Winter is here and it will feel like it in New Orleans

Today is the First Day of Winter. It officially arrived at 4:44 AM CST. We experience the shortest hours of daylight of the year. That means around 10 hours for us in New Orleans. Temperatures will actually be what they are supposed to be this time of year with highs in the lower to mid 60s and lows in the 40s. Overall, a somewhat typical Winter day in NOLA!

We will become much warmer today as the winds shift from the north to the southeast. High clouds will stream over us all day and that will give us a mix of sun and clouds. Highs will be in the mid 60s. Tonight will not be as cold with mostly cloudy skies as a cold front moves toward us. Watch out for some patchy fog into Thursday Morning. Lows will be in the 50s.

The cold front will move through on Thursday, but it now looks like we will not see much rain, if any at all. It will be mostly cloudy and still mild with highs in the mid 60s. We will become a tad cooler on Thursday Night with lows in the 40s north and 50s south.

Friday will actually be a mild day since the air mass behind the front is from the Pacific, not Canada. Expect mostly sunny skies with highs staying the mid 60s.

Christmas Weekend: Get ready for some very mild temperatures all weekend. An upper-level low will move from Baja California NE into the Rocky Mountains. This will bring southerly winds over us and they will warm us back up. Christmas Even, Saturday will be partly cloudy with highs in the mid 70s. If you are headed to church during the afternoon and evening you will not need a coat!

Christmas Day will continue to be unseasonably warm, but it will be mostly cloudy. You will not need a jacket for any morning church services. Highs will be in the mid 70s again. Last Christmas we had a record high of 82° in New Orleans. This year we shouldn't get that warm, but it will be close! So much for a cold Christmas this year!

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The Unseasonably Cool Weather Continues

Short Term Forecast : It is a very cold morning across the Capital City with clear skies and temperatures in the 30s. A light freeze is expected! I hope that you brought in your plants last night. Take that jacket with you this morning. An area of high pressure remains over the Southeast U.S. today. This will keep us sunny and with the northwest winds over us, we will stay cool. High temperatures will be in the upper 50s. Another freeze is expected tonight for the Baton Rouge area. We will be clear with calm winds and very good radiational cooling. Low temperatures will fall into the upper 20s to lower 30s. The NWS has issued a Freeze Warning for areas along and north of the I-10/12 corridor from 2 AM to 8 AM Wednesday Morning. The freeze could last 2 to 6+ hours and that would be long enough to kill any vegetation. Make sure you bring in your plants or at least cover them tonight! Bundle up! Week Ahead : The area of high pressure will stay put through

Major Snowstorm Headed To Northeast US Tomorrow

For all of my friends and family that live in the Northeast US...here is my latest analysis of the winter storm heading your way on Friday into Saturday: The same area of low pressure that brought the heavy rain and thunderstorms to Louisiana last night and this morning will be moving up the East Coast on Friday. It will get much stronger and become a Nor' Easter that will impact all the major cities from Philly to NYC to Boston as well as inland areas. Delmarva to NJ Coastal Areas : Winter Storm Warning in effect from Friday AM until Saturday AM! It looks like it will start out as a brief period of snow along the coast in the morning then change into a windy rain during the day. Then go to a heavy snow late Friday into Saturday Morning. Snow accumulations of 4-8" are possible. Some minor ice accumulations are possible too. Winds will be sustained around 30+ mph and coastal erosion will be possible too. NE PA : Winter Storm Warning from 10 am Friday until 7 am Sat

Today Is The 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Gustav

Early in the morning on September 1, 2008, Labor Day, Hurricane Gustav made landfall near Cocodrie, LA. It was a strong category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds. At one point, right before Gustav made landfall over Western Cuba, winds were as high as 150 mph (Category 4). It did weaken as it crossed Cuba, but did regain strength as it sat in the middle of the Gulf as it became a Category 3 storm with winds of 115 mph. This storm became the worst one ever to impact Baton Rouge, LA. Sustained winds around 70 mph with a 91 mph wind gust was reported at Baton Rouge Metro Airport, 108 and 117 mph wind gusts were reported in Houma, LA. That caused significant damage and, at one point, the entire city of Baton Rouge was without power. Hurricane Gustav moved slowly inland and the eastern-edge of the eye wall moved along the Mississippi River into Baton Rouge. It continued northward through West Feliciana & Pointe Coupee Parishes. The worst damage was seen along this line. Area

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