Stormy Skies Ahead: Shreveport to See Increasing Rain and Thunderstorms

It's that time of the year in Shreveport, Louisiana - where it can go from perfect weather to boiling hot to stormy all in the course of a couple of hours. What's that old joke...something about "if you don't like the weather now, give it a few hours".

And that appears to be exactly what this week has in store for us on the weather front. One day it'll be sunny and perfect. The next day, it's going to be cloudy and super humid. Then the day after there's a possibility of severe storms, heavy rains and potential flash flooding. Get the full breakdown below.

Severe Weather Potential Increases This Week in the Ark-La-Tex

As mentioned above the weather forecast for this week is all over the place in the region. Today (Tuesday the 29th), it's going to be cloudy and overcast with a small chance of rain. And, oh by the way, humidity in Shreveport is like 75% according to the Weather Channel. By the end of  the week, the humidity is projected to be closer to 90%...and that's not even the worst of it.

Tomorrow (Wednesday the 30th), there's a greater potential for severe storms in the general area. Currently, Shreveport is in the 'marginal risk' area with most of the severe stuff projected to hit to the north of us. However, we are right on the outer edge. So, a slight shift south and we could see rainfall up to 2-3 inches with the potential of damaging winds, isolated tornadoes and hail.

Even if we manage to get through Wednesday unscathed, Friday the 2nd we're again at risk for severe storms. According to Weather.com, There's a strong possibility of scattered thunderstorms (50% chance), high winds and possible flash flooding.

Beyond the storms themselves, whether they hit the area or not, SWEPCO has been trying to preemptively cut power to certain areas to protect the grid from serious damage during certain weather events. You can read more about that and why it happens here.

What to Do If the Power Goes Out in Shreveport-Bossier

Look, I get it, nobody likes when the power goes out. Whether it's caused by a storm, SWEPCO taking preventative measures or whatever. It's inconvenient, it sucks and it can cause issues. But, when severe weather is potentially coming to the general area, it's always good to be prepared just in case.

Charge up your phones and essential electronic devices before the power does go out. Gather up essential items like nonperishable food, bottles of water, flashlights, any medications you might need, pet supplies and anything else you can think of that you may need during an extended power outage. It's easier to have that stuff handy before the storm, instead of fumbling around in the dark looking for this stuff.

If the power does goes out, the first and most important thing, DON'T GO NEAR ANY DOWNED POWERLINES. The power may be out at your house, but you don't want to find out the hard way that line is live.

The next thing is a list of stuff to do to keep you and your stuff safe:

• Keep freezers & refrigerators closed. You don't want your food to spoil and it's really not a good way to cool your house in the event of an outage.
• If you have a generator, make sure you keep it outdoors and away from windows/doors. You'd be surprised by how many people accidentally poison themselves annually because of this.
• Disconnect appliances/electronics not connected to a surge protector. When the power comes back on, it could fry your electronic devices.