Excessive Rains Threaten Louisiana’s Labor Day Weekend

(KMDL-FM) Many hard-working Louisiana residents will take a well-deserved day off on Monday, September 1st. That day is Labor Day. Which means for a lot of us, a three-day weekend to enjoy the warm summer sunshine, the pool, and, beginning this weekend, college football.

And no, the stadium in Lafayette won't look like that on Saturday night. Which is a great reason to go and an even better reason to understand the weather forecast for the weekend.

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In fact, the only thing that could put a damper on this weekend is actual dampness, and unfortunately, there is a pretty strong possibility that high school jamborees and some college football games could be affected by the weather.

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On a more serious note, if some of the predicted rainfalls come to fruition, we could be dealing with bigger concerns than a wet stadium seat. There is the possibility that some of the showers and storms Louisiana will see over the next 48 to 72 hours could bring high water, road closures, and a threat of flash flooding in homes and businesses.

The graphic above from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles explains what's happening in the atmosphere. A cold front, we like those in the fall, is forecast to stall out over southern Louisiana along the I-10 corridor. This should happen on Friday.

What Is Louisiana's Flood Risk This Weekend?

The frontal boundary will interact with an abundance of Gulf moisture, and that will create a strong possibility of heavy downpours and torrential rain. Not everyone will see these downpours, but those who do could experience street flooding and even flash flooding over a short period of time.

The general consensus on rainfall totals is one and a half to two inches over most of the region. Forecasters believe areas to the east of U.S. Highway 165 will see a little more rain than those areas to the west of that roadway.

What High School Football Jamborees Are Tonight?

High School football jamborees scheduled for tonight should not have any ill effects from the weather. There could be a passing shower, but rain chances are about 40% across most of the I-10 corridor today.

The outlook grows more troublesome for Friday night jamboree games. The rain chances on Friday afternoon will be around 70% and only fall off slightly after sunset to around 50% for games played later in the evening.

Saturday will be a day of changing weather across South Louisiana. Saturday morning will see a rather large threat of rain and storms across the area. That could be troublesome for those setting up tailgate events at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium in Lafayette or Navarre Stadium in Lake Charles.

Rain chances during the day on Saturday will be 80% but start to taper off as the afternoon wears on. By Saturday evening, forecast rain chances will be closer to 30% and temperatures will be in the lower 70s with a nice northerly breeze to add to the ambiance at kickoff for McNeese and Louisiana Christian at 6 pm in Lake Charles or Louisiana, and Rice in Lafayette at 7 pm.

No, it won't be perfect, but it also won't be as hot, and despite what you may have heard about the "hard to find" $2 Natty Lights at the U.L. Game, they are there; you just have to know who to ask and where to ask for them.