Laura will continue to move out of the ArkLaTex Thursday night. Hot and very humid conditions will return to the area Friday as the chance for rain continues.
Thursday was a very windy and wet day around the ArkLaTex as what is now Tropical Storm Laura moved through the southeastern edge of the area. Laura took a course that was some 50 miles east than was anticipated yesterday. We still managed to see enough wind to cause widespread power outages mainly in Louisiana. At one point there were more than 100,000 SWEPCO customers without power. We recorded a maximum wind gust in Shreveport was 66 mph. It likely would have been much higher if the storm moved as forecast. Rainfall totals were heaviest over the southeast edge of the area where five to six inches of rain fell.
Laura will continue to move away from the ArkLaTex tonight. Look for the wind to gradually wind down as the storm moves away. We will see a chance for some rain to develop over the northern half of the area. Temperatures Thursday night will settle into the low to middle 70s. Friday we will see a mix of sunshine and clouds. Warmer temperatures will lead to a chance for scattered showers and thunderstorm Friday afternoon. Highs Friday will be in the upper 80s to low 90s. That combined with very high humidity will push heat index values near 105.
We will likely see dry conditions Saturday to begin the weekend. We will end the weekend Sunday with a partly to mostly cloudy sky and the return of the chance for scattered thunderstorms. That chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue through the middle of next week. Look for near or slightly below normal daytime temperatures in the week ahead. We will likely see highs in the lower 90s. It will also be very humid during this period so heat index values will likely still surpass 100 degrees and approach 105. Those humid conditions will lead to some warm nights next week. Overnight lows will stay well above normal in the middle 70s.
–Todd Warren
