Stormy Sunday – Heavy Rain, High Winds Likely

An approaching Pacific cold front is moving briskly into the moist Gulf of Mexico air that has given much of South Louisiana unseasonably warm temperatures over the past few days.  The interaction between these two very different atmospheric features will create a bit of chaos over the area during the day today.

At 6 AM the leading edge of the squall line and heavy showers, as indicated by radar, was still in Southeast Texas. This line of storms and heavy rain associated with the front is expected to move into Southwest Louisiana during before noon. Residents in Acadiana can expect the heaviest weather to occur between 2 PM and 5 PM.

The Storm Prediction Center has given the area a marginal probability for the formation of severe weather. There has been a high wind advisory posted for South Louisiana as winds will be very gusty ahead of the frontal passage this afternoon. Persons driving high profile vehicles such as semi-trucks, campers, and vans should be aware the strong southerly breeze blowing across major roadways such as I-10 could make maintaining control of their vehicles a bit more challenging.

Forecasters have given the area a 40% chance of showers for the early morning hours. That probability will increase to near 100% by the afternoon. Most of the models agree that rainfall amounts could be between one half of an  inch and one inch. The problem will be localized flooding as much of the rainfall will occur over a short period of time.  Rain chances will decline Sunday night and skies should be clear and temperatures slightly cooler during the day Monday.