Louisiana Mixes Heat Wave with Crazy Off and on Rain

You remember the old Temptations My Girl song lyrics? "I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day." In Louisiana, it's just the opposite. In Cajun country, it rains on a sunny day. Visiting smack in the middle of the ongoing heat wave, gave me a taste of what rain forest weather must be like.

We were staying in Broussard, La., just a few minutes from Lafayette. This region is very close to the Gulf of Mexico, in southeastern Louisiana. This area of the Pelican State is just above the Tropic of Cancer. Lafayette is west and just slightly north of New Orleans, and is one of the few regions in the United State in the 29th parallel. Next to Florida and a bit of Texas, this region of Louisiana is the only area the Continental U.S. near the tropics. That puts Louisiana right in the path of hurricanes and tropical storms.

In tropical regions, it's not unusual for rain to appear with sun. Tropical rain forests are so named because moisture is constantly condensing (raining). The high temperatures and humidity keep precipitation from forming into clouds. It rained almost every day in Louisiana, but rarely did we see overcast skies. When it did cloud over, the rain blew itself out quickly. Within minutes, it was sunny and just as humid.

The intense humidity and high temperatures drove the heat index up to 109-115 degrees on many days. When I went outside, my glasses and watch face sometimes fogged up. The tropical foliage, palm trees, saw palmettos, cypress, oleander, amaryllis, bougainvilla, gardenia, myrtle, was always thirsty, however. In fact, the palm tree trunks in River Ranch looked positively dead. Rain on roadways and gardens absorbed immediately.

Strolling about downtown New Orleans, it was hot and sunny. Then one of those quick storms blew up out of nowhere. After a few loud claps of thunder and much chain lightening, the rain poured for a few minutes. We sat under the green and white striped awning of Cafe du Monde at the French Market. By the time we had finished our beignets and chicory coffee, the rain had not only stopped, but dried up.

I'm from Grand Haven, Michigan. I wouldn't say that our weather is diametrically opposite to Louisiana, but they are very different. In Grand Haven, we get lake effect weather from Lake Michigan. I'm used to thunderstorms and rain that set in and stay for several days. When it's finished the temperatures are usually ten to twenty degrees lower. In Louisiana, if anything it was hotter after the rain.

For the past few days, my Michigan relatives were complaining of temperatures in the nineties and high humidity. I told them that compared to Louisiana heat, Michigan's is child's play.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes from a background in teaching K-8 science. She's also an avid weather watcher and storm chaser.