National Weather Service Lake Charles, LA

When most people think of the Gulf Coast they think of hurricanes but we also have a wide variety of weather and opportunities. From floods to drought, record-breaking-heat to hard freezes, and bright open skies to dense marine fog, we forecast a little bit of everything.

On October 28, 1887, a newspaper article appeared in the Abbeville Meridional, declaring that a state weather service was being organized within Louisiana by Mr. R. E. Kerkam, of the U.S. Signal Corp Office in New Orleans. Local observers were recruited throughout the state, and a call was made to all schools, hospitals, and others interested to take cooperative observations throughout the state.

The purpose of this new weather service was to give the public the actual weather conditions mainly in support of crops and harvesting. The observations were also to be used by engineers in support of building canals and sewers. They were also supposed to help the medical field by studying the effects of the weather on disease and the use of preventive remedies. The exercise was supposed to be "very agreeable and instructive." Twenty states already had weather services at that time, and "Louisiana should not neglect a matter of such importance to her people." (Abbeville Meridional, 10/29/1887, pg. 1) The observation site was established at Dr. W. A. Knapp's Drug Store, located at the corner of Ryan and Pujo Streets in Lake Charles, LA.

The next site to report for the Federal Government in Lake Charles started taking voluntary weather observations at the old post office in January 1893, located at the time on Pujo Street; the Weather Bureau supplying it with the forms necessary. It is known that with voluntary observations, or observations which are taken by cooperating individuals in the area, stations move around every so often; Lake Charles was no exception. The site moved with the post office to their new headquarters on Ryan Street on September 12, 1893.

By July 1919, the observation site was moved to 323 Woodruff Street. It was then moved to the foot of North Ryan Street in November 1930. Until 1937, the site recorded high temperature, low temperature, and 24 hour precipitation. Thereafter, hourly observations began at a new site, located at 1036 Kirkman Street.

The U.S. Weather Bureau then established what is known as a first order weather observation site and an office (part of the Department of Agriculture at the time) at the Old Calcasieu Parish Airport, 3.3 miles east of the previous location, on February 12, 1939. The observations included temperature, dew point, wind direction, speed, and pressure information.

The name of this site changed several times over the years. From Calcasieu Parish Airport to the Lake Charles Air Base on January 30, 1942, then again in 1958 when the name was changed to Chennault Air Force Base.

On November 22, 1961, the office was moved southwest 7.5 miles to the Lake Charles Regional Airport, where it has stood until present day. The U.S. Weather Bureau changed its name to the National Weather Service in 1969 and was placed within the newly formed Department of Commerce in 1970. The office was located in the airport's control tower until 1971, then moved to separate buildings on the airport property to the east in September 1979, and then next door to the current office in February 1996.

The staff of the National Weather Service in Lake Charles is here to serve and to protect the people of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. We keep our citizens and visitors aware of the diverse weather conditions and the potential hazards that we face. Our goal is to be indispensable to the community to prepare and respond to weather, water, and climate-dependent events.

The Gulf Coast offers a large variety of outdoor actives to take advantage of when not in the office. If you love the outdoors then look no further. From viewing wildlife, going on fishing/hunting trips, endless hiking trails, to even exploring the diverse culinary scene; the feeling of boredom will be hard to find.

Many of the NWS Lake Charles staff members are also active in the community and take part in local clubs and social spheres.

Check out the map below with some of locations that our staff highlighted as their favorites in the region:

A wide range of landscape and weather will greet you at WFO Lake Charles. From national forests to the beaches of the Cajun Riviera, you will find plenty to discover here!

The food is spicy and so is the air.

If you do not see a vacancy posted on USA Jobs, it means the vacancy applications have been received and the application process is closed OR the job has not been posted yet.

Learn more about our forecasts here.

Some selected photos from our CWA, many are courtesy of LCH Staff:

Please send additional comments and questions to sr-lch.obs@noaa.gov

Best CWA by a bayou mile.