Severe Storms Rolling Into Louisiana – Here’s The Timing

(KMDL-FM) If you have outside jobs, activities, or plans for Wednesday in Louisiana, you might want to have those concluded by mid-afternoon. The reason for the sudden need to rush is an approaching cold front and the potential for severe storms across almost all of the state later today and into the evening hours.

READ MORE: Louisiana Crawfish Season in Jeopardy - Not Nature's Fault This Time

Spring cold fronts with strong storms and the potential for severe weather are not a new concept for those who've spent more than a few years living in the Gulf South. Every year, the transitional months of March and April bring swiftly moving frontal systems across the area. The transverse happens in the fall, during October and November, when the region transitions from the heat of summer to the cooler conditions of fall and winter.

Where In Louisiana Is Severe Weather Expected Today?

For today's storm potential, I think this will be more a matter of when and not if you will see storms with heavy rain, gusty winds, and possible severe conditions. The Storm Prediction Center has expanded its area of concern. The slight risk area now covers all of the state.

As you can see in that graphic, the area of concern covers a large portion of the eastern and southeastern United States. It will no doubt be a stormy Wednesday as tornado watches and severe weather warnings have already been issued for portions of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri this morning.

What Are The Greatest Severe Weather Threats for Louisiana Today?

Our greatest concerns in Louisiana are what kind of storms we are most likely to see and when we are most likely to see those storms. And there is always a flooding concern in Louisiana. Especially in stronger thunderstorms that can drop a lot of rainfall over a short period of time.

You can get a better idea of the scope and size of the storms with the following graphic from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles.

The current forecast guidance as far as rainfall amounts suggests the I-20 corridor will receive the most rainfall. Cities such as Shreveport, Ruston, and Monroe could see several inches of rain in storms that move across that part of the state this afternoon and evening. There could be localized amounts of rain in excess of three inches, but that would be more of an exception and not the rule.

The timing of the storms in South Louisiana works out like this. Areas to the west, namely Eastern Texas and the Lake Charles/Toledo Bend area, will start to see the storm threat early this afternoon. The best guess is somewhere between 3 pm and 9 pm.

For points a little further to the east, the Lafayette, Opelousas, New Iberia corridor, if you will. The storms are expected to arrive between 6 pm and midnight. For points even further to the east, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, it is most likely that the heaviest of the storms will arrive in your town late in the evening or in the early hours of Thursday.

What Is The Timing of Wednesday's Severe Weather in Louisiana?

Here is how that looks in visual form, thanks again to the NWS Office in Lake Charles for the graphic.

Light rain and passing showers will begin to stream across the area later this morning, and those will be followed by the stronger storms with heavier rain this evening. National Weather Service Forecasters suggest that conditions will improve across the region in the early morning hours of Thursday.

READ MORE: Who is Playing at Patty in the Parc in Lafayette on Saturday?

The outlook for the weekend in South Louisiana is spectacular. Those planning to attend Patty in the Parc in Lafayette will be treated to abundant sunshine during the daylight hours and a cool, comfortable evening after the sun goes down on Saturday night.

The next threat of rain for the area will be a slight risk of showers late Sunday night or early Monday morning. And it won't be too much longer until we'll be looking for places to cool off. Here are some suggestions for when it gets hotter. Which will probably be in about two weeks.