Lake Charles, Louisiana – A dangerous weather day is anticipated across the Deep South on Saturday, with significant risks for severe thunderstorms and potential tornado activity. Forecasters are particularly concerned about the likelihood of large and violent tornadoes, especially in areas classified under moderate and high risk.

In Southwest Louisiana, the risk of severe weather is still not very high, but it has gone up since yesterday. The risk level has increased from a marginal to a slight risk, indicating a growing potential for severe weather.

For Saturday morning, the National Weather Service has outlined specific tornado probabilities across various counties and parishes. In Tyler, Hardin, and Jefferson counties, there is a 2-4% chance of experiencing a tornado. The chances rise to 5-9% for Orange, Jasper, Newton counties, and western Cameron, Calcasieu, Beauregard, and Vernon parishes. More alarming, east Cameron, east Vernon, Rapides, Vermilion, Jeff Davis, Allen, Acadia, Evangeline, Lafayette, Iberia, lower St. Martin, and St. Mary parishes face a 10-14% chance of tornado activity, while Avoyelles, St. Landry, and Upper St. Martin parishes are at a higher risk, with a 15-29% probability.

Wind damage is another concern for the same regions. The forecast indicates a 5-14% chance of damaging winds affecting Jefferson, Hardin, Tyler, Jasper, Newton, and Orange counties, along with Vernon, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis, and Allen parishes. For Rapides, Avoyelles, Evangeline, St. Landry, Acadia, Vermilion, Lafayette, Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Mary parishes, the chance of damaging winds increases to 15-29%.

The threat of large hail also looms over the region. A 5-14% chance of experiencing large hail is forecasted for Tyler, Hardin, Jasper, and Jefferson counties. Meanwhile, Newton and Orange counties, along with Vernon, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis, Allen, Rapides, Evangeline, Acadia, Vermilion, St. Landry, Lafayette, Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Mary parishes, face a 15-29% chance of large hail. Avoyelles Parish presents the most significant risk, with a staggering 30-44% chance of large hail.

Should severe weather strike in your area, residents are advised to have a safety plan in place. This includes identifying a safe room or the lowest floor of their homes, which should ideally have as many walls as possible between them and the outside. It is crucial to heed any weather alerts that may come throughout the day.