The National Weather Service has issued a TORNADO WATCH for East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, East Feliciana, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. James, St. Mary, Tangipahoa and West Feliciana Parishes, as well as, Amite and Wilkinson Counties until 2 PM Thursday.

A TORNADO WATCH means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and/or damaging winds in and around the watch area. Be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings. If a tornado warning is issued, seek shelter in a low-level, interior room of a sturdy building. Take pets (on a leash) with you, have on hard-soled shoes, monitor storm coverage on a wireless device, and cover your head in the event of wind or tornado impact. For more on tornado safety, CLICK HERE.

As of 6:30 PM, a cluster of intensifying thunderstorms was moving east across the lower Mississippi Valley and is expected to gain strength as it pushes through southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM. Prepare for the possibility of damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes.

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Tonight & Tomorrow: Keep your phone charged and the WBRZ WX App alerts turned on for tonight. A line of strong to severe thunderstorms is expected to sweep through after sunset, likely reaching the Baton Rouge area between 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM. The main concerns with these storms will be damaging wind gusts and the possibility of a quick spin-up tornado. Additionally, about 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected. While the line will move through quickly, the ground is still soaked from last weekend, so be extra careful of spotty street flooding in the usual low-lying areas.

The storms will end soon after midnight, and crisp, northerly winds will bring in cooler, drier air. While low temperatures will still be in the 50s around dawn, high temperatures will stay in the upper 60s on Thursday afternoon. Expect plenty of sunshine.  

Up Next: You’ll definitely want a jacket as you head out the door on Friday with lows into the low 40s for the first time in weeks! The chill after the first cold front will be short-lived, though, as high temperatures climb right back to near-average in the 70s on Friday.

The weather couldn’t be much better for outdoor festivities this weekend, including the Wearin’ of the Green St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday. Expect full sunshine and a high temperature near 80 degrees. Sunday will stay warm with a high temperature back into the mid-80s. Then, a second cold front will blow through as the weekend closes, bringing a stripe of showers through the area Sunday night.

Even colder temperatures will follow that front. Temperatures on Monday will stay in the 50s for a while, possibly reaching the low 60s if enough sun comes out. By Tuesday morning, wake-up temperatures will slip all the way to the upper 30s! If you’ve already started your spring gardening, you may want to keep some covers handy for those sensitive plants early next week.

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— The Storm Station Meteorologists

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and X for even more weather updates while you are on the go.