Weather Blog

Dave Nussbaum
dnussbaum@wbrz.com

Short Term:  It is a beautiful morning across the Baton Rouge area with mostly clear skies, and cool temperatures in the lower 50s.  It feels great outside!  There area also some areas of fog, so watch out for low visibilities in places. 

This afternoon will be very pleasant!  You can expect plenty of sunshine, and comfortable conditions.  It will be a warmer day with highs in the lower 80s. 

Tonight, we will have a few clouds popping up, otherwise it will be another cool night.  However, it will not be as cool as this morning as the low temperatures fall to the upper 50s.  Some patchy fog is possible. 

Week Ahead:  High pressure that is sitting over us today will move to the east, and this will bring back the southerly winds.  This will keep it warm, but also make it more humid on Tuesday as the moisture returns.  You will notice there will be more clouds around giving us partly cloudy skies.  Temperatures will be in the lower 80s. 

On Wednesday, a cold front will come out of the Plains, and stall to the north of Baton Rouge.  This will be close enough for us to have scattered showers and thunderstorms developing across the area.  Some of these storms could be strong, so we'll keep an eye on them.  It will remain warm and humid with highs in the 80s. 

The cold front falls apart on Thursday, and we will have some scattered showers over us, but nothing rough is expected at this time.  Then on Friday, a second cold front will move across the state.  This front will bring another round of showers and thunderstorms, and once again some of the storms could be strong.  Temperatures will remain in the 80s. 

Mississippi River Levels:  We are still keeping a close eye on the Mississippi River here in south Louisiana.  It continues to slowly rise, and all areas are now ABOVE Flood Stage.  Flood Warnings are out for all areas along the river as well.  However, we are protected from the levees.  Here are the latest stages, and crest levels, some have been raised due to recent rains north of here:

At Baton Rouge:  38.7 feet.  A River Flood Warning has been issued for this location.  The River is forecast to crest at 41 feet by Wednesday, April 16th.  Flood Stage is at 35 feet, however, we are protected by the levees that go to around 45 feet.  Click here for the latest on the Flood Warnings.

At Red River Landing:  56.0 feet.  Flood Stage is at 48 feet, and a River Flood Warning is in effect here as well.  The river is forecast to crest here at 58.5 feet on Wednesday morning of April 16th.  All river islands and camps will be under water! 

At Donaldsonville:  28.4 feet.  Flood stage is 27.0 feet.  The river will crest at 30.5 feet on Wednesday April 16th.  A River Flood Warning is in effect for here as well.   

Of course if there are serious flooding concerns, then the Army Corp of Engineers will open the flood gates in Morganza, and along the Bonnet Carre Spillway in New Orleans to relieve the pressure on the levees.

The Following links can be used to get the latest River Levels across SE Louisiana:

• National Weather Service River Summary
• USGS River Levels

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