A major storm system currently pushing through western Texas is expected to light up the weather radar screens in South Louisiana over the next several days. Forecasters with the National Weather Service Office in Lake Charles say much of the area could experience rainfall totals in excess of 8 inches by the end of the week. There is also a potential for severe storms to develop as part of these soaking rains that are forecast for the area between now and Sunday.

Forecasters have lowered rainfall chances for South Louisiana for today. The forecast still includes a slight risk of a shower during the daylight hours but rainfall is most likely to occur in the overnight hours and during the day on Wednesday now.

After a bit of a break in the weather on Wednesday evening, forecasters expect heavier showers and storms to move into the area by Thursday. Those rain chances should remain rather high for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

As of now most of the forecast models are showing the heaviest rainfall potential will be over the northwestern sections of Acadiana. In that part of the state rainfall totals approaching or exceeding 10 inches between now and Sunday will not be uncommon.

In the Lafayette area, the current forecast model scenarios call for a storm total of 4 to 6 inches of precipitation before the system finally pushes out of the area on Sunday.

As far as severe weather potential in the area goes, the Storm Prediction Center is forecasting that much of Southwest Louisiana will be in a marginal threat zone for storms on Wednesday while the rest of South Louisiana will be included in that threat by Thursday.

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