After a frontal system passes the area, a stretch of tranquil weather is ahead. Temperatures will gradually warm to above average readings. 

As a squall line passed the area before dawn on Wednesday, torrential rain, frequent lightning and some gusty winds were observed around the WBRZ Weather forecast area. Storms largely remained below severe weather criteria though the winds were strong enough to take down a few trees and branches and create scattered power outages. After Tuesday evening's unexpected storms, the lack of severe weather with the expected storms Wednesday morning, was welcome.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: Rain and thunderstorms will shut down from northwest to southeast through midday. Beyond the main squall line, some straggling showers will be possible until the actual cold front pushes into the Gulf of Mexico this afternoon. As that occurs, some clearing and breaks of sunshine can be expected. Highs will make it back into the upper 70s. With a full clear out overnight, lows will cool into the low 50s.

Up Next: Quiet and comfortable weather is in store for the rest of the week. Both afternoons will feature ample sunshine and low humidity. More aggressive warming is expected over the weekend and highs could break into the 90s for the first time this season Saturday through Monday. Plenty of sun should be available each day. No significant rain chances will go on the forecast board.

The Mississippi River: At Baton Rouge, major flood stage continues with a level of 42.4’ 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 is operating the Bonnet Carre Spillway.

THE EXPLANATION:

A cold front will exit to the southeast on Wednesday with an anomalous upper level trough setting up over the eastern third of the country through Thursday night. This will lead to below average temperatures and a comfortably dry air mass through that time. Surface high pressure moving from the Midwest to the Eastern Gulf will result in clear skies. By the weekend, the trough will give way to a building ridge and therefore compressional warming. High temperatures will move above average over the weekend and could approach 90 degrees Sunday or Monday. Additionally, onshore flow will begin and dew point temperatures will increase into the upper 60s and low 70s by early next. That means, your (un)friendly neighborhood humidity will be felt as well. After all, we are heading into May.  

--Josh

The WBRZ Weather Team is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App. on Apple and Android devices. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.