Expect today to be the coldest day of the week with temperatures only rising to the middle 50s under day of mostly sunny skies overall. It will start off a little cloudy. Some clouds may persist along the coast. We won't be as cold, but still chilly tonight as temps will fall to the mid 40s with increasing clouds.

As an area of high pressure over Texas moves eastward, it will open up the Gulf of Mexico and inject a lot of warm air and moisture across our area. This will help prime the atmosphere for rain through the weekend along with a few thunderstorms. This sets up a wet scenario starting with isolated showers tomorrow afternoon, then abundant rainfall just in time to end 2016. You'll need to change out today's light jacket today for a rain jacket tomorrow night. 

We are expecting 2"-4" overall through Sunday. We only need less than inch before midnight tomorrow to officially break the record for the wettest year in Baton Rouge (on record). Rain lingers into early New Year's Day, then we get a break by the afternoon, with another impulse bringing some showers late Sunday, which will also linger into Monday. Beyond that, we dry off a bit. No river flooding is expected, but localized flooding is possible so be aware of some flooded streets potentially.

Temperatures drop again toward the end of next week.

--RGIII

Facebook: Meteorologist Robert Gauthreaux III

Twitter: @RG3wbrz

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En español: Meteorólogo Roberto Gauthreaux III

In American Sign Langauge: Meteorologist Robert Gauthreaux III - ASL