Cenla Weather Roundup

REMARKS:

-The humidity continues to keep overnight low temperatures high. Monday morning’s CenLa average was 75 degrees. Extremes were 71 near Bellwood where the air was a bit drier and 79 at Opelousas. The long-term seasonal average is 73 degrees.

-The ridge of high pressure aloft baked CenLa again Monday as the average high temperature went up to 97 degrees, which earns the honor of being the hottest day of the year thus far. The thermometer hit 100 degrees near Robeline, Bellwood, Georgetown, Joyce, Atlanta, and Packton. In contrast, it was 94 degrees near Fairfield. With oppressive humidity, the heat index peaked above 110 at a few sites. In fact, the heat index reached 114 degrees at the Forest Service station near Bellwood and at the FAA station near Vidalia!

-The ridge was strong enough to again prevent convection over most of central Louisiana with the areal coverage only reaching about 20%. An easterly wave is encroaching on the southeast side of the ridge and allowing rain and t-storms to develop over eastern parishes. This pattern will move west and northwest and affect all of central Louisiana through midweek with rising rain chances and amounts. Top totals for Monday and Tuesday include 1.45 inches in Brouillette, 1.00 near Wildsville, 0,86 in Marksville, 0.63 at the Marksville Water Plant, 0.46 near Broussard in south Avoyelles, and 0.26 near Acme.