70°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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Carrying sun into weekend before next front

5 years 1 week 3 hours ago Friday, March 22 2019 Mar 22, 2019 March 22, 2019 5:49 AM March 22, 2019 in Weather
Source: WBRZ Weather

The first weekend of spring will begin in fine style. Low end rain chances enter the forecast next week. In a note about the tropics, Florence and Michael have been retired from the name rotation. You can read more about those storms and the replacement names for 2024, HERE.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: The week will wrap with ample sunshine and another high temperature in the low to mid 70s. Nighttime temperatures will be closer to 50 degrees as skies stay clear.

Up Next:  Winds will turn southeasterly over the weekend allowing lows to come back into the 50s and 60s with highs reaching the mid to upper 70s. Onshore flow will also mean maximum sunshine will give way to some clouds. A cold front will approach the area on Monday but it is expected to be weak. Scattered showers, and possibly a thunderstorm, will develop but the threat for severe weather is minimal. Briefly cooler than average temperatures are anticipated Tuesday prior to more quiet and seasonable weather for the middle of next week.

With spring beginning, we get the unfriendly, sneezing reminder that pollen season is upon us. You can get an updated allergy report each weekday morning on 2une In and every day from the WBRZ Weather Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Mississippi River: At Baton Rouge, major flood stage continues with a level of 44’ as of Friday morning. This marks the 7th highest recorded crest and the 5th longest period above flood stage at 77 days. Due to river flooding and drainage north of the area, runoff will keep the river near this crest for the next several days. The high water is primarily an issue for river traffic and river islands, although some inundation will continue for a few spots north and south of Baton Rouge that are not protected by levees. Unprotected low-lying areas will be flooded and agricultural operations will be impacted on the west side of the river. The grounds of the older part of Louisiana State University's campus become soggy. This includes the area around the Veterinary Medicine building, the Veterinary Medicine Annex, the stadium and ball fields. The city of Baton Rouge and the main LSU campus are protected by levees up to 47 feet. Some seepage may be noted due to the long duration of high water placing pressure on the levees. Water from the extensive Missouri River flooding across the Upper Midwest will not reach Baton Rouge until April and the Mississippi River is expected to have fallen some by that time. 

As some of the Mississippi River diverts into the Atchafalaya River, gauges at Krotz Springs and Morgan City will stay high as well. Like Big Muddy, this is expected to be a prolonged event but is not uncommon for the time of year. Read more HERE

THE EXPLANATION:

An upper level ridge will move across the region Friday into Saturday allowing slightly warmer temperatures to build while keeping skies mainly clear. Winds will shift southeasterly and onshore flow will bring dew points high enough to hold lows in the 50s and 60s. Additionally, some clouds will start to develop.  A storm system will track across Mountain West and Midwest through Saturday becoming negatively tilted over the Kansas this weekend. This will slow progress and weaken the system before it reaches the Baton Rouge area. Showers will hold off until Monday. Thunderstorms, let alone severe weather, are not anticipated. Dry weather should return Next Tuesday through Thursday.

--Josh

The WBRZ Weather Team is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZWX App. on Apple and Android devices. Follow WBRZ

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