We started the day with some high level clouds, arriving a little earlier than expected. Morning temps for the Red Stick and much of the WAFB viewing area did drop into the upper 50°s during the pre-dawn hours, making for a comfortable start to the day.
As the morning wore on, the clouds thinned a bit, leaving us with fair skies into the afternoon with highs climbing to the low to mid 80°s. Winds slowly shifted through the day, swinging around to the south by the afternoon. With the flow now coming off the Gulf, the added low-level moisture means rising dew point temps -- and an end to our morning temps in the 50°s.
We continue to carry a slight chance -- 20% or less -- for afternoon rain on Thursday as an upper-level wave slides across Texas and passes to our north. We expect to be in and out of the clouds on Thursday, with afternoon highs in the low to mid 80°s. You will also notice a rise in the humidity through the day if you spend any time outdoors.
Our outlook for Friday through Sunday is a mainly-dry one. We’ll go with a token 10% rain chance for Friday afternoon, but staying dry through the weekend as a broad ridge of high pressure settles centered over the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. and controls our weather. The bog local weather story through the weekend will be the “almost summer” feel to the air -- highs in the upper 80°s with dew points in the mid to upper 60°s -- that means mid to late afternoon Heat Index numbers rising to around 90° or so.
The extended outlook into the first half of next week calls for a slow increase in rain chances by Tuesday into Wednesday as the central Gulf Coast awaits the arrival of our next cool front. And keep in mind that from a climatological perspective, we’re fast approaching the normal end of the “spring frontal weather” season for south Louisiana. Frontal passages will become less frequent -- and less important in terms of rainfall -- over the next few weeks as we shift to a sub-tropical summer-season pattern.
Did you hear that? It’s Hurricane Season, through the front gate and on the way to our front door!
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