Winds are picking up out of the south and will continue to do so throughout the day Wednesday ahead of our next weather system on its way to town by late afternoon.
Today, this line of storms will be moving east from Texas, stretching northeast from the southwest.
Expect winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour with gusts exceeding 50 mph out of the south and southeast, which will help bring in warmer, more humid air. A Wind Advisory is in effect from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Even more rare, a High Wind Warning is issued from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A large area near the Louisiana and Mississippi state line has been placed under a “Moderate Risk” for severe weather, which is threat level 4 out of 5 on the Storm Prediction Center’s scale. This is the second time that has ever happened during the month of March in our viewing area with the first having been last Tuesday. Just to the south, most of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans metro have been placed under an “Enhanced Risk” (threat level 3 out of 5). This extends all the way south to our Louisiana coastline.
Areas included in the “Moderate Risk” should expect 2-4 inches in rainfall, storms with wind gusts in excess of 60-75 mph, large hail, and the possibility of some long-track tornadoes (EF2+).
Areas included in the “Enhanced Risk” should expect 1-2 inches in rainfall, storms with some damaging wind gusts, and the possibility of some brief, weak, spin-up tornadoes.
Our latest models show that showers and a few storms will be possible starting at around 4 p.m. ahead of the main squall line.
It appears the bulk of the storms will move through between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., with the heaviest storm activity right around sunset.
Be sure to secure loose outdoor items before the wind picks up! The National Weather Service encourages everyone to have a safety plan in place and to have multiple ways to receive severe weather alerts. Mobile homes are NOT safe during rounds of severe weather like this, so make sure you can shelter inside in a room away from doors or windows if possible.
We’ll have more information on WGNO all day today.