There are three very intriguing college football games that will be happening along the I-10 corridor this evening. The kickoff for all three games is set for 6 PM. The LSU Tigers will host Mississippi State in Baton Rouge. Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns will host the South Alabama Jaguars at Cajun Field in Lafayette. The McNeese State Cowboys will host Stephen F. Austin in Lake Charles.  That means tailgaters should be out in force late this afternoon and evening.

Tailgating is an art form at all three of these Louisiana institutions of higher eating education. The only thing can put a damper on the fun is rain. It won't stop it, it will just mean wearing sandals will be an unfortunate choice.

Here's what forecasters are suggesting for today's tailgate activities.  The early morning radar scan is showing a significant amount of precipitation for this time of day. The rain and thunderstorms usually increase in coverage and intensity in conjunction with the daytime heating. The rain this morning might actually be a good thing. If the early morning rain keeps the daytime temperatures down, this might mean fewer thunderstorms developing later.

McNeese State hosting Stephen F. Austin : Forecasters at AccuWeather are speculating much of the shower and thunderstorm activity will be over by 2 PM. Temperatures will be in the lower to middle 80's around kickoff time. The issue is going to be heat index or "feels like" temperatures. It could feel like it's 95 around kickoff time. Weather guessers are not ruling out the possibility of a passing shower or even thunderstorm during the game but the chances are not likely.

LSU hosting Mississippi State: There may be bigger storms brewing inside the stadium than overhead if the Tiger offense doesn't wake up against the Bulldogs. AccuWeather forecasters are suggesting that thunderstorms could be a bigger issue during tonight's game than before the opening kickoff. The NCAA has very specific rules about lightning safety and should there be lightning in the vicinity please listen to stadium announcements and heed the warnings

Louisiana hosting South Alabama: Ragin' Cajun fans might experience more rain and thunderstorms during the setup time for tailgating than they will for the actually drinking preparations for the game. The AccuWeather outlook for Lafayette shows a better chance of rain during the morning and early afternoon hours than during the prime tailgate time and game.

Umbrellas are okay for tailgating but don't bring them in the stadium. Make sure you have a rain poncho that covers your backside so you will have a waterproof place to sit. When tailgating ground is wet, the ants are usually on the move. Ants love it when people wear sandals so plan accordingly. It might also be a good idea to throw a towel or two in your car so you won't have to ride home from the game on wet seats.

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