Grab the jacket or sweater as you head out to ring in the New Year as temperatures will be dipping into the lower 40s by midnight under mostly clear skies.
Overnight into New Years Day clouds will be increasing as they stream out of Texas over Acadiana.
The clouds will help to keep highs on the cooler side again in the lower 60s.
Beginning overnight Wednesday into Thursday you will need to be weather aware as our next storm system moves over South Louisiana.
Scattered showers will start to move onshore near midnight Wednesday as the leading warm front lifts over Acadiana.
As the low moves onshore Thursday morning that is when could see our heaviest rains, along with a few strong to severe storms.
Then during the afternoon the low will move up towards the Tennessee Valley but a trailing cold front will be draped over Acadiana creating steady showers for most of the day.
Thus, the biggest threat with Thursday's weather maker will be the possibility of minor street flooding and flooding in low lying areas as just about all of Acadiana will see 1-3+ inches of rain.
Also, the Storm Prediction Center has hatched in most of Acaidana for a marginal risk (5%) for a few storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and maybe a brief spin-up tornado.
That said there is still some uncertainty in the models as the mid-range NAM has the low tracking more over Eastern Texas, keeping the heaviest rains to our west, while we will just see the cold front swing across Acadiana meaning our rainfall totals could actually be on the lower end but this could also set us up for a better chance of severe weather.
We will continue to monitor the models and let you know if things change but I would still prepare for the slightly higher rain totals in the 2-3 inch range as you can never underestimate the potential rainfall of systems that are able to tap into the Gulf moisture and Sub-tropical jet.
The good news is behind this system sunny and cooler weather looks to move over the Southeast which should help dry things up quickly.
Highs Friday will be in the mid 60s but a shot of cooler air moves in for the weekend as temperatures on Saturday will only top out in the upper 50s.
Sunday morning will be chilly with lows in the mid to upper 30s but the afternoon should be a tad warmer in the lower 60s under mostly sunny skies.
Some clouds return the following Monday before a weak cool front swings through on Tuesday producing a few scattered showers.
