Festival International weekend is shaping up nicely, with the main complaint being humidity rather than rain. Tonight is expected to stay partly cloudy and dry until later in the night, with temperatures settling comfortably in the 70s.
Breyanna Lewis said those heading out tonight can expect partly cloudy skies with no rain until later in the night, and she added that sunglasses and sunscreen are a must. The festival should stay mostly dry through the weekend, though a stray shower or two cannot be ruled out.
The reason forecasters are watching closely is a squall line moving in tonight across the state. Tornado watches are already in effect for Oklahoma, Texas and a small portion of Arkansas, and the heaviest activity is expected after midnight as the line crosses over Alexandria.
The forecast is being guided by competing model solutions. The GRAF model shows the storms tracking southward and weakening near I-10, while the HRRR model suggests the main line will move through Alexandria with scattered showers and a few storms for the rest of CENLA and Acadiana, especially near the coast. Allen, Evangeline and St. Landry could pick up up to 1 inch of rain, while south of I-10 may stay completely dry.
For the festival period itself, the bigger concern appears to be the humidity, not severe weather. Feels-like temperatures are expected to hover around 91°, with highs topping out in the upper 80s. If the squall line holds together and intensifies, damaging winds and large hail would be the main threats, with a lower chance of a brief spin-up tornado. Lewis said forecasters will keep a close eye on the storms as they enter Louisiana and urged people to stay tuned for updates. The key point for anyone heading out is simple: tonight brings the stronger weather risk, but the weekend looks far friendlier for Festival International.