Severe Storms Possible for South Louisiana Today

(KMDL-FM) For the past week or so, the highly trained and always entertaining weather guessers on South Louisiana television stations have been suggesting to us that a "cold front" was coming. And based on what we've seen and apparently some of you have felt, they weren't kidding.

Cold fronts in August in Louisiana are a rare sight. Granted, it's almost September, but still, the weather is more "summer" than "transitioning to fall" typically for this time of year in the Gulf South. What that means is that any cold front that is attempting to push into and through the state will encounter some obstacles.

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This current front is draped across the state from Shreveport/Bossier City in the northwest to Slidell in southeastern Louisiana. During the overnight hours, heavy showers and storms have occurred across the I-20 corridor of Louisiana, but most of this activity has since dissipated. However, there are still some showers and at least one thunderstorm complex active at the time we're reporting this to you.

When Is The Most Likely Time For Severe Weather In Louisiana today?

Forecasters anticipate rain and thunderstorm activity to increase after sunrise across much of southern Louisiana, as this area of the state is still south of the frontal boundary. The energy provided by the front and its interaction with warm, moist air from the Gulf have prompted forecasters to issue two cautionary advisories for today.

The threat of severe weather will most likely be confined to the southwestern corner of the state. The graphic, provided by the Storm Prediction Center, suggests the most likely areas in the state to experience severe storms today. Granted, that probability is a marginal one.

What Is The Greatest Threat From Severe Weather in Louisiana Today?

The more likely scenario would be heavy and strong storms not quite reaching the severe thunderstorm threshold, but that brings us to our other area of concern. This time, the advisory comes from the Weather Prediction Center. They are advising you and me to be cognizant of an excessive rain threat today.

Excessive rain is defined as a rain event in which rainfall rates exceed the ability of an area to drain the stormwater away. If you've ever been on Ambassador Caffery Parkway in Lafayette during heavy rain, that's the kind of problem that an excessive rain event can bring. There is a marginal risk of that across the area, too.

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The most likely time for rain and storms across the area will come later today as you are picking up kids from school or they are getting off the school bus in your neighborhood. The threat of showers will continue tonight, with the threat of heavier rains on Saturday morning.

The forecast from the National Weather Service does suggest the heavier showers will exit the area on Saturday afternoon, and by Saturday evening, conditions should be quite comfortable for college football games being played under the lights across the state.