Isolated, pop-up afternoon showers and thunderstorms will offer a brief break from the summer sizzle over the next day or two before intense heat takes over later this week and through the weekend. High temperatures will top out in the upper 90s, with feels-like temperatures, or heat index values, approaching 110 degrees.

Storms shrinking: difficult to find pop-ups past Wednesday

Big Heat Back: alert levels possible this weekend into next week

The Tropics: next depression appears imminent in Atlantic

Tonight & Tomorrow: A quiet, muggy night is ahead across the Baton Rouge Area. Low temperatures will only drop into the mid-70s. Any lingering early evening showers will quickly diminish, leaving clearing skies. On Wednesday, we have the best chance for cooling rain that remains in the Storm Station 7-Day Forecast. Isolated, 30% coverage is expected. Though limited in areal extent, neighborhoods under a storm could have briefly heavy rain, frequent lightning, and gusty wind. High temperatures will reach the mid 90s.

Up Next: As we move toward the end of the workweek and the weekend, a massive dome of high pressure aloft will build firmly over the Gulf Coast. This high pressure will be like a lid right over the region. The lid squashes rising air, effectively pressing down on the atmosphere and shutting off rain while trapping heat at the surface.

Daily rain coverage Thursday to Saturday will be at 10% or lower. Expect skies to stay mostly clear. High temperatures will climb into the upper 90s. The saving grace during this period may be some slightly drier air during the afternoons, but that will slowly fade through the weekend. As upper 90s continue Sunday into next week, more humidity will be around, which will send feels-like temperatures over 108 degrees and make heat alerts likely.  

If you work outdoors or have weekend outdoor plans, you will need to take frequent shaded breaks, drink plenty of water, and stay alert for signs of heat exhaustion. Heat is the leading weather killer in the United States on a 10 and 30 year basis. There have been 8 heat deaths in Louisiana already this year.

Get the latest 7-day forecast and real-time weather updates HERE.

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The Tropics: The main system to watch is a tropical wave located in the Central Tropical Atlantic, southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Environmental conditions will become much more favorable for development over the next couple of days. A tropical depression will likely form during the second half of this week as the system moves west to west-northwest across the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center gives this system a 70% chance of development over the next 7 days.

Further north in the Central Subtropical Atlantic, a weak area of low pressure northeast of Bermuda has a small 20% chance of development over the next day or two before it drifts over cool ocean waters, which will effectively shut down its chances by Thursday.

There are currently no tropical systems threatening the Gulf Coast. The Storm Station team will continue to monitor the Atlantic and bring you daily updates throughout the week.

– Josh 

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