When Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm, the radar from the National Weather Service in Lake Charles suddenly stopped updating and we now know why.
Storm chaser Brett Adair shared a photo Thursday morning that showed all that was left of the radar.
The radar, which typically looks like a big white ball from the outside, was torn apart by the extremely powerful storm. The Eastern Region headquarters for the National Weather Service said sustained winds at the site topped out around 98 mph, with gusts up to 133 mph.
The National Weather Service in Kansas City shared some remarkable photos comparing what it usually looks like to the aftermath from the storm.
Adair tweeted that pieces of the enclosure that surrounds the radar were blown around the area. Laura arrived as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to strike the U.S. based on its wind speed of 150 mph. Louisiana took the brunt of the damage when the system barreled over Lake Charles, an industrial and casino city of 80,00 people, and nearby low-lying fishing communities.
Other National Weather Service offices around the country tweeted their shock at the sight of the obliterated radar.
"The Lake Charles radar did not fare well as Hurricane Laura rolled through during the overnight hours," NWS Norman tweeted.
"Anyone curious about the Lake Charles, LA radar status after it took a direct hit from #Laura? Here's your answer...," NWS Quad Cities tweeted.