The coolest run of morning lows since early March will be capped off on Thursday. The next chance for showers will arrive by the weekend.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: Once a weak front kicks further offshore, continued cool temperatures will result in another afternoon with highs struggling for the low 70s, despite ample sunshine. With light, northeast winds and clear skies overnight lows will find the upper 40s for the third straight day.

Up Next: Highs will make a run closer to average on Thursday afternoon with abundant sunshine. A frontal system will gather in the Lower Midwest, bringing the next chance for isolated showers on Friday. This system is not nearly as potent as the one last weekend and lacks upper level support. Therefore, any activity will be isolated and unimpactful through Saturday. It looks as though the associated cold front will kick through on Sunday and this feature should serve to create scattered showers and thunderstorms—the best chance for rain in the 7-Day forecast. 

The Mississippi River: At Baton Rouge, major flood stage continues with a level of 44’ as of Wednesday morning. The river is expected to fall very slowly through the next two weeks. The high water is primarily an issue for river traffic and river islands, although some inundation will continue for a few spots north and south of Baton Rouge that are not protected by levees. Unprotected low-lying areas will be flooded and agricultural operations will be impacted on the west side of the river. The grounds of the older part of Louisiana State University's campus become soggy. This includes the area around the Veterinary Medicine building, the Veterinary Medicine Annex, the stadium and ball fields. The city of Baton Rouge and the main LSU campus are protected by levees at this level. The level is also high in New Orleans and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the Bonnet Carre Spillway.

THE EXPLANATION:

A kicker cold front will flush moisture from skies on Wednesday and a cooler air mass will become entrenched a little farther south. As a result, the coolest period of the week is expected Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon with lows in the upper 40s and highs in the low 70s. The next frontal system will organize across the Lower Midwest and begin to affect the local area by Friday. A slow moving warm front could provide isolated showers on Friday and Saturday and the trailing cold front will result in a better chance for showers and a few thunderstorms by Sunday.   

--Josh

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