Severe Weather Threat Enhanced for Louisiana Tuesday

Sunday morning heavy rains swept across cities in Louisiana such as Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Baton Rouge. Tomorrow, Tuesday, forecasters say those same cities will be under the gun for more strong storms. However Shreveport, Bossier City, Monroe, and Alexandria might actually be impacted by the worst of the storms.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed the entire state of Louisiana under some risk of strong storms with an enhanced risk for big storms in the state's mid section and and northern parishes. The graphic provided by the SPC below gives you an illustrated look at where we anticipate the worst of the weather will occur.

NOAA's Weather Prediction Center also says the same area is at risk for an excessive rainfall event. Most of the convection, or showers and storms will be along and ahead of an approaching weather system during the day on Tuesday. The WPC forecast suggest localized rainfall amounts of one to two inches could occur as lines of showers and thunderstorms roll through the area.

Here's a close up look of SPC forecast as it pertains to South Louisiana specifically. This graphic is courtesy of the National Weather Service office in Lake Charles. It's a pretty safe bet those forecasters will be working late into the night on Tuesday and early Wednesday keeping us ahead of the storm.

The National Weather Service forecast office in Lake Charles is predicting that today, Monday, will be another "doesn't feel like Christmas" day across the region. Conditions will be foggy to start and warm humid air will make it feel anything like Christmas is just two weeks away.

When Will Cold Weather Return to Louisiana?

Forecasters say the bulk of Louisiana's severe weather threat will begin to materialize late in the day Tuesday and into Tuesday night. This could be particularly troublesome as tornadoes are even more difficult to spot during the nighttime darkness. The threat of heavy rains and storms will continue through Wednesday as the storm system pushes across the state from west to east.

Wednesday will be a day of two climates. The morning hours will be rainy, muggy, and wet. By the afternoon the storm system will have swept through the region and temperatures will begin to fall thanks to a very brisk breeze from the northwest. Temperatures will fall through the afternoon to an eventual overnight low of 44 degrees.

Conditions across Louisiana for the end of the week will feel more like December as the area returns to seasonal norms. A threat of showers will return to South Louisiana by late Saturday and Sunday. Speaking of December and Christmas, the long-range forecast for South Louisiana leading into Christmas Day calls for wet and cold conditions on the days leading into Christmas, however, Christmas Day itself is forecast to be dawn clear and cold. 

Will There Be a White Christmas in Louisiana?

Probably not, but at least one long range forecast calls for a threat of snow in the state in the early weeks of January. We caution you, long range forecast are likely to change significantly over time. These outlooks of 14 days or longer shouldn't be used for making important decisions on travel and other plans. But they at least can give you a general idea of what could occur.

But we are fairly certain it will be getting colder and stay at least "cool" once we clear this round of storms. And you guys know what cold weather in Louisiana means, right?