FIRST ALERT FORECAST: Dry summer pattern continues up until weekend

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - There’s no question that it’s hot outside, but the light breeze and below normal humidity Monday and Tuesday made for a couple of “not so terrible days to work outside”, even with the uninterrupted sunshine. Just remember to drink plenty of water, take frequent breaks, and put on a little sunscreen.

The First Alert Forecast says get ready for three more days of the same pattern. Morning starts will be in the low 70s Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with afternoon highs in the low 90s. The humidity will remain on the low side for this time of year, and rain chances will run next to nothing all three days too.

As we described Monday, a weak cool front has slipped southward to the coastal parishes, giving us a general northerly wind. The front will stall and linger along and near the coast, keeping the WAFB viewing area under the influence of less humid continental air from the north through the next couple of days. While daytime temperatures will be near normal, the below normal humidity will mean heat index values running only a few degrees above the air temperature.

That front will begin the retreat northward Thursday and by Friday, it will have moved well north of the WAFB region. Even so, Friday should still be a relatively dry day, but you’ll probably begin to feel a slow increase in humidity during the afternoon and evening.

Heading into the weekend, we get back to something more typical for August in terms of temperatures, humidity, and scattered afternoon t-showers. Set rain chances for both Saturday and Sunday at about 30%. Expect hit and miss showers both days, so don’t change any weekend outdoor plans.

The Storm Team’s extended outlook calls for better rain chances next week.

Tropical Storm Isaias has been racing to the north-northeast through the East Coast Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) anticipates Isaias will increase its forward speed through the evening and overnight. Only modest weakening is expected through the evening, and Isaias likely maintains tropical storm strength as it exits New England and enters southern Canada overnight.

Substantial wind damage has occurred throughout much of the eastern states given the slow weakening of the storm. However, Isaias’ rapid forward speed has resulted in lower rain totals for much of the region than had been feared.

Elsewhere in the tropics, the NHC is watching a trough of low pressure to the south-southwest of Bermuda. The disorganized cluster of showers and thunderstorms is in a region of dry air and wind shear and is posted with just a 20% chance of development over the next five days.

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