KATC StormTeam 3 Weather BLOG

Our spring-like weather will continue over the next few days with fog becoming a greater player in the nights ahead. A weakening front will probably bring in more clouds for Friday and Saturday, but the front will likely stall just north of the area. A secondary push of cooler air will make a run on Sunday and that should spark off scattered showers. Cooler air will move in early next week, only to be followed by another warm-up thereafter.

Fog coverage and thickness will be dictated by our lower level winds; the lower the winds, the better for fog development. As increasingly moist and warm air moves out of the southern Gulf over the chilled Louisiana waters near shore, (where water temperatures are in the upper 50s to lower 60s), I expect, at the very least, low clouds late at night and during the next several mornings. Right now, the greatest risk of dense sea fog will be Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

We have segued into a spring pattern, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get cold again. Our risk of hard freeze, however, is pretty much over. This is the time of year everyone starts asking if they can plant. I hate to say yes, or no, because strong cold fronts have burned me and many a flower in the past…but if I were guessing about the first few weeks of March, I would say above normal temperatures and rain chances. At the least, it is a good time though to apply the weed and feed for the lawn.

Rob Perillo

It’s been long overdue…nice spring-like weather…and that’s what we’ll have over the next few days. Fat Tuesday will see fair to partly cloudy skies with highs reaching into the mid-70s. Bring the sun block as the sun will give our winter skins a good burn. Warmer conditions will be likely for Wednesday through Friday with highs approaching 80. A frontal boundary will make a move on Friday but should fall short. A secondary push will get here Sunday with a better chance of showers. Early next week looks good.

Okay, here’s the catch (read-the fine print): look out for areas of dense fog beginning tomorrow night and continuing over the next several nights. Our overnight temperatures will reach the upper 50s to lower 60s which is the magic zone when combined with a light southerly flow off of the Gulf. Fog should burn off each morning around 9:00am.

Have a Happy and Safe Mardi Gras!

Rob Perillo

Expect sunny skies and highs in the upper 60s. Light southerly winds and high pressure will give us the perfect weather for the festivals and parades. We will start off chilly for your Monday morning with tempertures in the upper 30s. Mardi Gras will be much warmer with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 50s. Fog may be a problem every night starting Monday until our next frontal system moves through. Rain chances stay out of the forecast until Friday. Enjoy the nice weather!
Happy Mardi Gras Everyone.

Kari Hall
10:20pm

If you are heading out to the Saturday night celebrations, rain showers are beginning to dry up. Light rain showers/drizzle is still possible and it will be humid. The Canadian cold front will finally push through overnight and high pressure will move in tomorrow. Sunday will be MUCH better than today with highs in the lower 60s and sunny. For the boucheries, festivals, and parades…the weather will be perfect. Rain chances stay out of the forecast until Friday with temperatures warming into the upper 70s by Wednesday.
Happy Mardi Gras!!!

Kari Hall
6:20 pm

Tonight’s parade in Lafayette will probably make it to the end without too much in the way of rain. But there should be some on and off drizzle/light rain, so bring the rain gear just in case. Rain chances go way up for tomorrow (near 100%) with periods of rain. Accumulations should be between 3/4 and 1 & 1/2 inches. Heavier rain totals will be found north of Acadiana with this weather system.

The Children’s Parade and the Carencro Parade tomorrow will likely be quite wet. Rainshower activity will decrease into tomorrow evening with another round of patchy drizzle possible for the parade tomorrow night.

It all improves Sunday with lots of sun and seasonably cool temperatures. It will be nice on Monday with highs near 70, but dropping into the 50s for the Queen’s Parade. Mardi Gras will see some cloud cover, but it will be pleasant with highs in the mid-70s.

Enjoy, stay dry, stay safe, and watch that traffic!

Rob Perillo

The pressure is on in the Weather Lab as we head into the big Mardi Gras weekend! The parades tomorrow night through mid-afternoon Saturday have a good chance of being wet. We are however, looking very good for Sunday and Monday with some clouds and minimal rain chances expected for Mardi Gras.

We are looking for increased cloudiness on Friday with scattered showers developing across the area by late afternoon. Scattered activity tomorrow evening will yield to steady moderate rains after midnight. Rainy conditions will likely persist through midday Saturday with activity tailing off to patchy drizzle/mist Saturday night. It will stay cool with temperatures holding mostly in the 50s through Saturday and into the 40s late Saturday night. Winds will be a little stiff tomorrow into Saturday from the ENE near 10-15mph…so it will feel colder than the 50s to low 60s projected.

Sunday and Monday look fair and cool with highs in the 60s and low dropping into the 40s. We may push the 70 degree mark by Monday afternoon, and we should be in the lower 70s for Mardi Gras through Thursday. Significant rain chances may return to the area by Thursday/Friday of next week.

Rob Perillo

More low clouds and fog to begin our Wednesday. A line of showers will move through early this morning. Later after the fog burns off we should see the clouds break up a little bit, and see a few peeks of sunshine. As we head toward the weekend another front will push through Friday giving us a decent chance for showers and storms. Dry air will move in over the weekend, we are still hoping this forecast will hold with us through Mardi Gras.

Baker

If you have ever spent a winter in Upstate New York or near and around the Great Lakes, you are probably familiar with the cloudy pattern of the last week or so. Only in the north it lasts for 95% of the month. We are accustomed to lots of sun here in Acadiana, and when we are deprived of it for more than a week, we really hear the mumbling and grumbling in the Weather Lab!

Misty, drizzle, light rain, and sea fog remain in the forecast. On the bright side, our temperatures have been warmer, and will continue to warm for tomorrow afternoon. The persistent pattern of clouds, showers and a wagging surface frontal boundary will not come to an end until late in the weekend. Until then, expect more patchy rain with a pretty good chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday evening. The rains should come to an end, finally, by early Saturday.

Temperatures stay on the rollercoaster too, with highs cooling from the 70s Wednesday back to near 60 for Thursday and Friday. The pattern aloft will undergo a significant change for Sunday with breezy and seasonably cool conditions for Sunday and Monday of next week. Mardi Gras still looks milder, but there will be some clouds, and the small chance of a few showers.

Rob Perillo

More clouds, some fog and a few misty patches remain in the forecast. At least our temperatures will warm into the 60s tomorrow afternoon and lower 70s for Wednesday afternoon. The fog could get particularly thick tomorrow night as the milder temperatures cross cooler Gulf waters with southerly winds. Measurable rain chances will stay on the low side through tomorrow night, but scattered showers may become more prevalent for Wednesday.

After moving north over the next two days, our pesky frontal boundary will return southward Thursday, try to move north early Friday, only to get whisked back to the south Friday night into Saturday. Next weekend, or least Sunday should be brighter, Saturday could go either way. Another good, but at least dry shot of cold air will get here for late Sunday and will keep us below normal through Monday. Warmer temperatures with variable cloudiness are expected for Mardi Gras. Right now I’m going with temperatures in the upper 60s for Fat Tuesday, but it could be even warmer…update tomorrow!

Rob Perillo

Freezing rain advisories are up until mid morning for areas of central Louisiana including extreme northern parts of Evangeline, Allen, and St. Landry parishes. Early this morning freezing rain was being reported from Alexandria, and light snow was falling in Natchitoches! Looks like temps will start to rebound today with highs back in the mid 50s. Tonight temps will hold steady or rise under cloudy skies. Tuesday will warm up with a south wind and highs back in the upper 60s.

Baker