Louisiana Braces for Storms and Heavy Rain

By Jay Grymes

Louisiana State Climatologist

The SPC has expanded the area of SLIGHT Risk for damaging winds to include a greater portion of northern and western Louisiana, mainly for the afternoon to mid-evening hours.  The WPC has also extended today's (Tuesday) MARGINAL Risk of flash flooding to include much more of the Bayou State.

While isolated strong-to-severe storms cannot be ruled-out for the remainder of the week, additional organized severe weather is not expected through the upcoming weekend (at this time).

However, the more important weather story for this week could be the arrival of some useful rains that provide some notable improvement for drought conditions across portions of the state.  These rains will NOT be total drought-busters but should provide some much-needed moisture to shallow and deeper soil layers for producers and pastures.

Locally-heavy rains could be a factor for a few northern parishes, with the WPC noting a "MARGINAL Risk" for flash flooding from Wednesday through Saturday.