The two big weather stories through the remainder of the week are wind and near-record heat. Gusts over 30 mph and highs close to, if not exceeding, 90 will be commonplace. Changes finally come over the weekend as a strong cold front moves into the area.

Tonight through Friday: Despite some afternoon sun, clouds will return to the region overnight. Wind speeds will remain high, in the 10-20 mph range with higher gusts. The combination of wind and cloud cover will keep temperatures from dropping much. It will be warm and muggy early Thursday with a low in the mid-70s. If Baton Rouge doesn’t drop below 75°, the record warmest low-temperature record will be in danger.

Record highs will also be in jeopardy on Thursday and Friday afternoons. Temperatures will flirt with the 90° mark by peak heating. The records are 89° from 1908 and 90° from 2023 respectively. South winds will remain elevated at 15-25 mph, with higher gusts to 35 mph possible. The continual breeze will allow low morning clouds to “mix” out by late morning, leaving behind a partly sunny sky. A stray shower is not off the table, but the odds of seeing one are so low it’s hardly worth a mention.

The Weekend: A large storm system currently stalling over the Mid-Mississippi River Valley will buckle and move south over the weekend. This change means rain chances will spike higher, with scattered showers and thunderstorms late Saturday becoming more widespread overnight and into Sunday. A cold front will drive these storms, a few of which could be strong. Keep an eye on future updates as the weekend forecast comes into focus, especially if you have outdoor plans.

Big changes are in store behind the cold front. By early next week, the 80s will be traded for upper-60s and low-70s. Overnight lows will even drop into the 40s on some nights – a noticeable change that might necessitate extra layers to wardrobes.

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-- Meteorologist Malcolm Byron

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