Early Morning Storms Marching Through Louisiana Tuesday

The National Weather Service Radar scan out of Lake Charles Louisiana has been tracking a developing line of very strong thunderstorms as it marches across Louisiana this morning. Just before midnight showers and storms were beginning to form just south of Louisiana's coastline. Those storms have now manifested into a significant weather event that could be the reason you're reading this article in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

The above image was captured just before 2 this morning. Based on movement and timing the area of strong storms should move into Acadia and Vermilion Parish shortly after 2 AM. The line will then progress into Lafayette, St.Landry, Iberia, and St. Martin around 3 AM.

Looking at the trajectory of the storms and their movement within the line northern Vermilion, southern Acadia, and the heart of Lafayette parish could be lined up to face some of the strongest weather associated with these storms.

We should note that a Flood Warning remains posted for the Calcasieu River near Glenmora and the Vermilion River at Lafayette. These early morning storms could exacerbate the high water that is already being noticed in those areas.

Spotters monitoring the storms say they are producing very heavy downpours and strong gusty winds. An abundance of lightning and loud claps of thunder are also waking up Louisiana residents ahead of their normal waking hours.

As of this writing (1:45 CST), no severe weather watches or warnings are associated with this squall line. However, by the time you read this, there could be watches or warnings posted for the storms.

After this area of showers and storms moves through the area conditions across the region will begin to change rapidly. Forecasters suggest the threat of showers should move out of Acadiana by 9 this morning. Temperatures will remain in the lower 70s for the morning hours.

This afternoon skies will clear and the winds will become gusty from the southwest before becoming more northerly later in the day. The north winds will usher in much cooler temperatures for tonight and the remainder of the week.

Temperatures are not expected to fall below freezing during this upcoming cold snap but with the breeze the "feels like" temperatures will be well below the freezing mark, especially in the early morning hours of Wednesday and Thursday.