Louisiana
National Weather Service: Louisiana Severe Threat Looming Large
The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles, Louisiana has been rather busy the past several days. While the forecast for cities such as Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Eunice, and New Iberia has only included a small chance of rain, Mother Nature has over-delivered. That’s a long way of saying we certainly got a lot of rain and storms for only a 20% chance of showers.
Although we must give kudos to KATC Morning Meteorologist Daniel Phillips, Daniel’s computer models over the past couple of days have predicted the strong storms and been very accurate in estimating their time of arrival and intensity. It looks as if Daniel and his GRAF Model and Power Doppler 3 will be busy again today too.
The major area of concern that you can probably pick out on the map above is that area shaded in red over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. That’s where forecasters are predicting the heaviest rainfall over the next few days.
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics
That unfortunately won’t bode well for NCAA Baseball fans traveling to Bryan/College Station Texas for NCAA Regional Tournament action involving Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns, Texas A&M, the University of Texas, and Grambling State University.
Play in that tournament doesn’t begin until Friday afternoon but rain chances on Friday will be just as large as they are today and the threat of severe storms ramps up as well. Below is the Storm Prediction Center severe storm forecast for Friday.
Much of the same area is under the gun today but the threat across Louisiana is “marginal” for severe storms on Thursday and that bumps up to “slight” for Friday. And if you don’t know what “marginal” and “slight” are referring to, here’s a synopsis from the National Weather Service.
Rainfall amounts over the next four to five days will range from just a little to several inches. It all depends on if you get caught under a heavy thunderstorm and how fast that storm is moving. Since the catalyst for the storms is a stationary front, don’t expect these storms to be “hauling the mail” if you know what I mean.
The National Weather Service Forecast for southern Louisiana includes a healthy chance of rain today, tomorrow, and Saturday. The rain chances dip just a bit on Sunday. The silver lining in these dark clouds is that daytime temperatures will struggle to get out of the 80s, so that’s a good thing.
And, a little bird tells us to tell you that next week we can expect slightly cooler but more importantly less humid air across Louisiana. That will be a welcome relief from the afternoon storms and oppressive humidity but don’t get used to it, we haven’t even officially gotten to summer yet.
Fun Indoor Activities to do During a Heat Wave
Gallery Credit: Stephanie Crist
Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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