJMH 107.5 Urban , KLVI 560 News/Talk , KAOK 1400 Talk , KLCL 1470 Urban Adult Contemporary , KHB42 162.400 NOAA Weather Radio The city's streets are laid out primarily in
3335-677: Is Frazar Memorial Library, on the McNeese State University campus. The first library, Carnegie Memorial Library, was financed by Andrew Carnegie and opened in 1904. It also houses the Southwest Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Library. It, Central Library and Epps Memorial Library are part of the Calcasieu Parish Public Library , which has 13 locations in Calcasieu Parish . Lake Charles
3450-438: Is also high among U.S. cities, at 57.49 inches (1,460 mm) per year. Hurricane Laura devastated the city in 2020. The National Weather Service called the storm surge "unsurvivable" with one-minute sustained wind speeds of 150 mph (240 km/h). Numerous trees were blown down. The Lake Charles Regional Airport saw a gust of 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) as well as multiple hangars destroyed. Another gust in
3565-628: Is appointed to a six-year term, and the fire chief is also appointed. The Lake Charles Fire Department has eight stations and 15 companies. McNeese State University also has its own police department, the McNeese State University Police Department. The Lake Charles City Court's jurisdiction covers the city and Ward 3 in Calcasieu Parish . The Fourteenth Judicial District Court, in downtown Lake Charles, covers Calcasieu Parish and includes nine judges who preside over family, juvenile, civil, and criminal trials. Lake Charles
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3680-412: Is considered a regionally significant center of petrochemical refining, gambling, tourism, and education, being home to McNeese State University and Sowela Technical Community College . Because of the lakes and waterways throughout the city, metropolitan Lake Charles is often called the Lake Area . On March 7, 1861, Lake Charles was incorporated as the town of Charleston, Louisiana. Lake Charles
3795-572: Is home to a United States District Court , also downtown. The Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals is headquartered in the city. Lake Charles is represented by Clay Higgins of Louisiana's 3rd congressional district . Most of the city is represented by Senator Jeremy Stine of District 27 in the Louisiana State Senate , though Mark Abraham's District 25 includes some neighborhoods of south Lake Charles. The city has one university and one community college. McNeese State University , on
3910-672: Is home to the McNeese Cowboys , whose football team hosts games at Cowboy Stadium which has a seating capacity of 17,410. Burton Coliseum hosts the McNeese basketball teams. Lake Charles has been home to the Lake Charles Lakers and other minor-league baseball teams, indoor football teams, a minor-league ice hockey team and soccer teams. Golf is popular at the city's Mallard Cove Golf Course. Other golf courses include Gray Plantation Golf Course, Lake Charles Country Club Golf Course,
4025-411: Is land and 2.7 square miles (7.1 km ), or 6.12%, is water. Lake Charles is tied with Port Arthur, Texas , and Astoria, Oregon , as the most humid city in the contiguous United States , and the second-most humid measured location behind unincorporated Quillayute, Washington. The average relative humidity in Lake Charles is 90% in the morning, and 72% in the afternoon. Average annual precipitation
4140-505: Is named after him. There are also urban tales he had planned to name the settlement Nouveau Cadix (New Cádiz )", after the city in Spain , but this is uncertain. The town was first incorporated in 1857 as Charleston, after an early settler, Charles Sallier . Ten years later, on March 16, 1867, Charleston was reincorporated as the City of Lake Charles. The Great Fire of April 1910 devastated much of
4255-484: Is one of the United States' few liquified natural gas terminals. It has facilities for LNG receipt, storage, and re-gasification. Other industrial companies include PPG Industries , Phillips 66 , Sasol , and W. R. Grace . Local industry also includes a number of manufacturing companies. Chennault International Airport hosts AAR Corp , which services airplanes, and a Northrop Grumman facility. The Shaw Group has
4370-658: Is owned by the city. Charpentier is French for "carpenter", a reference to the carpenter-architects who built the mixed-style homes in the district. Central School features the Black Heritage Art Gallery, which is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail , as well as the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, which features extravagant costumes and an interactive float. It has the largest collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia in
4485-482: Is regularly attended by more than 200,000 people, making it one of the largest celebrations in Louisiana. In a reference to the legends of piracy on the lake and Contraband Bayou, the festival begins when the pirate Jean Lafitte and his crew capture the city and force the mayor to walk the plank. Mardi Gras in Lake Charles has a long history dating back to 1882, when Momus, King of Mardi Gras, landed his royal yacht at
4600-436: Is the fifth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Louisiana , and the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish , located on Lake Charles , Prien Lake , and the Calcasieu River . Founded in 1861 in Calcasieu Parish, it is a major industrial, cultural, and educational center in the southwest region of the state. As of the 2020 U.S. census , Lake Charles's population was 84,872. The city and metropolitan area of Lake Charles
4715-669: The Antillean Islands , hurricane and tropical-storm force winds impacting parts of Florida , Louisiana , Texas , Mississippi , and Arkansas , and flooding rain and storm surge affecting a large portion of the storm's path. Losses are estimated at over $ 19.1 billion, and at least 81 people were killed, with 63 of them coming from Haiti and Louisiana alone, making Laura the 16th-costliest hurricane on record. With agricultural losses estimated at $ 1.6 billion, Laura did more agriculture damages in Louisiana than Hurricanes Katrina and Rita combined. As Laura passed through
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4830-504: The Calcasieu Parish Public School System . There are two charter schools and several private schools. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles operates and/or is affiliated with private Roman Catholic schools. The most widely distributed, daily newspaper is The American Press . Other popular periodicals include Lagniappe Magazine , The Jambalaya News , Gumbeaux Magazine , and Thrive Magazine . The Contraband
4945-635: The Cape Verde islands. By 03:00 UTC on August 20, the low and accompanying convection became sufficiently organized to be classified as a tropical depression, the thirteenth of the season, about 1,035 mi (1,666 km) east-southeast of the Leeward Islands . The depression moved briskly west-northwest in response to the Bermuda High to the north, a high that would steer the system throughout its lifetime. After struggling to intensify for over
5060-580: The Leeward Islands , the storm brought heavy rainfall to the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica , which was captured on radar imagery from Guadeloupe. In the Netherlands Antilles , Saba , Sint Eustatius , and Sint-Maarten saw minor flooding. Scattered power outages affected 4,000 people in Saint Kitts and Nevis . In the Virgin Islands, a peak wind gust of 41 miles per hour (66 km/h)
5175-514: The Los Angeles Angels was rescheduled for September 5 in Anaheim. Hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge watches were issued for almost the entire coastline on August 24. This came just hours after the southeastern portion of the state had their tropical storm and storm surge warnings for Marco cancelled. Most of the watches were upgraded to warnings the next day and a flash flood watch
5290-567: The Louisiana DOTD . Interstate 210 is an interstate highway bypass that loops through the southern portion of the city. The curving Israel LaFleur Bridge goes over the Calcasieu Ship Channel . This bridge has a 96% rating even after withstanding recent hurricanes. The loop has served Lake Charles commuters for 40 years, and carries about 40,000 vehicles per day. Hurricane Laura Effects Other wikis Hurricane Laura
5405-835: The Ouest , Nippes , Sud-Est , and Sud departments. Water treatment products were sent to Anse-à-Pitres and Belle-Anse by the National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) deployed medical teams across the country to assist the Haitian National Red Cross Society, though transport of victims was hampered by limited access to ambulances. Eleven schools were converted to shelters; however, many evacuees opted to stay with neighbors or relatives due to fears of COVID-19. The governors of both Texas and Louisiana surveyed storm damage in
5520-509: The Texas – Louisiana coastline within a weakness along the western edge of the Bermuda High. Little change in intensity took place in the few hours before Hurricane Laura made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana , around 06:00 UTC on August 27 near peak strength, as its pressure had risen by 2 mbar . Laura matched the strength of the 1856 Last Island hurricane for strongest landfall in
5635-572: The United Methodist Church , National Baptist Convention, USA , Churches of Christ , Church of God in Christ , and the Assemblies of God USA . Additionally, outside of Christianity, there were an estimated 354 adherents of Islam in the city and metropolitan area. According to Dwellics and Sperling's BestPlaces , there is also a small Jewish population. In 2018, the violent crime rate in
5750-625: The Windward Passage . Once back over water, the storm intensified some and made a brief landfall around 00:00 UTC on August 24 in Santiago de Cuba Province , Cuba , with winds of 60–65 mph (97–105 km/h) before emerging over the Caribbean along Cuba's southern coast. Laura's structure briefly degraded on August 24 before it reorganized and traversed Pinar del Río Province in western Cuba, early on August 25. Maintaining
5865-497: The mid-latitude westerlies . The system ultimately degenerated into a remnant low over Kentucky early on August 29, as it began merging with an approaching extratropical storm . Laura's remnant low continued moving eastward, before being absorbed into the approaching extratropical system several hours later over Maryland . In preparation for the storm, schools were closed in Anguilla and Antigua . A tropical storm watch
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#17328552438175980-705: The Artists Civic Theatre and Studio (ACTS), and the Children's Theatre. Many festivals are held at the Civic Center. The most popular, the Louisiana Pirate Festival (formerly Contraband Days), is hosted on the Civic Center grounds and lakefront. The festival is a twelve-day annual festival held during the first two weeks of May. The celebrations are filled with savory Cajun food, family fun, and live entertainment, including several national acts. The festival
6095-502: The Calcasieu Parish School System, employs approximately 5,000 workers. The second-largest employer is L'Auberge Casino Resort, which has 2,400 workers. Several petrochemical plants and an oil refinery are located nearby along the Calcasieu Ship Channel . Turner Industries, Westlake Chemical Corporation , and Citgo each employ over a thousand people. The Trunkline LNG terminal, immediately southwest of Lake Charles,
6210-721: The Coastal Waters as well as Texas , Louisiana , Mississippi , Arkansas , Tennessee , Alabama , and Kentucky . The staff at the NWS Lake Charles office also evacuated; warnings for their area being issued by NWS Brownsville. Three rare Extreme Wind Warnings were issued for Louisiana and Texas as Laura approached landfall. Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez declared a state of emergency, and FEMA teams were ready to help with recovery efforts in Puerto Rico . On August 21, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared
6325-578: The Contraband Bayou Golf Club, and the Country Club at Golden Nugget. Gray Plantation Golf Course is featured on Louisiana's Audubon Golf Trail. South Lake Charles Little League has had nationally winning teams televised on ESPN. The city has 31 parks, many of which include playground equipment, athletic facilities, and walking paths. Shiver-Me-Timbers Millennium Park, located downtown, was built entirely by volunteers in 2000. Adventure Cove,
6440-1042: The Doré School of Graduate Studies. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . Other properties include a 65-acre (260,000 m ) athletic plant and student apartment complex, the Louisiana Environmental Research Center, Burton Coliseum , the 503-acre (2.04 km ) MSU Farm, and nearly 1,600 acres (6.5 km ) of donated farm property used for research, farming, and ranching. Over 8,500 students attend McNeese. SOWELA Technical Community College offers associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificate programs, and general education courses that can transfer to four-year universities. Delta School of Business and Technology specializes in vocational courses. Lake Charles's public schools are operated by
6555-465: The Grand Lake High School suffered damage. Severe damage occurred throughout Lake Charles with widespread catastrophic-level damage to residential and commercial building roofs and structure, as well as half of all matured trees either blown down, badly stripped of branches, or 'broken over'. Double- and Triple-KVA (kilovolt-amp) power transmission towers and lines feeding power throughout
6670-522: The Lake Area. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, the Roman Catholic Church is the area's largest individual Christian denomination, with 51,161 adherents in Calcasieu Parish alone. The Southern Baptist Convention was the city and area's second largest denomination, followed by non-denominational Protestant churches. Other prominent Christian denominations have included
6785-585: The Lake Charles Symphony. It was founded in 1938 and hosts concerts at the Rosa Hart Theatre, which has a capacity of over 2,000. The Lake Charles Little Theatre was founded in 1927 and is the second oldest community theater in Louisiana. Lake Charles is home to a number of museums and art galleries. The largest, the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, features a permanent historical exhibit with artifacts and an art gallery. Its grounds are home to
6900-488: The Lake Charles area was of the highest in the United States, across communities of all sizes (both large and small). Violent offenses tracked include rape, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, including assault with a deadly weapon. Lake Charles is safer than 13% of cities in the United States. For every 100,000 people, 13.11 daily crimes occur in Lake Charles. Year over year, crime in Lake Charles has decreased by 25%. The top employer,
7015-531: The Sallier oak tree, which is around 400 years old. The Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is used as exhibition space; moving art exhibits are displayed at this public art gallery each month. It also hosts the Charlestown Farmers' Market, which provides a venue for local farmers and merchants to sell goods. The Central School Arts and Humanities Center, located in the historical Charpentier District,
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#17328552438177130-743: The Severe Weather Statements and Flood Warnings that were already posted. Ahead of Laura's first landfall in Cuba on August 23, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued throughout the nation. At one point, the western tip of Cuba was under both a tropical storm watch from Laura and a tropical storm warning from Hurricane Marco at the same time. Officials evacuated 106,000 people in Santiago de Cuba Province , 81,300 in Holguín Province , and 12,000 in Guantánamo Province . Power
7245-419: The South. Other studios and cultural activities include the Art Associates Gallery, Studio 347 Gallery, the Lake Charles Symphony, and the Lake Charles Community Band. McNeese State University produces the annual Banners Series of various musical and theatrical performances. Banners also hosts lectures and presentations from notable persons and academics. Local theaters include the Lake Charles Little Theatre,
7360-511: The area were heavily damaged and/or destroyed. An RV was blown over and many mobile homes in parks were knocked off of their mounts, some rolled over, older ones stripped of their siding and gutted. The Lake Charles Regional Airport saw a wind gust of 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) as well as multiple hangars destroyed. Another wind gust in the city reached 137 miles per hour (220 km/h). Many windows were blown out of Capital One Tower in Downtown Lake Charles. Intracoastal City saw
7475-443: The areas due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Although the center of Laura was forecast to remain north of Jamaica , associated rainbands on the southern side of the circulation were anticipated to bring significant precipitation. On August 23, the Jamaican Meteorological Service issued a flash flood watch for low-lying areas nationwide. This was later upgraded to a flash flood warning on August 24 as torrential rains affected
7590-409: The arrival of tropical storm-force winds, emergency services would be suspended. A total of 50 busses were used to assist in evacuations. A voluntary evacuation order was issued for coastal areas of Brazoria and Harris counties. An estimated 385,000 people were under evacuation orders in the state, including the entire city of Beaumont . On August 25, the next day's Houston Astros game against
7705-520: The bulk of convection east of the surface circulation. Early on August 22, Laura traversed the Virgin Islands and sideswiped Puerto Rico to the south before making landfall in the southeastern Dominican Republic with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) early on August 23. Despite interacting with the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola , the overall structure of Laura actually improved with little intensity loss. Laura subsequently traversed Haiti and emerged over
7820-595: The center of the storm, the coastline of Mississippi was placed under a storm surge watch from Ocean Springs westward on August 24 due to the massive size of Laura. However, these were dropped before the storm made landfall. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency on August 22 due to both Hurricanes Laura and Marco threatening the state, which the federal government granted on August 24. Search and rescue teams were put on standby as Governor Asa Hutchinson declared an emergency ahead of Hurricane Laura and set aside $ 250,000 to prepare for
7935-417: The city reached 137 miles per hour (220 km/h). Many windows were blown out of Capital One Tower downtown. A communications tower collapsed onto the KPLC studio building (which had been evacuated) and part of a sky bridge was blown out. The radar at the NWS Lake Charles forecast office (whose staff evacuated, with the office's operations transferred to the Brownsville, Texas office) was destroyed around
8050-425: The city, trees fell on homes and blocked all exits in the McGee's Landing Area. East of Center , a tree and power lines fell on FM 417 and FM 2694 . Following the storm, five people died in Southeast Texas in four separate incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of improperly-placed generators. One person in Newton County was also killed in the cleanup process. Despite the reduced surge threat on
8165-406: The city. Lake Charles soon rebuilt, grew and expanded in the twentieth century. The Charleston Hotel was completed in 1929, during the administration of Mayor Henry J. Geary. During and after World War II , Lake Charles experienced industrial growth with the arrival of petrochemical refineries. The city grew to a high of some 75,000 people in the early 1980s, but with local economic recession,
8280-478: The coast, Mississippi still faced the threat of tornadoes from the storm, especially on the western side of the state. A number of tornado warnings were issued for parts of the state starting on August 26 with an EF0 tornado confirmed in Oxford on August 27. Widespread flash flooding occurred across Jefferson Davis County . In Natchez , trees were blown down and a sign at an Autozone damaged six vehicles when it
8395-670: The country's north coast. Initial damage estimates totaled to around J$ 54 million (US$ 360,000) according to Jamaica's National Works Agency (NWA). Rounds of gusty winds and heavy rainfall affected the Cayman Islands as Laura passed just to the north. Hurricane Laura produced at least 16 tornadoes in Louisiana , Arkansas , Mississippi , Tennessee , and Alabama . The preliminary insured damages from Hurricane Laura in Texas and Louisiana were estimated at $ 19 billion. Laura became
8510-796: The dam could collapse. Agriculture suffered significant damage as the nation struggled with COVID-19 related food shortages. Flooding damaged 447 homes and destroyed 15 others across the Artibonite department . After clearing Hispaniola , Tropical Storm Laura brought damaging winds and flooding rains to Southeastern Cuba on August 23–24. Wind gusts reached 91 mph (146 km/h) in Maisí , tearing roofs off homes and downing trees. Rainfall reached 9.51 in (241.5 mm) in Complejo Palma, Santiago de Cuba, and 7.50 in (190.6 mm) in San Antonio del Sur, Guantánamo. Damage across Holguín Province
8625-449: The deaths of at least 41 people in the United States. An estimated $ 23.3 billion in damages was inflicted on southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas near the Gulf of Mexico . After landfall, Laura caused significant wind damage in southwest and central Louisiana before becoming a tropical storm later that day. It weakened further to a tropical depression over Arkansas the next day. On August 29, Laura degenerated into
8740-639: The eastern half of Oklahoma , prompting a flash flood warning in Le Flore County . Outflow from the storm also generated a band of southwest-moving thunderstorms that extended from Oklahoma City southward to the Texas border. In Tennessee , a flash flood warning was issued in Memphis and tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in the western part of the state late on August 27. The next day, more warnings issued, including one tornado warning for areas just north of Nashville , which had been hit by
8855-568: The entirety of Calcasieu Parish , approximately 200,000 people, was ordered on August 25. State-run shelters were opened with cots spread farther apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Just hours before Laura made landfall on August 26, I-10 was shut down in both directions between the Louisiana/ Texas border eastward to the Atchafalaya Basin . Despite being well away from
8970-613: The evacuation of 8,995 people. In Santo Domingo , a woman and her son died after their house collapsed, due to the rain brought by Laura, and in Pedro Brand , a man died when a tree fell on his house. Severe flooding was reported across Santo Domingo. A police officer died after falling on a downed electric cable in the Elías Piña Province . Similar to the Dominican Republic, heavy precipitation affected much of Haiti;
9085-950: The first major hurricane to strike the mainland United States since Michael in October 2018. In Puerto Rico , Laura downed trees and caused flooding in Salinas . Part of the Salinas city sign was also blown over during the storm. A peak of 4.09 in (104 mm) of precipitation was reported in Villalba , with a peak wind gust of 75 miles per hour (120 km/h) being reported in Salinas. Roughly 200,000 customers lost power in Puerto Rico, with nearly 14,000 losing access to running water. Tropical storm-force wind gusts affected several counties across southern Florida, particularly Collier , Miami-Dade , and Monroe counties. A gust of 65 mph (105 km/h)
9200-414: The foot of Pujo Street downtown. Throughout the two World Wars, Mardi Gras was downsized which led to a lack of participation by the area's youth. However, an interest in redeveloping the festivities arose, and the first Mardi Gras Ball in Lake Charles was staged in 1964. The full revival of Mardi Gras in Lake Charles was not realized until 1979, when several Krewe captains formed the "Krewe of Krewes", with
9315-637: The hardest hit parts of their respective states after the storm had passed. Roads in both Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes in Louisiana were impassable, cutting off road access to both Cameron and Creole . About 200,000 people were left without drinking water after Laura made 80 water systems inoperable. Additionally, some areas saw complete destruction in their power grids, and over a million people lost power. Some areas were expected to be without power for weeks or even months. Multiple homes also were uninhabitable due to air conditioning units being destroyed. Recovery efforts were hampered by additional rainfall in
9430-523: The island of Hispaniola , killing 31 people in Haiti and four in the Dominican Republic . The storm then moved across the length of Cuba , prompting tropical storm warnings and the evacuation of more than 260,000 people there. Subsequently, the outer rainbands extended into the Florida Keys and South Florida . Laura then moved across the Gulf of Mexico , strengthening slowly at first, before
9545-576: The main road to Gordon Town ; unstable terrain hampered efforts to clear debris. A bridge in Saint Thomas Parish was washed away, isolating residents of Trinityville, Georgia, and Cedar Valley. Additionally, the main road connecting Papine to Dallas Castle in Bull Bay collapsed. Wind gusts reached 35 to 40 mph (56 to 64 km/h) along southern coastlines near Kingston , and in Montego Bay on
9660-413: The mayor, the clerk of court, and seven city council members. Each council member represents a district within the city limits. One is elected president and presides over each meeting. The mayor serves a four-year term. The current mayor is Nic Hunter . The mayor appoints the city attorney . The Lake Charles Police Department (LCPD) provides law enforcement and protection for the city. The police chief
9775-401: The nation. Originally, the bulk of the storm was forecasted to stay north of the Cayman Islands , but as the forecast kept on shifting further southwest of earlier forecast, the projections of significant precipitation and for Tropical Storm conditions continued to increase. The Cayman Islands Government issued Tropical Storm Warning for their Islands on August 23. This was in addition to
9890-455: The population declined and stagnated. In 1985, the city was identified as a potential Strategic Homeport to support Navy Secretary John Lehman 's desire for a 600-ship Navy . Support ships were to be operated from the new Naval Station Lake Charles; but with the tailing-off of the Cold War , the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended it be closed. By 1991, the incomplete base
10005-466: The population. In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the racial and ethnic makeup for Lake Charles was 46.2% Black or African American, 42.5% non-Hispanic white, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6% Asian, 2.6% some other race, 5.6% two or more races, and 5.6% Hispanic or Latino American of any race. In common with most of the American South , Christianity is the predominant religion in
10120-572: The potential of widespread flooding as many reservoirs were at or near capacity. Hurricanes Marco and Laura threatened a large swath of oil rigs positioned across the Gulf of Mexico. By August 23, approximately 58 percent of oil production and 45 percent of natural gas production was shut down; this included the evacuation of 114 platforms. By August 25, 299 of 643 platforms and 27 of 28 mobile rigs were evacuated. Seven tornado watches were issued for this storm. They included
10235-901: The primary purpose of parading and promoting Mardi Gras for local residents. In 1985, Mardi Gras of Imperial Calcasieu, Inc. was formed by a group of civic-minded volunteers to further aid in the preservation of this festival. Mardi Gras in Lake Charles regularly draws in crowds of 150,000. Some of the city's cultural events include Chuck Fest, Martin Luther King Festival, Livestock Show & Rodeo, Black Heritage Festival, Garden Festival, Palm Sunday Tour of Homes, Downtown at Sundown, Memorial Day Avenue of Flags, Crawfish Festival, Asian/American Culturefest, Cajun French, Creole, Zydeco Music & Zydeco Trail Rides, Food Festivals, Marshland Festival, Gatorman Triathlon, Music & Food Festival, Arts Fest, and Riverside Fall Festival. Lake Charles has four libraries. The largest, with over 400,000 volumes,
10350-507: The state and was the first Category 4 landfall on record in southwestern Louisiana. Progressing inland across southwestern Louisiana, Laura produced destructive winds over a wide area, although the storm rapidly weakened as it progressed farther inland. Steady filling of the storm and the disappearance of its eye ensued throughout the day, and Laura weakened to a tropical storm by 17:00 UTC about 50 miles (80 km) east-southeast of Shreveport . Maintaining tropical storm-force winds,
10465-671: The state, four of them arising from falling trees. They included a 14-year-old girl in Vernon Parish , a 68-year-old man in Acadia Parish , a 51-year-old man in Jackson Parish , and a 64-year-old man in Allen Parish . Carbon monoxide poisoning from generators being inside homes, which is strongly discouraged, led to the deaths of twelve people in Calcasieu Parish and two people in Allen Parish . Another man died of drowning while aboard
10580-575: The storm's impacts. One day later President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the state of Arkansas. For the first time in the state's history the National Weather Service issued tropical storm watches and warnings for several southern counties of Arkansas with local forecasters predicting that areas southeast of Little Rock face the greatest risk of damage. Laura caused widespread devastation throughout most of its path with tropical-storm force winds going over almost all of
10695-615: The system progressed into southwestern Arkansas. By August 28, Laura degraded to a tropical depression over central Arkansas; heavy rain became the primary threat across the Southeast . Around that time, the NHC issued their final advisory on Laura, passing on the responsibility for issuing advisories to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC). Gradually losing tropical characteristics, the weakening storm accelerated east-northeast within
10810-462: The time of landfall, with its dome and much of its internal equipment sheared from the radar tower's base. A few weeks later, Hurricane Delta also hit Lake Charles. Lake Charles is the principal city of the Lake Charles metropolitan statistical area , which had a population of 240,082 as of 2023. It is the larger principal city of the Lake Charles-DeRidder combined statistical area , with
10925-459: The town. Near Bossier City , a large tree was blown down on the Centenary College of Louisiana campus while several homes were damaged by falling trees south-southwest of the city. In Greenwood , flash flooding led to high water over the shoulder roads of I-20 at exit 5 with drivers being advised to use US 80 as an alternative. A total of 30 fatalities occurred throughout
11040-411: Was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that is tied with the 1856 Last Island hurricane and 2021's Hurricane Ida as the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana , as measured by maximum sustained winds . The twelfth named storm , fourth hurricane , and first major hurricane of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season , Laura originated from
11155-596: Was also issued for the western half of the state as over 10 inches (250 mm) of rain was expected. As the threat of surge increased for the coastline, the NHC stated that there would be "unsurvivable storm surge with large and destructive waves." Due to the continued threat of Marco and Laura making landfall in Louisiana, on August 21, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency for 36 parishes. Evacuations related to Marco were in place for Plaquemines Parish , Jefferson Parish , Grand Isle , and Port Fourchon . A mandatory evacuation for
11270-450: Was at Cypremort Point , on Vermilion Bay , where 45 miles per hour (70 km/h) winds were recorded. Numerous tornado warnings began to be issued throughout Louisiana as Laura approached the coast on August 26. An EF0 tornado touched down briefly near Paincourtville , although no damage occurred. Another tornado was reportedly spotted by a trained spotter in Bell City , but
11385-568: Was blown down. A tree was also blown down on a house in Warrenton . Laura entered Arkansas while still at tropical storm strength. Numerous tornado warnings were issued in Arkansas with eight tornadoes confirmed in the state, the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded in the state during the month of August. A high-end EF1 tornado caused significant damage to a church in Lake City , though no one
11500-618: Was damaged in New Llano after a carport was blown into it. There was extensive damage to trees, power lines and poles, and structures in De Quincy and much of the town of Delcambre was left underwater due to flooding. A tree was blown down onto a fraternity house in Lafayette . Hurricane Laura caused the largest power outage in Baton Rouge since Isaac in 2012. In Shreveport a tree fell on
11615-530: Was dropped from the program and shuttered. In 2005, the city was heavily damaged by Hurricane Rita . In 2020, it was battered by two hurricanes, Category 4 Hurricane Laura on August 26–27, and Hurricane Delta on October 9, 2020. Lake Charles after the hurricane was described as if “20 tornadoes came in and wiped the city”. The southern portion of the city was damaged by an EF2 tornado on October 27, 2021, and an EF1 tornado caused minor damage to downtown Lake Charles on May 13, 2024. Lake Charles, located on
11730-807: Was founded by merchant and tradesman Marco Eliche (or Marco de Élitxe) as an outpost. He was a Sephardic Jewish trader of either Basque-Spanish or Venetian-Italian origins. He had arrived in Louisiana after hitchhiking and was invited onto a Spanish vessel due to his determination and loyalty to volunteer and work freely for the Spanish Empire. Long before incorporation and even before the Louisiana Purchase , other names for Lake Charles were Porte du Lafitte (Port of Jean Lafitte ) or Rivière Lafitte (River Lafitte/Lafitte's River), among many other names now lost. Eliche had also founded other outposts and towns in Louisiana prior, most notably Marksville , which
11845-410: Was hurt or injured. This same storm dropped another high-end EF1 tornado north of Brookland . A rare PDS tornado warning was also issued for this tornado. The storm then dropped its strongest tornado, which was rated low-end EF2, which damaged structures and homes southwest of Maynard . Widespread flash flood warnings were issued throughout the state. A 57 miles per hour (92 km/h) wind gust
11960-578: Was issued for several islands in the group on August 20, being upgraded to a warning the next day. The storm prompted the closing of all ports in the British Virgin Islands . A tropical storm warning was issued covering the coast from Punta Palenque to the northern Haitian border. A red alert was also issued for 18 provinces, a yellow alert for 8, and a green alert for 6. Haitian authorities urged people to evacuate to shelters, and to remember to wear masks and respect social distancing orders in
12075-618: Was killed and another injured after rough surf from Laura slammed them against jetties in Corpus Christi on August 26. Another man died after he was electrocuted while preparing for the storm. Eastern Texas saw a few tornado warnings as Laura neared landfall on August 26 as well, but no tornadoes were confirmed. Coastal water rises in the southeast part of the state began at around 20:00 UTC that same day. Wind gusts in both Houston and Galveston peaked at 38 miles per hour (61 km/h). A wind gust of 79 miles per hour (127 km/h)
12190-465: Was never confirmed. Coastal water rises began at around 19:00 UTC on August 26. Cameron saw at least 9.19 feet (2.80 m) of storm surge. Holly Beach was extensively damaged as an RV was destroyed and several homes suffered roof damage. Storm surge flooding also covered SH 82 . The town of Hackberry was severely damaged by storm surge flooding and two trains were derailed in Grand Lake , where
12305-605: Was observed at the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station . Farther south, a strong squall line moved through Key West , damaging streetlights, downing a tree, and generating a 69 mph (111 km/h) wind gust at the National Weather Service's Key West office. On August 25, a St. George Island first responder drowned while trying to rescue a swimmer caught in rough surf. The first report of sustained tropical-storm force winds on land
12420-540: Was once the main economic engine of the area. The Calcasieu Ship Channel , which allows large ocean-going vessels to sail up from the Gulf, also borders the city. The 2010 census recorded Lake Charles total land size was 48.6 sq miles was to 2023 census records Lake Charles being 61.35 sq miles in total size. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 44.8 square miles (116.0 km ), of which 42.0 square miles (108.9 km )
12535-651: Was preemptively cut across Guantánamo Province as a precautionary measure. On August 24, a further 45,000 people in Villa Clara Province , 16,466 people in Matanzas Province , and 300 in Ciego de Ávila Province were evacuated. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic complicated evacuation efforts, resulting in typical evacuation shelters such as schools not being opened. Those suspected of being infected were relocated to quarantine centers. Residents nationwide were alerted to
12650-519: Was recorded at Kirbyville Raws site near Call and trees were downed in Groves . In Port Arthur , trees were downed, including one that fell on a house, and a parking lot lamp snapped at its base. A large tree also fell on and damaged a house in Beaumont . Structural damage occurred in near Pinehurst just west of Orange , where multiple trees and power lines where downed and several structures, including
12765-674: Was recorded just south of El Dorado , causing several trees and power lines to fall, two of which landed on houses. This caused many power outages in Union County . Numerous trees were downed in the Doddridge area, including one on US 71 , causing numerous power outages. South of Bradley near the Louisiana / Arkansas state line, a tree fell on AR 29 , blocking the road. AR 343 was shut down between Lewisville and AR 53 due to falling trees. Uprooted trees fell on power lines in Dermott and
12880-808: Was relatively limited; some structures and crops were damaged and scattered power outages occurred. A bridge in Buey Arriba , Granma Province , collapsed due to flooding, which isolated 30 communities. A station in Cabo Cruz recorded sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) and a gust of 65 mph (104 km/h). Minor flooding and power outages occurred in Las Tunas Province . Flash flooding across Jamaica caused significant disruptions to road infrastructure. A weather station in Negril , Jamaica observed 4.97 in (126 mm) of rain. A landslide blocked
12995-679: Was reported in Sandy Point , Saint Croix . It caused some power outages and flash flooding across the Virgin Islands. Tropical Storm Laura brought damaging winds and flooding rains to much of the Dominican Republic. Precipitation was heaviest along the southern coast, with a peak 24-hour accumulation of 11.7 in (300 mm) in Barahona . Approximately 1.1 million people lost power while 1.56 million people experienced disruption to water services. Early assessments as of August 24 indicated significant damage to 1,791 homes, prompting
13110-584: Was shut down west of Hope at mile marker 26 due to a downed tree blocking both lanes of the freeway. In Kingsland , several large trees were blown down, including one that significantly damaged a house. In Goodrich , a house carport was destroyed with a hole through its wall. Several roads east of Mena were closed due to flooding. A portion of County Road 106 southwest of Ravenden was washed out due to flooding, and flash flooding in Sherwood left an intersection impassable. Moderate to heavy rainfall impacted
13225-538: Was the tenth-strongest U.S. hurricane on record to made landfall in the U.S. The effects of Laura across Louisiana were devastating. Nearly 10-foot high storm surge was recorded in Cameron Parish . Numerous parishes had severe flooding and extreme damage to houses. Several roads had to be closed, and drivers were advised to use different routes. The storm caused the deaths of 30 people in the state alone. Texas and Arkansas were struck notably hard as well. The storm caused
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