FXUS64 KLCH 210533 AFDLCH Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 1233 AM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... - A warming trend to continue for most of the forecast period. - High temperatures will be in the mid 80s to near 90 across interior SETX and CenLA this weekend and early next week. - Dry conditions continue, with no rain expected for the remainder of the forecast period. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Sunday night) Issued at 152 PM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026 Another warm and dry day has unfolded across the forecast area to end the work week, with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s amid partly cloudy skies at this time. Once again, surface high pressure is draped along the Eastern Seaboard to the NE Gulf Coast today, while aloft, a strengthening high pressure ridge is over the western CONUS. Moisture return has picked up a bit today, which will keep lows in the upper 50s to low 60s tonight. In addition, another round of fog is likely overnight into early tomorrow morning. Moving into the weekend, the west CONUS upper ridge will shift east and flatten out across the CONUS while surface high pressure continues to meander to our east. This will allow the ongoing warming trend to amplify a bit through the weekend. Highs will reach into the upper 80s across interior parts of the forecast area on both Sat and Sun afternoon, with low to mid 80s elsewhere. Overnight, lows only fall into the upper 50s to mid 60s, around 10 degrees above seasonal norms. With ridging aloft, ongoing dry weather continues to prevail. && .LONG TERM... (Monday through next Thursday) Issued at 152 PM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026 The new work week brings more of the same unseasonably warm and dry weather as upper level ridging dominates the majority of the CONUS throughout the long term period. Only real concern will be the heat, as temperatures continue to warm into the low to mid 80s across most of the region with a few spots reaching into the upper 80s further inland. Overnight, lows continue to only fall into the upper 50s to low 60s. In addition, no rainfall is expected through the week, with worsening drought conditions likely. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1228 AM CDT Sat Mar 21 2026 Mostly VFR conditions still ongoing, however this is not expected to last with light patchy to dense fog likely to shroud some of the terminals. Whatever fog that forms will burn off after sunrise and VFR conditions will prevail after that. Otherwise, this is a wind forecast, with elevated and gusty southerly to southwesterly winds picking up in the afternoon before tapering once again in the evening. && .MARINE... Issued at 152 PM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026 Light mainly S to SW winds and low seas will continue through the weekend into early next week as surface high pressure lingers to our east. Ridging building in aloft will keep dry conditions in place, with no precipitation expected through the forecast period. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 152 PM CDT Fri Mar 20 2026 Warm and dry conditions prevail through the weekend into early next week as upper ridging builds across the country. MinRH values will generally range from the low to mid 40s for inland locations, and from the upper 40s to upper 50s for areas along/south of I-10. While moisture slowly returns through the period, no rainfall is expected for the foreseeable future. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AEX 85 59 85 58 / 0 0 0 0 LCH 79 63 80 61 / 0 0 0 0 LFT 80 62 81 61 / 0 0 0 0 BPT 80 62 81 60 / 0 0 0 0 && .LCH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LA...None. TX...None. GM...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...17 LONG TERM....17 AVIATION...87