Louisiana Weekly Climate Summary - May 6–12, 2026
By Jay Grymes
Louisiana State Climatologist
Louisiana experienced a wet and stormy week, with multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms bringing heavy rain, flash flooding, and severe weather to much of the state. Nearly 60 weather warnings were issued, including tornado, severe thunderstorm, and flash flood warnings. A brief tornado touchdown was confirmed in St. James Parish.
The heaviest rain fell across central and southern Louisiana, where many locations received more than 5 inches, and parts of the Baton Rouge area picked up more than 10 inches of rain. Flash flooding and river flooding became concerns in several areas.
The rainfall brought significant drought relief, especially across central and southern Louisiana. Extreme Drought coverage dropped from 44% of the state to 29%, and for the first time in more than a month, some areas were classified as near normal. Northern Louisiana received less rain, so drought conditions lingered there.
Temperatures remained slightly below normal statewide for a second consecutive week due to persistent cloud cover and frequent rainfall.