Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
Issued by NWS Lake Charles, LA
486 FXUS64 KLCH 181805 AFDLCH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 105 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026 ...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION, MARINE, FIRE WEATHER... .KEY MESSAGES... - Drier air today and Saturday will keep maximum heat index values in check although afternoon highs will remain in the mid to upper 90s. Dewpoints will increase again Sunday. - Precipitation chances will be near zero this weekend and very low through next week as high pressure remains centered nearly overhead - A weak "frontal" boundary will bring some drier air back into the region Wednesday through late next week. && .DISCUSSION... (This evening through next Thursday) Issued at 104 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026 Noticeably drier air allowed morning lows to fall into the mid to upper 60s across central Louisiana and interior southeast Texas this morning and near 70 along the I-10 corridor. While not exactly fall like, it was a welcome relief to not step outside and immediately feel like we just jumped into a lake. Dewpoints will remain in the 60s through the day today keeping apparent temperatures in check, but upper level ridging centered across much of the south central U.S. will prevent both precipitation and much afternoon cloud cover allowing afternoon highs to climb into the mid to upper 90s. The lower dewpoints should again allow temperatures to fall into the upper 60s to around 70 Saturday morning before again quickly climbing into the mid to upper 90s Saturday afternoon. Dewpoints will slowly increase into the low to mid 70s Sunday in response to moisture associated with an upper level disturbance over the northeastern gulf oozing into Louisiana from the east. Despite the increasing moisture, upper level ridging overhead will continue to suppress convection through early next week keeping precipitation chances limited to 20-30% at best each afternoon. Another weak "frontal" boundary, more akin to a dryline, is expected to push through the region late Wednesday bringing, perhaps, even drier air than is currently being observed and bringing both high and low temperatures down a couple of degrees in the process. We`ll see how models handle this airmass heading into early next week as guidance often over dramatizes these changes in airmass early in the changing seasons, but hope springs eternal. Jones && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 104 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026 Light variable winds and VFR conditions are expected across the region. KAEX could see some patchy fog near sunrise, this is expected to dissipate after sunrise. BN/56 && .MARINE... Issued at 104 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026 Light east to southeasterly winds and low seas will prevail through Tuesday along with very low precipitation chances as high pressure remains in place across the northern gulf. A weak frontal boundary will push through the coastal waters Wednesday with breezy northeasterly winds developing in it`s wake. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 104 PM CDT Fri Sep 18 2026 Drier air will remain in place across the region through Saturday with minimum RH values ranging from 30-40% away from the immediate coast both this and Saturday afternoons. Moisture will increase once again Sunday into Monday. The latest drought map has a one class degradation across SWLA and parts of lower Acadiana. With little to no rainfall expected through the period, it will not be out of the realm of possibility to see another class degradation next week. && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. && $$ PUBLIC/FIRE/MARINE...66 AVIATION...56