Coverage of NWS Weather Forecast Offices where New Orleans/Baton Rouge is LIX.
The National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office New Orleans/Baton Rouge has its origins in a U.S. Army Signal Service office opened in Downtown New Orleans on October 4, 1870.[3] A hurricane forecast center operated in the New Orleans office from 1935 until 1966, when its responsibilities were transferred to the National Hurricane Center.[3] In 1979, the New Orleans forecast office moved to Slidell, merging with the radar observatory that had operated there since 1972.[3] In 1993, the Baton Rouge forecast office was closed and its functions were transferred to the office in Slidell.[3]
In November 2023, it was notified to the public that the KLIX radar would be moved someplace else as it would provide better coverage of any weather that needed to be monitored. From that point until March 2024 meteorologists had to rely on radars at Lake Charles from the west and Mobile from the east. In March 2024, the new radar was stationed in Hammond and now provides coverage in between Lake Charles and Mobile with the call ID of KHDC[4].
Broadcasting activities of WXL41 began on August 17, 2005; when the NWS in New Orleans/Baton Rouge added a transmitter at Buras, giving residents in Southern Louisiana 24-hour access to their NOAA Weather/All Hazards Radio service. 24-Hour weather broadcasts at this transmitter include the marine, shipping and fishing forecasts for the Grand Isle, Leeville and Port Fourchon communities.[5] Less than 2 weeks later, WXL41's transmitter was knocked off the air by Hurricane Katrina. Service was later restored in early 2006 by a way of back-up generator until full power was restored.[6]
KIH23's tower was destroyed by Hurricane Gustav during the Labor Day weekend in 2008. A temporary tower was in place at a lower height and power until a new transmitter was fully constructed in December 2008.[7]
