Louisiana Weather 3/6 Morning - 51° Above Normal

Good morning. Louisiana. I'm Aaron Jolly. Step outside and you'll feel something unusual for early March. We're already sitting at 69 degrees. And we're just getting started. This afternoon brings a taste of summer. Highs climb into the mid 80s statewide. Baton Rouge hits 85 degrees by 2 P.M. New Orleans reaches 81 by 4 P.M. Shreveport tops out at 85 by 5 P.M. We're running 51 degrees above normal for early March. Flirting with record territory. But warmth brings instability. Scattered thunderstorms fire up between noon and 5 P.M. Across most of the state. Expect lightning and gusty winds up to 50 miles an hour. Nothing severe, but enough to rattle the afternoon if you're outdoors. Tonight stays mild. Lows only drop to around 69 or 70 degrees. Mostly cloudy skies. Southeast winds keep that humid air locked in place. Saturday starts the same way. Partly sunny, highs in the low 80s. But afternoon storms return with higher chances. A 50 percent chance along the coast, climbing to 70 percent in the Capital Region. Northwest Louisiana sees near certainty by afternoon. Heavy rain becomes likely there, with totals between half an inch and three quarters of an inch possible. Sunday is the big weather day. A weakening frontal boundary stalls overhead, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms. Expect an 80 percent chance of rain across most of the state. This is the soaking we've been waiting for. Much needed rainfall to ease drought conditions. Strong winds and lightning remain possible. The front lingers into early next week, keeping daily rain chances alive through Wednesday. Temperatures ease back slightly but stay warm. Mid 80s holding through Tuesday before dropping to the upper 70s by Thursday. Grab your umbrella before you head out this weekend. You'll need it. See you tomorrow. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast See you tomorrow.