Temperatures were near record levels on Tuesday as highs reached the mid 80s. The official high in Lafayette was 86, just two degrees shy of a record. New Iberia hit 85 missing the record set just last year by just one degree. More warmth is expected today, though records should be safe this time around. High pressure still dominates the eastern Gulf of Mexico, keeping the southerly flow over the region. In the upper levels a trough is beginning to dig to our west, which should bring us some changes for the end of the week, including better chances for rain starting early Friday and lingering into the weekend. Temperatures will be cooling as well.
For today, expect a few areas of patchy fog during the morning. Temperatures will hover in the mid 60s early in the day. Skies will eventually become partly cloudy with highs in the mid 80s. Winds will pick up a little, mainly out of the south at 10-15 mph with a few higher gusts. As our front gets closer, and the upper pattern turns more southwesterly, clouds will start to move in late tonight into early Thursday, with skies becoming mostly cloudy by Thursday afternoon. Temperatures will hold in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees as the clouds will hold the temperatures down a few degrees.
The front should pull into the area overnight Thursday into Friday. Rains are likely to our northwest, with rain eventually developing Friday morning over Acadiana. Temperatures will be rather mild to start the day, but as the front will edges slowly southward, temperatures will drop back into the 60s by Friday afternoon.
The front will stall offshore, and the upper pattern will be more active into the extended period. Rains are expected to linger into Saturday, with a few showers hanging on for Sunday. Amounts of rain should be in the 1/4-1/2 inch range. Rainfall forecasts are a blend of model solutions.
Some models are calling for over an inch of rain across Acadiana between Friday and Sunday, while other models are showing considerably less. Any rain is welcome as much of the state remains in "exceptional drought" status.
Additional disturbances may help kick off a few more showers into early next week, and another system could bring more rain late next week.
