SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A cold front will arrive today and trigger storms that may become severe by mid to late morning. The storms will continue through the early afternoon with the threat of severe weather ending prior to sunset. Damaging wind gusts and a few brief tornadoes are possible.
Threat level: The Storm Prediction Center has a ‘Marginal Risk’ and ‘Slight Risk’ of severe thunderstorms in the forecast for the ArkLaTex today. These are threat levels 1 and 2 on the 1 to 5 scale, level 5 being the most serious. The risk for severe storms will be highest in the ‘Slight Risk’ area across northwest Louisiana, east Texas, and southwest Arkansas.
Severe weather risk today
Threats: The primary severe weather threat will be damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour, but large hail, up to quarter or golf ball sized, and a few brief tornadoes will also be possible.
Timing: The thunderstorms will increase between 6-8 a.m. across east Texas and Oklahoma. The storms may become severe by the mid to late morning. The storms should move through Texarkana by the late morning, and into the Shreveport/Bossier metro by the early afternoon. The tornado threat will increase from 1 to 3 p.m. as the storms move east of Shreveport and through the remainder of the ArkLaTex.
Rainfall accumulations: There will likely be 30 minutes to an hour of heavy rain in most areas today as the cold front passes your location. Accumulations will likely be half an inch to 1 inch in most areas, but there is potential for isolated amounts up to 2 inches or more. The Weather Prediction Center is highlighting some potential for flooding, especially roadway flooding for areas near Shreveport and north through Arkansas.
Wednesday flooding outlook
Temperatures: It will be mild to warm with temperatures in the 60s and low 70s through the morning. Temperatures will likely fall into the 50s and 60s behind the front as we clear out late this afternoon with wind gusting out of the west and southwest over 20 miles per hour. You might want to keep a jacket and umbrella in your car or workplace today in case you need them later in the day.
Wednesday forecast high temperatures
Cooler air arrives tonight, and active weather continues into next week: Skies will clear tonight and temperatures will fall into the 30s and 40s. While colder than what we’ve acclimated to recently, everyone will stay above freezing tonight.
Forecast low temperatures Wednesday night
It will be breezy and cooler with sunny skies tomorrow, and the clouds will build Friday ahead of another system that will bring rain over the weekend.
Showers look to pick up Saturday afternoon into Saturday night. High temperatures will be in the 50s this weekend, and the cool air will limit any threat of severe weather, which is not expected at the moment.
Another strong cold front is likely to arrive next Tuesday bringing another round of widespread rainfall and thunderstorms. The threat of severe storms looks to stay low with this system next week as well.
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