Lafayette, LA 70501 Weather

Key Messages

- No rain anticipated through the rest of the week with cool mornings and warm afternoons each day.

- Fire danger will remain elevated through this week with ongoing drought conditions and minimum RH values ranging as low as 25 to 35 percent during the afternoons.

- Northeast to East winds will remain elevated in the coastal waters, particularly Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Discussion

(This evening through next Monday) Issued at 229 PM CDT Tue Oct 20 2026

Water vapor and upper air analysis depict broad ridging aloft over the central US this afternoon. An expansive area of surface high pressure centered over the Great Lakes dominates the eastern CONUS, leading to light easterly flow at the low levels over our CWA. A weak wave over the central Gulf has allowed deep layer moisture to increase slightly today, with the 18z LCH RAOB reporting a PWAT of 0.93 inches (up from 0.41 inches at this time yesterday). Surface dewpoints have climbed a bit from yesterday and now sit in the 50s across much of the CWA. This slight increase in moisture and cloud cover will be the only impact from this wave in our area, with any associated shower activity remaining well offshore.

The upper level ridge will amplify and shift slightly to the east over the southern Plains through the end of this week, setting up an omega block pattern as upper-level troughs deepen over the southwest US and Florida. This will keep our CWA in a dry, subsident regime into the weekend. As the ridge axis gradually shifts eastward, a slight warming trend is expected. Afternoon highs will increase a degree or two each day, reaching the mid 80s by Friday. Northerly flow aloft and easterly flow at the surface will keep any Gulf moisture away from the area, with LREF mean PWAT through this time in the 0.6-0.7 inch range, around 25th percentile relative to climatology. So despite the warming trend, it will generally feel more comfortable outside than in previous weeks, with dewpoints sitting in the 50s. Overnight lows through the week will generally range from near 50 for interior central LA to around 60 along the coast.

The large-scale omega block looks to break up by the weekend, but surface and upper-level ridging will persist over our area, allowing dry conditions and seasonable temperatures to continue. At this time, there does not appear to be any appreciable chance of precipitation through at least the middle of next week. As such, especially given low afternoon humidity with the dry airmass in place, expect some elevated fire weather concerns each afternoon and a worsening of regional drought conditions throughout this time period.

64/Silas

Aviation

(00Z TAFS) Issued at 640 PM CDT Tue Oct 20 2026

Light and calm winds expected overnight while VFR conditions prevail at all TAF sites. NE winds pick up 5-10kts during the late AM hours Wednesday.

30

Marine

Issued at 229 PM CDT Tue Oct 20 2026

Breezy east winds continue across the offshore Gulf waters this afternoon into evening as a wave moves westward across the central Gulf. Winds of 10-20 kt and seas 2-6 feet will be possible. Thereafter, high pressure over the eastern US will yield east to northeast winds at 5-15 kt with low seas through the weekend and into next week.