Another zero in the rain column here in Lafayette. Record high temperatures across the region for a third straight day. Here in Lafayette the official high Thursday was 100 degrees, a tie for the record also set in 1930. New Iberia sets a record again with a high of 101, breaking the old record of 98 set back in 2005. Today the record in Lafayette should be safe, at least I hope so…104 again set back in 1930. New Iberia will probably at least tie the record for a 4th straight day. The record there is 98 again. We did see a couple of showers develop during the early evening hours yesterday, with a heavy downpour over lower parts of St. Mary Parish, and another shower developing over central Vermilion Parish. This morning we are seeing some showers and storms on the radar, but everything is offshore, and sitting still. These are associated with a weak trough left over from an old front that is dissipating. There should be enough weakeness there to warrant a 20% chance for today, but mainly for the immediate coastline where pop up showers have been in place for the last couple of days. Therefore if you’ve stayed dry, you probably will again today and for the weekend. Early next week a front will try to move toward the Gulf Coast, and that will allow me to throw in another couple of 20 percenters for Monday and Tuesday. Unfortunately that will be the best I can do, as models are pointing at more dry weather here in Acadiana for the next week or so.
There is a bit of disturbed weather in the Caribbean this morning. A cluster of storms associated with a tropical wave is located between Jamaica and Central America. Pressures have remained steady, and the thunderstorm activity continues to develop. Wind shear values are fairly low in the vicinity, and are forecast to stay low over the weekend. Right now the National Hurricane Center shows a low 30% chance for development over the next 24 hours. This area will be monitored over the weekend. Normally the end of June and early July are quiet times in the tropics, but the western Caribbean is an area that seems to develop most of the rare systems during this part of the season. Have a great weekend! -Baker