The mild temperatures that Southwest Louisiana has seen the past few days will end next week with the passage of a cold front, forecasters said.

“We’re looking at temperatures dropping down to possibly as low as the upper 30s on Thursday night, then warming up into the low to mid-60s on Friday,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Marcotte.

“Which will be a significant cool-down because we’re actually predicting temperatures before the front passes will be well into the 70s.”

High temperatures have been hovering in the upper 60s and low 70s this week, with lows in the 40s, after seven straight days in which temperatures dropped in the 30s.

Temperatures this time of year typically run between highs in the low 60s and lows in the upper 40s, Marcotte said.

While area temperatures are running well above normal, it’s “the typical ebb and flow of this time of year,” he said.

Marcotte said there could be more cold weather before temperatures heat up for spring and summer.

“We’re still very much early in the year,” he said. “I wouldn’t rule out some much cooler temperatures down the road.”

Online: www.srh.noaa.gov/lch.

(American Press Archives)