New Orleans weather

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A weak cold front has pushed through the area, dropping the humidity slightly but it's still hot. Expect the trend to continue the next few days.

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Typical summer weather for the region, but a real heat wave is on tap for the weekend into early next week.

Several records were tied or broken today:

• Audubon Park in New Orleans set a new record with 100 degrees, breaking the old record of 98 set in 2011.
• Metro Airport in Baton Rouge tied a record with 98 degrees, tying the record set in 1956.
• New Orleans International Airport tied a record with 97 degrees, tying the record set in 2013.
• Slidell tied a record with 96 degrees, tying the record set in 2011.

Here's the weekend forecast.

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More records were broken across the region:

• McComb's high was 103, shattering the old record of 98 set in 1962.
• Bogalusa hit 101, breaking the old record of 100 set in 1962.
  
• Audubon Park hit 100, breaking the old record of 99 set in 1998.
• Slidell hit 100, breaking the old record of 98 set in 1956.

An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect until 7 pm Monday.

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3 pm current temps. Heat index values have been as high as 114 in southwestern Louisiana.

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Two new records were set:

• Baton Rouge's high was 103, shattering the old record of 98 set in 19908.
• New Orleans Int'l's high was 98, breaking the old record of 97 set in 2011.

A Heat Advisory is in effect for the entire region except lower Plaquemines, lower Terrebonne and lower Lafourche parishes until 7 pm Tuesday.

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A great weekend is on tap across the region, with cooler lows the next few days: 50s north and 60s south. Rain chances come back into the picture for Tuesday.

Here are the 11 am Central temps.

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A little stormy this morning as a disturbance crosses the area.

The National Weather Service in New Orleans has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  west central St. Bernard Parish in southeastern Louisiana...
  northwestern Plaquemines Parish in southeastern Louisiana...

* until 1215 PM CDT
   
* at 1144 am CDT... Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm
  capable of producing a tornado. This dangerous storm was located
  over Poydras... or 7 miles east of Belle Chasse... and moving west at
  10 mph.

* Locations impacted include...
  Belle Chasse... Poydras and Violet.

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Things are really stormy around here.

Currently, a tornado warning is in effect until 230 pm for northern Tangipahoa Parish. A tornado was confirmed on the ground near Roseland. Another tornado warning runs until 215 pm for eastern Washington Parish.

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Sorry for being away so long.

Today was the warmest Christmas Day on record for New Orleans, with a high of 82 degrees. That broke the old record of 79 set in 2008. It's been in the 70s and lower 80s since late last week. I had to burn my A/C a few times because it was so warm at night! We also got a break from the rain - which has been falling off and on since Sunday. More rain is forecast for the next few days, with severe weather possible Monday.

Below are the 10 pm Central temps and the forecast from WWL-TV.

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Something you don't see everyday: a large line of severe thunderstorms moved southwestward from southern Mississippi and the Northshore area of Louisiana across Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas and into the River Parishes and the Southshore area, causing widespread street flooding.

Even more unusual, a tornado touched down in the heart of New Orleans around 3:30 pm. It touched down at Marais and Annette streets in the 7th Ward and traveled SOUTHWESTWARD for a half-mile before lifting at North Claiborne Avenue and Saint Phillip Street in the Treme neighborhood. It was rated an EF-0 with 80 mph winds. Several homes were damaged, with three that collapsed. No injuries were reported.