Weather Service Confirms Severe Storm Threat Saturday

(KMDL-FM) Forecasters with the National Weather Service have been fine-tuning a very important weekend forecast for South Louisiana. We have some good news and some bad news regarding how the weather will impact your Mardi Gras plans and how it may affect your home and family.

READ MORE: Acadiana Mardi Gras Parade Schedule 2026

The "bad news", certainly the more serious component of the weather information you need to be aware of, is that there will be a threat of severe weather in South Louisiana during the afternoon and evening hours of Saturday. That threat will extend into the early morning hours of Sunday.

Severe Weather is Possible Over Most of Louisiana This Weekend

The Storm Prediction Center has placed almost all of Louisiana at a "marginal risk" for severe storms. You can see in the graphic below, provided by the SPC, that only small slivers of the state are exempt from the threat.

Residents of north Louisiana will likely feel the effects of an approaching storm system earlier on Saturday than residents along the I-10 corridor in cities such as Lafayette and Baton Rouge. So, if you're celebrating the weekend before Mardi Gras in Shreveport, Monroe, or Ruston, you'll probably want rain gear for the afternoon and evening.

The good news portion of our narrative has to do with the timing of when the worst of the weather will be arriving in South Louisiana. Forecasters with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles are now suggesting that the heavier showers and potential storms will hold off until later Saturday night.

When Are Showers and Storms Forecast to Arrive in South Louisiana on Saturday?

The Official NWS Forecast for Acadiana now suggests only a 30% threat of showers on Saturday afternoon. But the rain chances do ramp up quickly after the sun goes down. However, based on details in the Weather Service Forecast, that threat of heavier rain will like hold off until after 9 pm.

The forecasters at KATC Television in Lafayette have been suggesting that Saturday's storm threat would arrive later than first expected for much of the week, and in one of the latest GRAF Model runs, which they use to create their forecast, as you can see, heavier storms aren't projected to arrive in Acadiana until after midnight.

If this scenario plays out as forecast, then Acadiana and South Louisiana in general will have dodged another "weather bullet" because most of the inclement weather will happen while we are sleeping, and no Mardi Gras activities are scheduled.

How Should You Prepare for Potential Severe Weather?

The flip side to that coin is this: if there is severe weather, you might also be sleeping when that arrives. So, do have our station app loaded on your phone and make sure you have "Alerts" turned on for Weather and Breaking News. 

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There are events scheduled for Sunday, and some of them do start before noon. There could still be residual rainfall and scattered showers in the area, but most of the heavy rain will be well off the east by the time Sunday's Mardi Gras events in Acadiana are scheduled.

If you'd like to know more detailed weather information for your specific location in Acadiana this weekend. The National Weather Service has created hour-by-hour forecasts. If you'd like to know what to expect during your time enjoying Mardi Gras, just click the link that is associated with each event.

Mardi Gras Events for Friday, February 13, 2026:

Oak Park Elementary Mardi Gras Parade -  12:30 PM at Oak Park Elementary on 18th Street in Lake Charles,  Click for Event Forecast

Merchants’ Parade -  7:00 PM Downtown Lake Charles Click for Event Forecast

Classic Cars and Cheerleaders Parade - Alexandria, LA - Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Allons - Lafayette, LA, 6:30 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Adonis - Morgan City.  7 pm Click for Event Forecast

Chicken Toss - Beaumont, TX - 5:00 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Golf Cart/ATV, Jeepers Parade - Beaumont, TX - 7:30 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Exxon Mobil Krewe of Krewes Parade - Beaumont, TX 8:00 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Le Festival de Mardi Gras a Lafayette - Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA - 12:00 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Cajun Mardi Gras Festival - Eunice, LA - 6:00 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Mardi Gras Events for Saturday, February 14, 2026 (Valentine's Day)

DeRidder Mardi Gras - 9 a.m. at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds. Click for Event Forecast

Children's Mardi Gras Stroll -  9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Lake Charles.  Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Barkus Parade -  1:00 PM Lake Charles . Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Omega Parade -  2:00 PM Lake Charles.  Click for Event Forecast

World Famous Gumbo Cook-off: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lake Charles Event Center Amphitheatre.  Click for Event Forecast

Mardi Gras Lighted Boat Parade - after the Gumbo Cook-Off, Lake Charles, Click for Event Forecast

Children's Parade - Alexandria, LA - Click for Event Forecast

Children's Parade - Lafayette, LA - starts at 12:30 pm.  Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Bonaparte Parade - 6:30 pm in Lafayette Click for Event Forecast

Baldwin Mardi Gras Parade. Baldwin.  1 pm Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Dionysius Parade, Berwick, 2 pm Click for Event Forecast

Youngsville Mardi Gras Parade -  11 am. Click for Event Forecast

Cankton Courir de Mardi Gras - Landon Pitre Memorial Park  7:00 AM -6:00 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Eunice Lil' Mardi Gras - The Mardi Gras run begins at 9 am.  1:15 pm for the chicken chase. Children's Parade 3 pm. Click for Event Forecast

Cankton Courir de Mardi Gras - Cankton, LA - 7:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

Elton Courir de Mardi Gras - Elton, LA - 8:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

Jennings Parade and Run - Jennings, LA - 8:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

Children's Courir De Mardi Gras (Run) - Church Point, LA - 10:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

Cajun Mardi Gras Festival - Eunice, LA - 10:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

Rayne Mardi Gras Parade & Gumbo - Rayne, LA - 2:00 PM - Click for event Forecast

Mardi Gras Events for Sunday, February 15, 2026

Mardi Gras Children's Day Parade -  3:30 PM Lake Charles  Click for Event Forecast

Krewes Parade - Alexandria, LA - Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Galatea Parade. Morgan City. 2 pm Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Nike, Morgan City  2:30 pm Click for Event Forecast

Krewe of Hannibal will follow Krewe of Nike Parade; 2:45 pm Click for Event Forecast

Grand Marais Mardi Gras Parade from 1 pm to 4 PM. Jeanerette, LA - Click for Event Forecast

Cajun Mardi Gras Festival - Eunice, LA - 10:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

Le Festival de Mardi Gras a Lafayette - Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA - 5:00 PM - Click for Event Forecast

Courir De Mardi Gras (Run) - Church Point, LA - 10:00 AM - Click for Event Forecast

When Will the Rain Stop in Louisiana This Weekend?

The current forecast thinking from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles suggests that most of the falling rain should be out of Acadiana and Southwest Louisiana by mid-afternoon on Sunday.  That should bode well for events planned on the 15th.

But do remember, in addition to Mardi Gras fun this weekend, Saturday is also Valentine's Day, so there might be some raindrops on those roses or the chocolate heart boxes.