New Orleans weather

[Pop Light Brown]

The past few days has had temperatures not seen in over 30 years. Monday and Tuesday nights saw records broken in many locations in the New Orleans NWS coverage area.

Monday saw record low highs across the area:

• McComb, Miss. 31 (previous record low was 40 set in 1970, 71 and 88)
• Baton Rouge 34 (36 in 1924)
• New Orleans Int'l 37 (46 in 1958 and 72)
• Slidell 37 (43 in 2010)
• Gulfport 38 (47 in 1958)
• Pascagoula 39 (48 in 2006 and 2010)

Tuesday morning's record lows:

• McComb, Miss. 14 (old record 16 set in 1970)
• Baton Rouge 19 (20 in 1970)
• Slidell 17 (20 in 1970)
• Gulfport 19 (25 in 2006)

Fortunately, things will get back to normal starting today.

[Pop Light Brown]

A winter storm watch is now up for the entire area serviced by the NWS New Orleans from 6 am Tuesday to 6 am Wednesday. In fact, the watches stretch from Houston to the Carolinas.

As of this posting, it appears that it will be mainly a wintry mix to snow across the Northshore and ice or a wintry mix for areas south of Lake Pontchartrain. Up to two inches of snow are possible across the Northshore while a quarter inch of ice is possible south of the lake.

Franklinton forecast

Tonight - A 30 percent chance of showers after midnight. Cloudy, with a steady temperature around 54. South wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Monday - A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to near 55 by 9am, then falling to around 48 during the remainder of the day. North wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Monday night - A slight chance of freezing rain and sleet after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. North wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday - A chance of snow, freezing rain, and sleet before noon, then freezing rain and sleet likely between noon and 3pm, then snow, freezing rain, and sleet likely after 3pm. Cloudy, with a high near 31. Wind chill values as low as 18. North wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Tuesday night - Snow likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 20. North wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

[Pop Light Brown]

After a streak of below normal weather around the Gulf South, temps have warmed up nicely into the upper 60s and low 70s...and that is to continue the next few days.

Here's a look around the region as of 7 pm:

* New Orleans Int'l 62, Mo. Cloudy
* New Orleans Lakefront 59, Mo. Cloudy
* Callendar Field 57, Pt. Cloudy
* Slidell 61, Cloudy
* Hammond 61, Cloudy
* Bogalusa 64
* Galliano 61, Pt. Cloudy
* Boothville 56, Mo. Cloudy
* Houma 60
* Gonzales 64, Cloudy
* Baton Rouge 65, Cloudy
* New Roads 64, Cloudy
* McComb 60, Cloudy
* Gulfport 61, Cloudy
* Biloxi 60, Mo. Cloudy
* Pascagoula 57, Mo. Cloudy

Washington Parish Forecast
* Tonight - Isolated showers after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
* Sunday - Isolated showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
* Sunday Night - Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
* Monday - A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. North wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
* Tuesday - A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 71.
* Wednesday - A 10 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70.

[Pop Light Brown]

It's been awfully warm across the region for the last week...and now severe weather is a real thread for the area tonight.

Currently at Bogalusa, La.:
72°, Cloudy
Humidity:91%
Dewpoint:69°
Visibility:7.0 mi.
Pressure:29.72 in.
Wind:  SSE  12 MPH

Tornado Watch 65 remains in effect until 3 am Monday morning for all of SE Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

Flash Flood Watch is in effect until 1 pm Monday

Tonight...Showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds and heavy rainfall. Lows in the upper 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Monday...Mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms likely in the morning...then chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.

Monday Night...Cooler. Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain showers. Lows in the lower 50s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday...A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night...Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.

[Pop Light Brown]

So sorry for neglecting this thread.

A cold front pushed through the area this afternoon with a few showers, with cooler temperatures following it. Temps have already dropped pretty good north of the lake. Those south of the lake will feel it in the morning.

Even cooler weather is coming for the weekend.

Current Temps
* New Orleans Downtown 72, Mostly Cloudy
* New Orleans Int'l 72, Cloudy
* Slidell 67, Partly Cloudy
* Bogalusa 62, Partly Cloudy
* McComb, Miss. 60, Clear
* Baton Rouge 64, Cloudy
* Port Fourchon 73, Cloudy
* Boothville 74, Mostly Cloudy
* Gulfport, Miss. 68, Clear
* Pascagoula, Miss. 67, Cloudy

TONIGHT
Skies clearing, if they haven't already. Lows north and west of the lake 50-55, south of the lake 56-61.

THURSDAY
Sunny. Highs in the low to mid 70s. Winds light out of the north.

THURSDAY NIGHT
Clear. Lows in the mid 40s north and west and mid 50s south.

[Pop Light Brown]

A cold front pushed through yesterday bringing delightful weather. Temps will warm up early next week  before another cold front comes in around mid week with another shot of cool weather.

8 PM Central Temps

* New Orleans Int'l 62°, Mostly Cloudy
* New Orleans Downtown 61°, Mostly Cloudy
* Lakefront Airport 62°, Mostly Cloudy
* Slidell 49°, Mostly Cloudy
* Bogalusa 50°
* Hammond No Report
* McComb 50°, Partly Cloudy
* Baton Rouge 52°, Mostly Cloudy
* Houma 50°, Cloudy
* Boothville 55°. Cloudy
* Gulfport 54°, Cloudy
* Pascagoula 47°, Cloudy

TONIGHT
* Partly Cloudy. Lows 35-40 north and upper 40s to near 50 south. Northeast winds 5-10 mph.

SATURDAY
* Partly Cloudy. Highs in the mid 60s. Winds north at 5 to 10 mph.

SATURDAY NIGHT
* Partly Cloudy. Lows near 40 north and near 50 south.

SUNDAY
* Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s

SUNDAY NIGHT
* Chance of fog. Lows in the low 40s north and low 50s south

MONDAY
* Morning fog. Partly Cloudy. Highs in the mid 70s. Lows in the mid 50s north and low 60s south

TUESDAY
* Morning fog. A 20 percent chance of rain. Highs near 80s. Lows 57-61.

[Pop Light Brown]

Fog season is upon us in southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

Expect warm days and cool nights with foggy mornings until the next cold front pushes through...and there's no telling when that will happen.

It's 74 now with fair skies in my town right now.

[Pop Light Brown]

There is a slight chance of severe weather today across the region today.

A tornado watch is in effect  until 6 pm for southern Louisiana, the southern half of Mississippi and SW Alabama. Expect heavy rain, strong winds, hail and isolated tornadoes. Most of the active weather is now in Mississippi but that will change.

Currently, a tornado warning is in effect for Amite and NW Pike counties, Miss. until 12:15 pm. This does include the city of McComb. Rotation has been detected with a storm now near Liberty.

Temps will be mild until the front passes, then a quick cooldown in time for Christmas.

CURRENT TEMPS

[Pop Light Brown]

Some sad news tonight. A tornado killed four people - two in Marion County, Miss. and two in Jones County, Miss.

A storm survey team from NWS New Orleans will survey damage in Tangipahoa and Washington parishes tomorrow, but it appears a tornado touched down in Amite, La. and traveled across northwestern Washington Parish north of Franklinton, southern Walthall County south of Tylertown, central Marion County - including Columbia, SE Jefferson Davis County, southern Covington County just south of Collins and central Jones County just north of downtown Laurel. Damage is pretty extensive in Amite, Columbia and Laurel.

NWS Jackson will also do surverys tomorrow across the affected counties.

[Pop Light Brown]

NWS Jackson had determined that the tornado that struck Jones County, Miss. was an EF2 with 125 mph winds. Weather experts believe the tornado was as wide as 350 yards and tracked 5 miles. The path of destruction began at 3:22 p.m., five miles west of Laurel and stopped four miles north of Laurel.

[Pop Light Brown]

NWS New Orleans rates the Amite tornado an EF2 with winds around 115 mph. It touched down about one and a half miles east of downtown Amite near the intersection of La. 16 and La. 1054. It traveled 4.63 miles to about 6 miles northeast of downtown Amite.

NWS Jackson also confirms an EF0 tornado three miles northeast of Crandall in Clarke County, Miss. It traveled half a mile and was 100 yards wide. Another EF0 tornado was confirmed one mile northeast of Sumrall in Lamar County. It only traveled 1/4 mile. The tornado that struck Columbia was rated and EF3.

[Pop Light Brown]

A Flood Watch has been issued across the region, starting at 6 pm Friday and ending at 7 pm Sunday. Periods of rain and thunderstorms will begin tonight and continue through Sunday evening as a warm front comes through tonight and a cold front Sunday evening. Many areas will see between 3-5 inches, with some isolated areas up to 8 inches.

[Pop Light Brown]

It's a COLD Fat Tuesday down here. At least the clouds are trying to clear out.

[Pop Light Brown]

It's a little after 9 pm Central. It's sticky as a mug out there.

[Pop Light Brown]

As we approach the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, NWS New Orleans has put together a page with information on the storm.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lix/?n=katrina_anniversary