Heavy rains that drenched the New Orleans metro area and hit a little too close for comfort this week, as The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival kicks off Thursday.Â
But while some scattered showers could continue through much of the week, National Weather Service meteorologist Phil Grigsby said the first weekend of 2025 Jazz Fest is not likely to be a washout.Â
"It's actually just going to be hot — very, very hot," Grigsby said.Â
A warm, dry high pressure system is expected to build over the region later this week, bringing near-record high temperatures, high humidity and lots of sunshine.Â
Warm spring afternoons certainly aren't uncommon in southern Louisiana, and Grigsby said the average high this time of year generally hovers around 80 degrees. But this weekend, afternoon temperatures are expected to soar well above that, reaching the mid to upper 80s on Thursday and Friday and nearing the 90s on Saturday and Sunday.Â
Those actual temperatures combined with high humidity and unobscured sunshine are expected to bring heat indices, or "feels-like" temperatures, up into the low 90s on Saturday and Sunday. Winds, Grigsby said, aren't expected to amount to much more than a light breeze.Â
"So there's really not going to be much relief," he said. "The heat is going to be a bit of a shock."
This weekend will likely be among the hottest so far this year, and Grigsby said locals and tourists alike should take extra care to prepare for heat before heading out to the fairgrounds: loose clothing, sunscreen and lots of water.Â
Here's the forecast:Â
Thursday: A slight chance of showers, with the possibility of thunderstorms after 10 a.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 83 degrees and a low of around 71. Breezy, with winds of up to 10 mph.Â
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85 and overnight lows near 70.Â
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with afternoon highs of around 86 and a low of around 68.Â
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87 and a low of around 69.Â