New Year's Eve Weather Update...

Friday, December 31, 2010

I hope you are enjoying your New Year's Eve. This is the latest update on tonight's severe weather potential. The threat seems very minimal here in SW Louisiana. Only scattered showers and storms have developed so far. It seems as though the best dynamics have outran the cold front, and our situated further to our North and East. The greatest severe weather threat has and will continue to materialize to our East. Any severe weather here across SW Louisiana will be isolated at best.

The cold front is knocking on the door here at LCH. It is essentially slicing right through Calcasieu Parish having passed DeQuincy already. Showers and storms are trying to get better organized in the warm sector, but they will likely not have enough time to organize into anything severe at least over immediate SW Louisiana before frontal passage occurs between now and midnight. Acadiana will stand a bit better chance to see a severe weather threat, but it is minimal even there. It appears we will dodge the bullet here as we close out the year, but I will be monitoring the storms as long as it takes tonight. Heavy rainfall may be the biggest threat in this forecast area, mainly for Acadiana. Rainfall amounts in excess of 1" are expected in that area, with lesser amounts for immediate SW Louisiana including Lake Charles. The threat for severe weather will end with frontal passage by midnight in immediate SW Louisiana, and by 2 a.m. for the Lafayette area. No tornado watches are in effect across Louisiana at this moment.

Conditions will improve after midnight with much colder air moving into the region. Clouds and some post-frontal showers will be in store for the morning hours on Saturday New Year's Day. Further improvement will occur late in the day on Saturday, and clear skies and cold temperatures take over for New Year's night. Temperatures are currently in the upper 60s to lower 70s, but we will quickly fall into the 50s behind the cold front. Temperatures by sunrise will range from the mid 40s to mid 50s across the area. It will feel colder than that with the breezy conditions and continued cloud cover. The fact that it has been so warm lately too will make it feel even chillier. We will certainly be back to gumbo weather. Temperatures will be in the 30s by Sunday morning, and near freezing on Monday. Stay tuned for more!

This will likely be my last update unless something really goes haywire overnight. I will resume the blog on Monday. I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year. May God's blessings be plentiful for you and yours in 2011.

Good Night, Happy New Year, & God bless!
-DM-