Severe Storms Could Break Heat’s Grip on Louisiana Today

Louisiana residents from Lake Charles to the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain in east and almost Shreveport to the northwest will be facing a good news/bad news scenario with today's weather forecast.

The good news, the excessive heat we've been experiencing could be knocked down a peg or two by some showers. The bad news, those "showers" might actually be severe thunderstorms and could bring the threat of heavy rain, gusty winds, frequent lightning and small hail to the area.

The graphic you see above is from the Storm Prediction Center and they have included a large portion of Louisiana in the "slight risk" category for the threat of severe storms today. If you're not familiar with how the National Weather Service defines a severe thunderstorm it basically means a storm with the potential for hail of one inch or larger or a storm that produces winds of 58 mph or more.

The area with the greatest threat for strong and severe storms today is generally south of the I-20 corridor. Based on the forecast from the NWS Lake Charles Office rain chances will ramp up across the area generally after 2 pm.

Rainfall amounts out of these storms is expected to be a tenth of an inch to one quarter of an inch. The exception to this rule would be a thunderstorm cell that forms over a particular area and doesn't move. If that scenario develops higher rainfall totals could be possible in some of the storms.

The current NWS outlook as of early this morning called for a 60% probability of rain and storms across southern Louisiana. Those areas that do not get a cooling shower or thunderstorm will continue to suffer with the heat. The NWS Forecast Office in Lake Charles has issued a Heat Advisory for the area again today.

The Heat Advisory is in effect from 11 this morning until 7 this evening. Forecasters say the heat index in some parts of southern Louisiana could reach 110 degrees this afternoon. That "feels-like" temperature could be the catalyst for more heat related illnesses across the area again today.

Meanwhile, the actual air temperatures across the region are starting to return to more normal readings for this time of year. The forecast high for today across the I-10  corridor is about 95. Forecasters say readings in the lower 90s will be expected for the rest of the week as the heatwave begins to loosen its grip on the northern Gulf Coast.

For the remainder of the work week we can anticipate temperatures to be a little cooler than they have been in the morning hours and a greater threat of rain and thunderstorms each afternoon through the weekend.

Meanwhile, if heat is something you want to avoid, we can highly recommend a visit out west.