Clouds and a few showers will remain possible today, but our focus quickly shifts to the potential for another round of storms by next weekend.

Expect strong, gusty winds and some heavy down pours as well as a chance some storms produce hail. The Storm Prediction Center placed a level 1 out of 5 severe storm risk for all of Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch that includes New Orleans and Baton Rouge metro areas until 7 p.m. Tuesday. The threat of severe weather prompted New Orleans Mardi Gras parades to roll early Fat Tuesday and attention is now turning what is in the forecast this afternoon and evening.

Expect strong, gusty winds and some heavy down pours as well as a chance some storms produce hail. The Storm Prediction Center placed a level 1 out of 5 severe storm risk for all of Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The Lafayette area is under a tornado watch as severe weather moves across Louisiana on Mardi Gras, bringing thunderstorms, damaging winds and the possibility for tornadoes, according to the National

Over much of south, central and west Texas, including Austin and San Antonio and far southeastern New Mexico, there is also an extremely critical risk of wildfires.

An “unusually strong” storm system for March may bring a range of hazards that includes wildfires, blizzards and tornadoes.

Forecasters warn of intense storms that could unleash damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Tuesday.