As the weekend approaches, the heat and humidity will continue. Wednesday's highs reaching 97 degrees in Lafayette and New Iberia. That high set a new record in New Iberia, breaking the old record of 96 set in 2009.
High pressure is still the dominant weather feature across much of the south. This has brought plenty of sunshine, hot temperatures, and only a few showers here and there. This ridge is expected to expand over the weekend, allowing the temperatures to continue to soar into the upper 90s to near 100.
A few storms are possible Thursday afternoon, but those chances will slip down into the 10-20% range Friday and Saturday. A few extra showers, especially over the eastern sections will be possible by Sunday. Temperatures will remain near record levels.
Next week looks a little more promising when it comes to rain. A front backing in from the northeast will help get things going on Monday, and a typical summer pattern will settle in for the rest of next week. Expect temperatures in the low to mid 90s with daily afternoon showers popping up. As we reach the halfway point of 2022, we're over a foot of rain short of the normal here in Lafayette.
Tropical weather remains mostly quiet. A tropical disturbance near the coast of Africa will drift westward. This disturbance now has a 20% chance for development over the next five days.
