The theme for the Krewe of Orion parade this year can be tweaked just a bit to describe how many feel about living in the bayou state! While some dig out of snow in the Northeastern United States, we'll put on shorts this weekend. Mainly dry and warmer than average conditions will prevail through Sunday.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: The week will end with mostly sunny skies and a return to above normal temperatures. High temperatures will top out around 76 degrees with southeast winds of 5-10mph. Overnight, partial cloud cover and patchy fog is possible with lows near 60 degrees.  

Up Next: Overall, the weekend is looking quiet and mild. With partly sunny skies, highs will make it to nearly 80 degrees each afternoon. There is a very small chance for an isolated shower west of Baton Rouge on Saturday and then a slightly better chance for spotty showers later Sunday. Fog may develop each morning, but is more likely on Sunday. The Krewe of Orion will roll Saturday Night in Baton Rouge with partly cloudy skies and temperatures near 70 degrees. While there is some uncertainty on timing, confidence is high in a storm system bringing rain and thunderstorms to the area in the Tuesday to Wednesday timeframe next week. Stay tuned as we work out the details! 

THE SCIENCE: With surface high pressure sliding by to the north, benign weather conditions will prevail through Friday. As the surface high pressure positions off of the East Coast over the weekend, return flow will kick in sending temperatures well above average. In addition to the warmer ambient temperature, dew points will also be on the rise. With light winds and partially clear skies, both Saturday and Sunday Morning could feature some fog. In addition, weak upper level ridging will boost thermometers. High temperatures will be well above average and approach 80 degrees each afternoon. A slow-moving front will move into the region on Monday returning the possibility of showers and thunderstorms. While Monday looks like a fairly isolated rain event, Tuesday looks much more active. Forecast models want to develop a surface low pressure along the west to east oriented boundary which would then ride across the forecast area bringing a round of widespread rain and thunderstorms. Depending on the track of the surface low, heavy rain and strong thunderstorms could be on the table as well—but time will tell on that. By the middle of next week, another cool down will come on the other side of the front.

--Josh