Much of Louisiana is now under a Slight Risk for damaging winds Tuesday, along with a Marginal Risk for flash flooding. While severe weather chances decrease later this week, several rounds of rain could bring much-needed drought relief — along with some isolated flooding concerns in northern Louisiana through Saturday.

Big rains are headed to Louisiana — and this looks like a long-duration event. Rain ramps up later today, and I don’t see a true dry stretch over the next 10 days.

Rainfall has been feast or famine across Louisiana, with some areas seeing major drought improvement after 5 to 10 inches of rain while nearby locations received very little. More rain is expected next week, and an unsettled pattern could bring periodic showers for the next couple of weeks, though severe weather threats currently appear limited.

A forecast model shows storm activity from Sunday morning through Tuesday morning. The Storm Prediction Center has placed northern Louisiana under a Slight Risk for severe weather Sunday, while much of southern Louisiana is under a Marginal Risk. Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible, especially in the north, with damaging winds and large hail as the main threats. Tornadoes are not currently expected in Louisiana.

Scattered strong-to-severe storms will return to the northern half of the state on Wednesday with a "SLIGHT Risk" for severe storms. 

Louisiana experienced a warm and humid week with multiple rounds of rain, driven by a stalled front and Gulf moisture, but rainfall was uneven and not enough to significantly improve drought conditions. Temperatures were well above normal statewide, especially overnight lows, which stayed unusually warm due to high humidity.

Scattered strong-to-severe storms will return to the northern half of the state on Wednesday with a "SLIGHT Risk" for severe storms. 

Louisiana saw very little rainfall this week, with most areas getting under half an inch, worsening already dry conditions. As a result, drought expanded significantly, with about 94% of the state now in drought and over half in Extreme Drought.

The Louisiana Drought Team, in collective partnership with the USDM national authors, the NWS, and the LDAF, has continued to downgrade conditions across the Bayou State with this week's USDM update ... as 'normal' spring rains fail to develop.

Northern Louisiana should prepare for occasional strong-to-severe t-storms on Friday evening ... but do note that the NWS timeline has the threat potentially arriving as early as the mid-afternoon.  A severe weather Watch may be issued for the region.

The warning signs for U.S. agriculture in 2026 are stacking up fast. From record-setting drought coverage to historically low snowpack and new research explaining why water supplies aren’t adding up, experts say the challenges facing farmers and ranchers this year aren’t just seasonal. They’re structural, compounding, and increasingly difficult to predict.

During the first week of April 2026, Louisiana saw a return of rain after a dry stretch, with showers and storms bringing some much-needed moisture—especially in northwestern and southeastern parts of the state. However, rainfall was still below normal in many areas and only led to minor drought improvement.