An 8° temperature tumble was noted around noon Tuesday as a cold front passed through Baton Rouge. Chilly temperatures have returned and will stay in place through Friday Morning.

Today and Tonight: Wednesday presents a difficult forecast with a variety of weather possible depending on your location. Drawing a line from Lafayette through Baton Rouge to McComb—north and west of that line should find a partly sunny day. Areas south and east of that line will maintain more cloud cover and even pick up a few spotty showers. That leaves Baton Rouge right in the middle with more clouds than sun and a stray shower not impossible. The “chill” will continue across the region, as highs struggle for the low 50s. Northerly winds will blow at 5-10mph. Overnight, skies will gradually clear with a low temperature in the low 30s—very near freezing.

Up Next: Thursday Afternoon will be sunny and cool with a high in the mid 50s. Into Friday Morning, temperatures will again by chilly, but likely in the upper 30s. More sunshine and warmer temperatures are on the board for Friday with a high temperature forecast of 65 degrees. Staying dry, both weekend afternoons will make a run at the low 70s.

THE SCIENCE: 

Forecast Discussion: A positively tilted trough in the Western Gulf of Mexico will be traversing the region today. While precipitation has ended, some moisture in the mid-levels will allow positive vorticity advection east of this trough to maintain mostly cloudy skies for the area. Northerly surface winds behind the front will continue to bring cooler temperatures to the region. Alas, once the trough moves east tonight, building surface high pressure from the west will allow clearing to occur. As a result, Thursday lows will bottom out in the vicinity of freezing, but likely just above. The surface high will move overhead Thursday Afternoon into Friday keeping skies clear, setting up in Florida by the weekend. As winds become southwesterly on Friday Afternoon the area will warm above average—a trend that continues into the weekend. In fact, highs will have a shot at the 70s Saturday through Tuesday. The next deep trough will cut across the United States next Tuesday and Wednesday. The much warmer air ahead of this system clashing with a returning cold air mass will mean this event will at least be worth watching for strong storms. About a week out, much is left to be learned about how this one will unfold.

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