KATC StormTeam 3 Weather BLOG
It was a chilly start to winter with plenty of cloud cover. This evening the clouds will clear and lows will dip into the lower 30s. By Thursday high pressure and dry air will keep our skies clear. Temperatures will quickly warm by the weekend into the upper 60s. The holiday weekend looks warm and pleasant with only a slight chance of rain showers late Christmas Eve.
Kari Hall
6:40pm
USGS has updated the map for the 3.0 earthquake recorded near French Settlement Monday evening. As of early this morning there were 33 reports from 25 zip codes of people feeling the quake. Reports came from as far as Brandon, MS and Orange, TX. One report came in from St. Martinville. These maps, and lists are posted on the USGS website here…
Earthquakes in other parts of the country usually get more reports from the public, mainly because people are used to feeling earthquakes and wouldn’t dismiss it as something else. Looking at some of the recent quakes in the midwest that are similar to Monday’s quake showed at least twice the number of public reports, even in rural areas. Some in the earthquake zone here in Louisiana could have dismissed the earthquake as a heavy truck going by, or maybe because of the time of day people were up and around doing things. If this quake would have hit at night, I think there would have been more reports.
Earthquakes are very rare in Louisiana. The last earthquake was in 1983, and only a couple have been centered in our state in the last century. Louisiana has been affected by larger quakes centered in other states. The New Madrid earthquakes in Missouri in 1811-1812 are known to be some of the most powerful quakes ever to shake in the U.S.! Three quakes measured over 8.0 on the richter scale, one on February 7, 1812 was 8.9, rivaling the quake in Indonesia that caused the tsunami in 2004.
After Katrina, many large cities in the midwest such as Memphis and my hometown of St. Louis are reviewing emergency plans knowing the threat of a large quake in the middle part of the country. The region is overdue for a large quake, and experts say there is a 90% chance magnitude 6.0 or higher by the year 2040.
If you weren’t aware that the midwest was an earthquake hotspot, check out the next link that shows the earthquake activity in the bootheel of Missouri just in the last 6 months!
New Madrid Earthquake Activity
Further Info can be read here. This is the Center for Earthquake Research and Information from the University of Memphis. They have partnered with the USGS, St. Louis University, Mid America Earthquake Center, Council of the National Seismic System, and the state of Tennessee.
Center For Earthquake Research and Information
Baker
Cloudy and cold conditions are in the forecast tonight with periods of patchy light rain or sprinkles. Chance of completely wetting the ground should be at about 40%, but most of us will fell the drops. There may be a few pockets of colder air aloft tonight to produce a sleet pellet or a lonely snowflake, but don’t get too excited! Clouds should burn by late tomorrow afternoon, but it still stays cold with local highs near 50 and a low Wednesday night possibly near freezing. Milder temperatures are on tap thereafter, with another front coming in Christmas Eve (Saturday). A few showers may be possible late in the day or into the evening hours. Computer models have been waffling over how cold it gets behind the front for Christmas Day (Sunday)…last night they were indicating 60s, this morning they were pointing to 40s, and the midday run says 60! So right now we’ll go with a high of 58 degrees. It still looks good though to try out that new bike!
We have had a report from the USGS about a 3.0 magnitude earthquake just west of Lake Maurepas yesterday evening at 6:52pm. Other than being detected by instrumentation, at press time we had no reports of anyone actually feeling it. Please let me know if you did!
Rob Perillo
6:35pm
Clouds will be in later this afternoon. This will keep the temps a couple of degrees cooler than yesterday. Still looking at the chance for a shower or two, but it doesn’t appear to be a big deal. The New Orleans Bowl tonight should be nice and cool with temps in the 40s much of the game. Later this week as we head toward Christmas temps will warm, and Christmas day will be mild with highs in the 60s.
Baker
It will be nice and cool over the next couple of days with plenty of mid-high level clouds Tuesday into Tuesday night. Rain chances should be minimal tomorrow afternoon and evening as an upper disturbance passes through. A change in the pattern will occur over the lower 48 this week engendering a nice ridge of high pressure for later this week into the early part of the weekend. High temperatures Friday and Saturday should reach the upper 60s to lower 70s, but could be slightly cooler for Christmas with a weak cool front.
5:55 PM
It will be another cool night with lows in the mid 30s. Temperatures stay mild for the next couple of days. We are still a few degrees below normal but that will change as we go through the week. Highs will reach into the mid to upper 60s by the weekend. For the New Orleans Bowl expect partly cloudy skies with a slight chance of showers.
Happy Holidays!
Kari Hall
Make plans to enjoy a sunny Sunday. We will see a few high cirrus clouds but for the most part it will be much nicer than today. High pressure keeps us dry for the next couple of day and the tempertures will begin to warm. Tuesday our next weather maker moves through. Hopefully it will hold off for the N.O Bowl but there is a chance it may be wet.
10:30 pm
Kari Hall
If temperatures in the 40s, overcast skies and occasional rains are among your favorite weather features, you’re in luck this weekend. It will stay “wind-chilly” with temperatures holding in the 40s…dropping into the upper 30s Saturday night.
A little sunshine and plenty of high clouds are in the forecast for Sunday and Monday, but at least afternoon highs will get into the 50s. The next weather system is on track for Wednesday with slightly colder conditions next time around. Computer models continue to indicate some moisture with temperatures cold enough at cloud level to produce some winter precipitation at the beginning and perhaps at the end of our next precipitation event. No accumulations are expected.
I got some emails regarding quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF) and how do we get them. Our forecasts are generally a blend of proprietary computer models plus information derived from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center…you can check out their QPF’s on their site.
Stay warm…and dry!
Rob Perillo
Clouds will move in today, and a chilly rain expected Saturday. Rainfall totals should get to 1″ in the coastal sections and gradually lower as you move inland. Sunday won’t be too bad with some clouds, but it will be chilly into next week. Have a great weekend.
Baker
The forecast remains the same with wet weather reaching Acadiana by pre-dawn Saturday. Dull sunshine will yield to mostly cloudy skies by tomorrow afternoon, keeping our temperatures about 10-15 degree below normal.
The next weather system will have most of it’s energy in the Gulf (that’s where the big storms will be), but the jet stream will be oriented to maximize the available moisture, which will be less than yesterday’s system. With that being said, I do expect about .75″-1.5″ with this next system, with highest amounts closer to the coast.
Rain should begin by Saturday morning and end by evening. Fair skies should return for Sunday and Monday. Another quick weather system may threaten the area late Tuesday night into Wednesday, while our temperatures shade a little colder.
Rob Perillo