WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Short Term Forecast:  We start this Tuesday Morning with some clouds building in from the west making it mostly clear to partly cloudy.  It is cooler with temperatures in the 50s.

The clouds will continue to move in from the west thanks to Hurricane Paul in the Pacific Ocean.  A few disturbances will also move out of Texas to the Louisiana Coast.  That system is sending moisture over Mexico and Texas toward Louisiana.  This could set off a few showers along the Coastal Parishes this afternoon, and it will spread high clouds over us today through tonight.  This will make it partly to mostly cloudy, and it will a mild day with highs around 80.

We will see some breaks in the clouds tonight, so it will become partly cloudy to mostly clear.  Expect another cool and comfortable night with lows in the upper 50s.

Week Ahead:  Southerly winds will return tomorrow as an area of high pressure sits to the east of Louisiana.  This will make it partly cloudy and warmer with highs in the mid 80s.  The weather will start to go downhill on Wednesday Night as a cold front moves toward Baton Rouge from the northwest.  We will be partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms toward daybreak.  Lows will be in the mid 60s.

The cold front will move through Baton Rouge on Thursday and it will set off scattered showers and thunderstorms.  The forecast models show the bulk of the rain will occur in the first part of the day.  Otherwise we will be mostly cloudy with highs in the lower 80s.  It will become clear and turn MUCH COOLER on Thursday Night with lows in the lower 50s. 

An area of high pressure will build in over the Southeast U.S. on Friday and stick around all weekend.  This will make it sunny and cool with northerly winds over Baton Rouge.  Highs will be in the upper 70s and lows in the lower 50s.

Weekend Outlook:  We will have gorgeous weather all weekend thanks to that area of high pressure.  Saturday and Sunday will both be sunny and warm with highs in the lower 80s and lows in the mid to upper 50s.

Tropical Outlook:  Hurricane Rafael is much better organized today and is located about 395 miles south of Bermuda.  Winds are 85 mph and it is moving to the NNE at 16 mph.  On this track it will pass just to the east of Bermuda today.  Then it will turn NE and head toward the North Atlantic. 

Elsewhere...the rest of the tropics are quiet and they will stay that way through Wednesday.

Enjoy the cooler weather and have a great day! -Dave