Lafayette Weather – Heavy Rains, Flooding Likely

The National Weather Service and Lafayette Consolidated Government are taking no chances that citizens won't be prepared for what Mother Nature might throw our way in the next 24-36 hours.

The Weather Service has posted a flash flood watch for much of Acadiana in anticipation of an additional 3"-5" inches of rainfall expected over the next day or so.

Lafayette Consolidated Government is making sandbags available to those who would like them. These are self serve sandbag centers and residents will need to provide their own shovels and be prepared to bag their own sand.

The catalyst for this rain event is the same cold front that brought us some great weather during the middle of the week. This system has now lifted northward as a warm front and is allowing a southerly flow of warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to inundate the area.

To complicate the forecast and low pressure system has formed along the remnants of this frontal boundary and that is providing lift and instability to the atmosphere. With the abundance of moisture available in the upper levels of the atmosphere that is where the rain is going to come from.

Current forecast models suggest that many locations in Acadiana could receive anywhere from 3"-5" inches of rainfall. Local amounts may actually be higher before improving conditions move into the area on Monday.