BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — After watching several disturbances in the Atlantic over the past week with low tropical development chances, there are a few areas of interest that look to have a chance of becoming named storms.
One disturbance, Invest 91L, is located in the Gulf of Mexico, while two other tropical waves are in the Central and Eastern Atlantic.
Invest 91L in the Southwestern Gulf will have to be watched closely for interests in Texas and Louisiana as this could become our next named storm. The system could bring heavy rainfall and a threat for flooding to the Gulf Coast. Francine is the next name on the list.
Invest 91L
An area of low pressure has emerged off the Yucatan Peninsula over the Bay of Campeche, associated with showers and storms that are still disorganized. With warm waters and relatively low wind shear over the Western Gulf, conditions look to be favorable for some development where a tropical depression is likely by early to mid-week.
There is a medium chance (60%) for tropical development over the next two days and a high chance (80%) over the next seven days.
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There are still a lot of questions with this system. Most model guidance moves the low to the north while hugging the coastline, then possibly up to the Texas-Louisiana border. Too much land interaction may limit any intensification and keep the system sloppy. Meanwhile, if most of the system manages to stay over water, that could favor a more organized storm.
It is too early to nail down an exact track and intensity at this time. Regardless, this will likely bring more rounds of heavy rain to the Gulf Coast over mid-week as tropical moisture pulls northward.
Sunday through most of Monday looks mostly dry for Southeast Louisiana. Rain chances begin to increase on Tuesday with the heaviest rain and potential tropical impacts moving in Wednesday to Thursday. Through Friday evening, around two to four inches of rain may be possible with locally higher amounts.
It is important at this time to keep an eye on the forecast and its updates. Meanwhile, make sure your storm ready kit is prepared with all necessaries and that you have a plan ready, should you need it.
Central Tropical Atlantic Disturbance
A broad area of low pressure continues to produce showers and storms that are beginning to show signs of organization. The system will move very slowly to the west-northwest over the next couple days where gradual development could occur with a tropical depression possibly forming by early next week. There is a medium chance of development (50%) over the next seven days.
Eastern Tropical Atlantic Disturbance
A tropical wave with low pressure has disorganized showers and storms east-southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands. The wave may interact with another tropical wave moving off the coast of Africa next week and some gradual development may be possible. There is a medium chance of development (40%) over the next seven days.
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RICHLAND — Tech companies could receive significant tax breaks in Louisiana as data centers break ground in the state.
According to a report by The Advocate, Meta officials told state officials in 2024 that they would need significant tax breaks while negotiating the $27 billion data center project currently being built in North Louisiana.
Based on projections of Louisiana’s tax exemptions and the expected expenditures of the companies, state and local governments could potentially give billions in tax breaks to the tech giants.
Several states, including Louisiana, have seen backlash to data centers as residents worry about potential rising electric costs and strain on water systems.
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Virginia is currently debating whether or not to repeal tax exemptions for the tech companies, as it has cost state and local governments in Virginia $1.9 billion in 2024 alone.
The tax break exempts data centers from state and local taxes for multiple things data centers require, including servers, chillers, electric infrastructure and construction costs.
The scale of the data center projects, which include tens of billions in spending, coupled with Louisiana’s sales tax of 10%, means tax breaks could be worth huge amounts.
Gov. Jeff Landry speaks at an event Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at Shreveport Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, La., held to announce that Amazon plans to build data centers in Caddo and Bossier Parishes. He is joined by Roger Wehner, left, vice president of Economic Development for Amazon, and Matt Vanderzanden, CEO of STACK Infrastructure.
Hopefully Ryan Coogler has a U-Haul on standby. The 39-year-old movie director may need a moving van March 15 to bring the Oscars home for his horror film, “Sinners.”
The movie, which grossed $369 million in worldwide box office receipts, is up for a record 16 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Song.
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This image released by CBS Broadcasting shows Ryan Coogler, center, accepting the award for cinematic and box office achievement for “Sinners” during the 83rd Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Kevork Djansezian | CBS Broadcasting via AP
“Sinners” is already a winner for putting the spotlight on the blues and at least three Louisiana musicians who shaped the sound. Much of the vampire thriller is set in Southern juke joints of the 1930s, makeshift dancehalls that shook with sounds that poured the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll, soul, R&B, rap, country and more.
Coogler illustrates that past and future in a scene with the original song, “I Lied to You.” The 1930s scene drifts to visions of the coming decades of rock, rap, break dancing and funk.
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Buddy Guy uses a drum stick to play a Jimi Hendrix tune at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 4, 2023.
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER
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Buddy Guy, an 89-year-old native of Pointe Coupee Parish, appears briefly in the movie as an aging version of the character Sammie “Preacher Boy” Moore. Born in 1936 in Lettsworth, Guy was a product of this “Sinners” era with skills that heavily influenced Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others considered guitar gods.
A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and Kennedy Center honoree, Guy is still going strong with a tour of Australia set for April.
Fellow blues senior and Homer native Bobby Rush has also enjoyed “Sinners” notoriety, along with the late harmonica legend Little Walter of Marksville. Rush, 92, wasn’t seen in the movie, but his harmonica was used for the character “Delta Slim.”
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Bluesman Bobby Rush, 92, right, performs with Kenny Wayne Shepherd in the Blues Tent during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (Staff photo by Scott Threlkeld, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
Guy and actor Miles Caton performed the Little Walter original, “Juke.” The song has more than 2.2 million streams on Spotify and nearly 750,000 plays on YouTube.
Like Guy, Rush is not resting in his senior years. Between now and end of May, Rush has gigs stretching from the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans to the Ribs & Blues Festival in the Netherlands.
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Similar to Guy, Little Walter, born Marion Walter Jacobs in 1930, left Louisiana for Chicago, where he recorded “Juke,” “My Babe” and more groundbreaking harmonica blues. Renowned as an alcoholic with a short fuse and numerous fight injuries, Walter only lived to the age of 37.
Art director Tim Davis helped create the church in “Sinners,” and fans have analyzed its design. Miles Caton plays preacher boy Sammie in the film.
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Photo courtesy Tim Davis
Yet the blues of Walter, Rush and Guy live on, thanks to “Sinners,” introducing a new generation to the foundation of American music.
Herman Fuselier is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. A longtime journalist covering Louisiana music and culture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS Public Media.
