Louisiana Braces For Flooding Rains This Weekend

(KMDL-FM) Strong storms and heavy downpours moved across the northern two-thirds of Louisiana during the overnight hours of Wednesday into Thursday. Thursday should be a much calmer day in the state, but forecasters say this truly will be the calm before the storm.

READ MORE: What Does a "Super El Niño" Mean For Hurricane Season? 

Forecasters with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles are now suggesting rainfall amounts across the I-10 corridor from Southeast Texas to the New Orleans area and the Mississippi Gulf Coast could exceed six inches and go higher in localized areas.

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How Much Rain Will Fall in South Louisiana This Weekend?

The catalyst for the daily downpours is a stalled frontal system. That system will go stationary right along the Louisiana Gulf Coast and remain there through much of the weekend. A series of upper-level disturbances is forecast to slide along the frontal boundary from west to east.

READ MORE: Drove Through High Water? Here's What to Check On Your Car

These upper-level impulses of energy will result in frequent heavy downpours throughout southern Louisiana beginning Friday and extending into Sunday afternoon. Most areas of South Louisiana will see at least two inches of rain between now and Sunday.

Where Will The Heaviest Rain Fall in Louisiana This Weekend?

The model guidance suggests higher amounts of rain will be more common in places like Baton Rouge, Bunkie, and Krotz Springs than they will be in Cameron, Leesville, or Lafayette. Of course, all it takes is one storm sitting over one area for a short period of time to really ramp up rainfall rates.

Residents along the I-10 corridor can expect showers and storms to become more numerous on Friday morning. The number of storms and the intensity of the rainfall will likely increase as the day wears on. By Friday night, showers and storms will be widespread across the area.

Rain chances will remain very high on Saturday and Saturday night, with the probability of showers and storms finally decreasing late in the day on Sunday. Hmm, I wonder if rain gear is on sale now that we're past the "April Showers"?