🌀 Move Ovar Haarptards... Very Rare 'Bookend Vortex' Reported at Armstrong International Airport

The first of what are expected to be at least three rounds of storms between late Thursday and Saturday at noon struck late Thursday night, knocking out power to 65,000 in the metro area, primarily in Jefferson Parish and Tangipahoa, according to Entergy's power map. Cleco showed over 9,000 customers without power in St. Tammany.

The power outages caused some schools to close and others to go virtual.

The storms spawned a tornado warning and a likely tornado in St. James Parish followed by some severe thunderstorm warnings and a flood advisory for the majority of southeast Louisiana.

Winds of up to 84 mph were reported at Armstrong International Airport and sustained winds at the airport were 60 mph, causing most residents cellphones to go off with a warning around 11:30 p.m.

WWL Louisiana meteorologist Payton Malone referred to the phenomenon that produced the high wind speeds as a "bookend vortex" that somewhat resembles a hurricane.

There were reports of trees and power lines down in the Convent area from a confirmed tornado.

The entire metro area is under a level 2 chance of severe weather for late Friday night into early Saturday morning.

Winds in Kenner near the airport from a WWL Louisiana viewer