Mostly cloudy and warm conditions expected for tonight with temperatures falling into the lower 50s with light southeast winds.

Southeast winds are expected to pick up tomorrow as the pressure gradient begins to increase across the region. A mix of clouds and sun is expected with highs climbing into the lower 70s. Rain chances will be minimal for tomorrow.

By Wednesday, our upper-level feature will begin to approach southeastern Texas. A surface cold front will move into eastern Texas through the afternoon and evening. The bulk of the activity on Wednesday will be across eastern Texas, but if discrete cells can form in Louisiana, out ahead of the cold front, these storms do have the potential to go severe, with isolated tornadoes being the primary threat. Chances are low this happens, however, as it appears most of the storms will hold off until Thursday.

By Thursday, a cold front will approach Louisiana. A strong upper-level low-pressure system will produce high levels of wind shear in the atmosphere, which means winds will be changing speed and direction with height. This means a tornado threat and maybe a damaging wind threat, especially if storms can grow linear in nature. Storms will begin in the morning and continue to work into the state through the afternoon and evening hours. The good news is so far models keep the axis of heaviest rainfall closer to the Texas/Louisiana border. However, most of Acadiana should expect rainfall totals on the order of 1-3 inches. Rain and storms should be ending by the nighttime hours, as New Years Eve festivities begin.

Cooler air comes in just in time for the new year with highs in the 50s Saturday and Sunday and lows in the 30s.