Expect the cold air to continue a little longer with a FREEZE WARNING in place for the entire WBRZ Weather Forecast Area, except St. Mary Parish, until 8am Saturday. Pike County is under a HARD FREEZE WARNING where temperatures could go as low as 24.  

The Next 24 Hours: Compared to last night, with more confidence in light winds, clear skies will lead to colder temperatures on Saturday morning. Actually, some locations north of I-12 could spend several hours with air temperatures in the upper 20s. Fortunately, wind chill will no longer be much of an issue. Remember to make sure people and pets have access to warmth and cover up any sensitive plants. The first half of the weekend will be sunny and seasonably cool in the upper 50s.

After That: The second half of the weekend will introduce some cirrus clouds and a return to the 60s. Monday and Tuesday will be partly sunny with highs in the mid to upper 60s and lows in the mid 40s. The temperature climb could continue and include 70 degrees by Wednesday afternoon before the next strong storm system arrives later in the day. We will monitor Wednesday afternoon through night for the chance of stronger thunderstorms before another chill to close out 2020.  CLICK HERE to view your complete 7-Day Forecast.  

The Explanation: Surface high pressure center will move into the area tonight with calm winds allowing radiational cooling. Therefore, given a low of 33 in Baton Rouge on Friday morning, there is good confidence that most of the area will experience freezing temperatures into Saturday morning. The high will shift east during the afternoon with winds becoming more easterly and then southeasterly on Sunday. This change will allow a gradual moderating of temperatures that is expected to continue into early next week. A deep, upper level trough will begin to move east across the southern third of the country on Tuesday with deeper southerly flow allowing temperatures to nudge toward 70. The trough and associated fronts will begin to increase cloud cover on Tuesday with showers and thunderstorms becoming more likely later Wednesday. There are some ingredients such as a bit of instability and wind shear to suggest that some stronger storms along a squall line could again be a possibility. Colder air will come in behind the front on New Year’s Eve and to start of 2021.

--Josh

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