Weather Blog

Dave Nussbaum
dnussbaum@wbrz.com

Short Term:  It is another calm and quiet start to the day with mostly clear skies over Baton Rouge.  It is pretty muggy with temperatures in the lower 70s.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms are along the coast, and will be gradually moving across that area. 

This afternoon looks to be another stormy one due to a couple of factors.  There is a tropical wave moving across the Gulf of Mexico, and this will provide us with plenty of deep tropical moisture.  When you add those two to daytime heating, you will get scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms today.  Some of the storms could be strong, and a few severe.  The main threats today will be gusty winds, very heavy rain, and frequent lightning.  It is likely that these storms will be slow moving, so a lot of rain could fall on one place for an extended period of time.  It will remain hot and humid with high temperatures in the lower 90s.  If there is rough weather always keep it tuned to News 2 and Cable Channel 18 for weather updates! 

Tonight we will have some evening thunderstorms, but they will dissipate once the sun sets.  Then we will be left with partly cloudy skies overnight.  Low temperatures will fall into the lower 70s. 

Rest of the Week:  Another stormy day is expected on Thursday because of that deep tropical moisture sitting over us.  That will allow the scattered thunderstorms to develop again with temperatures in the lower 90s. 

On Friday, a ridge of high pressure will move in over the Deep South.  This ridge will provide us with plenty of sinking air, which prevents many storms from developing.  It will also bring in dry air aloft, and that makes it hard for thunderstorms to form.  This means that we will have partly cloudy skies, and it will become hot.  High temperatures will be in the lower to mid 90s. 

Weekend Outlook:  The ridge of high pressure will remain over us, and that will make for a pretty nice weekend - if you like hot weather!  That's right, it will be partly cloudy and very hot both Saturday and Sunday.  There will be a slight chance for an afternoon pop-up storm, but only at 10-20%.  High temperatures will be in the mid 90s both days. 

Tropical Update:  Hurricane Bertha weakened significantly yesterday as it encountered strong wind shear, and cooler sea surface temperatures.  It still remains a hurricane, but not by much as is it located about 790 miles SE of Bermuda.  Winds are at 75 mph, and it is forecast for Bertha to strengthen again as it leaves the wind shear and cooler waters.  The hurricane is moving to the northwest near 10 mph.  Its track will eventually turn north in a few days as it remains out at sea.  The Island of Bermuda will have to be watched very closely as the storm moves near it. 

Elsewhere. . .there is a tropical wave moving across the Gulf of Mexico, but it is not forecast to develop into anything.  The rest of the tropics are quiet, and tropical storm formation is not expected through Thursday. 

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