Heavy Rains Passing Through Lafayette, Louisiana as Schools Dismiss, Bringing in Much Cooler Temperatures

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - The heaviest patch of rain on the radar looks like it will be well through Lafayette by the time students are on buses and in cars after school, there is plenty more rain - and some of it serious - on tap for this afternoon.

The forecast has called for severe storms most of the day, but the heaviest of that rain is rolling through this afternoon, bringing with it much cooler weather that should take us through the weekend before temperatures begin to rise for Mardi Gras.

Here's the expected radar for about 2:15 p.m.

This rain will be hovering over the area for several hours, carrying most of Lafayette through evening drive time. It should finally let up late in the evening, but you could be seeing rain out there between now and as late as 10 p.m., according to forecasts.

However, this rain comes ahead of a front that is going to leave us with a cool and cloudy weekend. Once the weekend goes through, though, we'll see temperatures perhaps as high as the 80s for Mardi Gras. But at least it looks like the rain is over for a bit.

Drive Safe In Rain

If it's raining while you're out picking up your students, it's important to remember important driving tips, including knowing that you actually shouldn't turn on your emergency lights in heavy rain.

Be sure to avoid driving through large bodies of standing water, even if there isn't a flash flood warning. That water can obscure lanes and shoulders, and have left plenty of drivers in medians and off the road completely.