FIRST ALERT FORECAST: Coat needed briefly this morning; then near 80 later this week

Morning commute — Morning commute(KPLC)

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Morning temperatures again have dropped nicely into the 40s under clear skies and light winds. You’ll want a jacket if out early, otherwise the chill will be brief with temperatures warming up into the 50s after sunrise and into the 70s before the noon hour, so don’t put on too thick of a sweater today or you’ll certainly regret it. Another good day of bright sunshine and no rain that will continue our stretch of very quiet weather that we’ve been enjoying now since before the weekend.

High temperatures each day — High temperatures each day(KPLC)

The main change we see in the near term is a steady warming trend that kicks temperatures up into the middle 70s this afternoon and closer to 80 by Wednesday and Thursday afternoons as high pressure moves off to the east which in turns brings the southerly winds back in off the Gulf. This will also mean goodbye to nights in the 40s as lows in the 50s and 60s kick back a much warmer feel to the morning.

Next cold front — Next cold front(KPLC)

The next big rain chances ramp up through the day on Friday in advance of a slow moving cold front. Look for the bulk of Friday’s rains to come in the afternoon and evening, with the bulk of Saturday’s rains falling during the morning hours as the front moves through. This will bring temperatures down a bit over the weekend, but no freezes will accompany this front. You’ll just need to pull out the jackets again as lows return to the upper 30s to lower 40s and highs over the weekend return to the 60s back down from near 80 Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Rain totals from this front look to average out to around one quarter of an inch and there is no threat of severe weather from this storm system. The weekend should improve with rain coming to an end through the day Saturday and Sunday returning to end the weekend. It’s still too early to precisely pinpoint the Thanksgiving Day forecast, but models do bring another front into the state next week, possibly arriving just before Thanksgiving which could lead to a cooler and drier day on Thursday. On the flipside, if the system slows down, which is certainly possible in a forecast this far out, Thanksgiving could also be a little warmer and possibly rainy. Stay tuned for updates as we get a little closer if you have outdoor plans next Thursday!

First Alert Meteorologist Ben Terry

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