Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Lake Charles, LA

FXUS64 KLCH 240955 AFDLCH

Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 355 AM CST Fri Jan 24 2025

New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION, MARINE

SHORT TERM
(Today through Sunday night)
Issued at 313 AM CST Fri Jan 24 2025

Although not as bitterly cold as in previous days, temperatures across the northern half of the CWA remain firmly below freezing this morning. A noticeable temperature gradient persists, with areas closer to the coast experiencing milder conditions in the 40s. Radiational cooling under clear skies has efficiently dropped temperatures in the north, while a cloud deck associated with an upper level disturbance, has provided some insulation for the southern half of the region.

Consequently, any snow that melted during the day may not have the opportunity to refreeze in some southern locations. This is not universally the case, however, and slick spots could still develop early this morning further north. Caution is advised during the morning commute, as residual patches of ice may linger in isolated areas. Thankfully, the risk of icy roads will significantly diminish by late morning, as temperatures climb into the upper 40s to lower 50s under abundant sunshine. Overnight, lows will again dip into the 20s to 30s. However, the combination of warming afternoon temperatures and prolonged sunlight will likely limit lingering snow and ice to grassy or shaded areas, with road surfaces generally expected to remain clear.

Enough talk of the remnants of the norths weather visiting the south, as it's time to shift focus back to our characteristic Gulf Coast weather. A warming trend is set to develop through the remainder of the short term period. An upper trough will exit to the east, allowing for a transition to zonal flow aloft. At the surface, high pressure currently dominating the region will shift eastward, bringing a return of southerly flow by tonight. Saturday will feel considerably more "comfortable" as temperatures moderate, with highs reaching the 50s to 60s and lows in the 40s to 50s under skies becoming increasingly more cloudy that night.

Looking ahead, a surface trough will develop over STX ahead of a cold front forecast to approach the Southern Plains on Sunday. As the trough lifts northward into SETX and the front edges closer to the CWA, showers and thunderstorms will return to the forecast.
Current model soundings suggest these storms will remain subsevere; however, PWATs between 1.2 and 1.5 inches (around the 90th percentile) suggest some areas could see heavy rainfall leading to localized flooding. As a result, WPC has highlighted nearly all save a small portion of coastal Acadiana in a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall.

Stigger/87
Show more