It's still summertime in Acadiana and the heat is not letting up. Today, there are heat advisories and excessive heat warnings in effect from 11 AM to 7 PM, with afternoon temperatures reaching the mid to upper 90s.
Heat index values are expected to be between 105°F and 115°F. It's important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, eating fruits, making smoothies, and checking on relatives and neighbors.
Overnight temperatures will also remain warm, so it's crucial to find ways to stay cool.
In the tropics, we have three active systems: Tropical Depression Chris, Hurricane Beryl, and Invest 96L. Hurricane Beryl rapidly intensified into a category 4 hurricane and is expected to make landfall in the Windward Islands later today. It will then move towards the central Caribbean, impacting Jamaica and eventually downgrading to a tropical storm near Mexico. It's too early to predict its impact on the Gulf, so we need to remain vigilant.
Tropical Storm Chris has weakened into a tropical depression and is moving over Mexico, bringing heavy rainfall. Invest 96L is expected to become a tropical depression later this week. If it upgrades, the next name on the Atlantic Hurricane List is "Debby."
Follow Meteorologist Breyanna Lewis for further updates.
