Forecasters Reveal Fall Outlook for Louisiana – When’s the Chill?

Louisiana has experienced something over the past two days that we haven't experienced much of over the past three weeks. That something is a day without a heat advisory. Up until this past weekend Louisiana, almost all of it anyway, has been under some kind of heat warning, watch, or advisory. The past couple of days have still been hot but at least the humidity has been down.

These balmy days of not talking about heat indices in the triple-digit teens have been quite refreshing. And, for a few of us, we've actually started to entertain thoughts of Autumn and cooler weather. I am sure more than a few of you wouldn't mind waking up to the kind of chill in the air that makes you instinctively reach for a gumbo pot, right?

We all know that cooler weather is coming. Or at least we are hoping it will be coming. It is coming, right? Of course, cooler weather will eventually arrive in Louisiana but based on the prognosis from the Climate Prediction Center with the National Weather Service I wouldn't pull out my sweaters and Ugg boots just yet.

That graphic is the seasonal outlook for the nation for the months of August, September, and October. You can see there is a better-than-average chance that Louisiana's temperatures during those three months will be above normal.

What is the Normal Temperature in Louisiana for August, September, and October?

Based on information from Weather Spark Louisiana's average high temperature in September begins the month at about 90 degrees and will fall to about 84. In October we begin with an average of 84 and then that falls to an average high of 76. Of course, before we can begin thinking about "Sunny and 75" we'll have to get through August, which is the month that's next. The average high in August is about 91.

You should also know that as we move into August, it is traditionally the state's hottest month. Even though it's hard to imagine temperatures hotter than we've already seen. And October is the state's driest month.

The long-range precipitation forecast is calling for "a normal amount of rainfall" during the three-month forecast period. So, we should expect periods of very dry weather and periods of extremely wet weather. It's how we "do" here in Louisiana.

And if you're wondering about that first freeze, forecasters say temperatures in the state don't usually hit or dip below the freezing mark until November. The official date given is November 15th but you can expect that freeze to happen a little sooner in the northern sections of the state and a little later along the coast.