Metro Airport in Baton Rouge did not reach freezing but did set a record low on Wednesday morning hitting 34 degrees. A similarly cold night is ahead before temperatures warm.

A FREEZE WARNING will be in effect once again from 4am - 9am Thursday.  Temperatures of 30-32 degrees are possible along and north of I-10/12 including East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana Parishes as well as Amite, Pike and Wilkinson Counties.

Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. Also, consider bringing your pets indoors or provide adequate shelter from the cold. Be sure those that have insufficient heating know of warming shelters.

Next 24 Hours: Once again, ingredients are in place for another cold night. With clear skies, dry air and nearly calm winds temperatures will achieve their maximum cooling potential in reaching the mid 30s. The forecast is tricky because the coldest part of this air mass has moved slightly east, but the surface conditions are a bit more favorable for cooling. For that reason, the National Weather Service extended the freeze warning into a second night, even though many locations did not freeze on Wednesday morning. Plenty of sunshine will be available again on Thursday helping high temperatures into the low 70s.    

Up Next: After one more chilly morning in the upper 40s, sunny skies will return high temperatures to average near 80 on Friday. Football weather is looking rather nice for LSU and Southern, both with home games this weekend. Saturday will start in the mid 50s and warm into the low 80s beneath sunny skies. Moisture will slowly collect in the atmosphere on Sunday and Monday, revealing a few clouds and slightly above average temperatures. The next front will arrive on Tuesday delivering a chance for showers and thunderstorms. CLICK HERE for your detailed 7-Day Forecast.

The Tropics: All is quiet in the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. No tropical development is expected during the next 5 days.

The Explanation: A strong surface high pressure system will settle across the Southeast U.S. by Thursday while the deep upper level trough of low pressure and cool air bounces to the east. This will allow a moderating trend in temperatures to begin as light winds gradually take on a southerly component and the upper levels warm. Friday morning will just be a few degrees below average as the upper level trough moves further away to the east. Over the weekend, high and low temperatures will return to the 50s and 80s respectively. A few high clouds may pass through at times due to embedded pockets of moisture in the upper levels of the atmosphere. The next storm system and associated front will approach the area next week. Early on, it seems to a be a good chance that this system will deliver some showers to the area but it is too early to tell if we could also see some more substantial rain and even thunderstorms.  

--Josh

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