New Orleans is waking up in a cloud this morning, with dense fog chewing up visibility across the metro and temperatures hovering near 70°F at the Lakefront. A Dense Fog Advisory is posted through 9:00 a.m. CST, and early drivers are seeing the worst of it on bridges and lower-lying routes. Once the gray lifts, the city flips to a much warmer vibe, with afternoon highs near 81°F and a light to moderate southwest breeze around 5–15 mph.
Foggy Morning Commute
The National Weather Service has a Dense Fog Advisory in place until 9:00 a.m. CST, warning that visibility could drop below a quarter mile along the river and in coastal neighborhoods, according to the NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge. Drivers are urged to ease off the gas, stick with low-beam headlights and leave extra room to brake, and officials suggest holding off on nonessential trips while the advisory is active. The fog is expected to thin by midmorning as winds increase slightly and low clouds begin to break.
Warm Afternoon, Light Shower Chances
By this afternoon, skies should turn partly sunny with a high close to 81°F, then readings slip a few degrees later in the day. A slight chance of isolated showers moves in late tonight into Friday as a slow-moving front creeps toward the area, but most neighborhoods are likely to stay dry. The unseasonable warmth hangs on into Saturday ahead of a stronger front that is set to arrive late in the day.
Weekend Front And Big Cool Down
The colder front is expected to push through Saturday night into Sunday, bringing scattered showers and a few thunderstorms before winds swing around to the north. Temperatures will drop sharply in its wake, roughly a 20-degree slide, with Sunday afternoon highs only in the low 60s and gusts that could reach 30 mph. The coldest mornings look to be Monday and Tuesday, when some northern parishes could see light freezes. We first highlighted the fog and weekend storm threat in our earlier fog and storm outlook.
What To Do
Mariners and anyone planning time on the water or outdoors should keep an eye on updated forecasts later in the week, as small-craft advisories may be issued once winds pick up. Morning commuters should budget extra time on the roads and double-check conditions before heading across bridges, and gardeners will want to shield tender plants ahead of the weekend cool down.
