A windy day ahead as we monitor the next front

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – September-like weather will start the work week with strong winds to boot!

Temperatures on Monday will remain well above normal for early September, with highs expected to be in the mid-80s in many locations! Even more noticeable will be the wind, with southerly gusts between 30 and 60 km/h expected by the afternoon. You’ll probably want to secure any loose items you have. A few showers remain possible, but coverage seems quite limited.

A new front approaches on Tuesday with a greater chance of rain. It doesn’t seem likely that this front will fully move through, so it’s possible that most of the rain will remain to the west. However, a better distribution of showers is expected. What isn’t expected is a major cooldown, as above-normal temperatures should last through the work week. The chances of rain appear lower on Wednesday and even higher on Thursday.

Even though it’s November, the tropics have spruced up to start the month. Subtropical Storm Patty formed near the Azores in the far northeastern Atlantic Ocean and should weaken as it heads towards parts of Europe.

Our main focus is on the southern Caribbean and potential Tropical Cyclone 18. This week it will likely become Tropical Storm Rafael and move northwestward through the Caribbean, possibly reaching hurricane strength at some point. High pressure is expected to send it into the Gulf, so obviously we’ll be watching it closely. However, conditions over the northern Gulf are likely to be more hostile later in the week, so as the wave moves further north, weakening is likely. So it’s not something we’re too concerned about, but we’re still keeping a close eye on it. For more information, visit: https://www.kplctv.com/weather/hurricane/

Visit the KPLC weather page for an overview of current conditions, our hourly forecasts, radar and other forecast tools:https://www.kplctv.com/weather/