Friday afternoon Update:
Latest forecast high temperatures in the lower 90s this weekend with a heat index near 101-103° through Sunday.
Near record heat for Memorial Day with highs pushing the mid-90s! The record for the 27th is 95° set back in 1900.
Heat indices Monday will climb to 104-106°!
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This weekend marks the unofficial kick off to summer.
Schools have been wrapping up classes, Louisianan's eastward migration to sand and surf has begun, and the weather has become hot and predictable.
It's an appropriate weekend forecast as temperatures push into the low 90s and the heat index starts sitting in the triple digits.
We do get a steady breeze from the south which will help a little but mostly it'll be very hot.
Skies will carry a bit of cloud cover in the mornings but sunshine will emerge through the day and clear skies by the afternoon.
Take that forecast and hit repeat.
There's an outside chance for a spotty shower on Monday but most of us will stay dry.
This means that anything you may have planned this weekend will be a go; from memorial services to backyard cookouts there's very little to be concerned about.
Make sure if you drink plenty of water if you're going to be out and about and be mindful of any open flame cooking.
A steady breeze could carry embers a little further than anticipated and while not as dry as we were last summer it's always good to be safe.
Gulf Coast travelers need not worry about weather as it's looking good from Galveston to Rosemary Beach.
Anyone traveling along I-10 won't have any weather related issues to be concerned with, I can not promise there's won't be traffic related issues.
The beaches look great with temperatures along the Emerald Coast sitting in the mid to upper 80s with a light breeze.
Rip current risks should remain low, although never non-zero, until Sunday with a moderate risk of some rip currents present.
Ultimately it looks like the surf should be relatively calm.
Travel through the middle parts of the country and away from the high pressure bubble of the Gulf Coast could be a little trickier.
A series of storms continues to plague areas from Texas north through the Great Plains with flights through a few major airports being impacted, Dallas/Ft. Worth among them.
Check with your airline to make sure you're on top of any cancellations or delays.
I have personally had both friends and family impacted by this over the last few days.
This is an exciting time of year, especially for students and teachers who get some much deserved time off, and hopefully everyone can take advantage of the three day weekend.
That being said the reason behind Memorial Day is a little more solemn and does call for a little more quiet reflection.
So I'd encourage everyone in between cook-outs and pool parties to pay some respect to our fallen troops who have died in the advancement of democracy.
That ultimately is the reason behind the day, the rest is just lagniappe.
