Louisiana Climate
Top 5 Cities: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, and Lake Charles
This month in numbers
Louisiana experienced its 4th warmest April on record, with an average temperature of 21.56°C, a significant 2.4°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The three-month period from February to April 2026 was the 2nd warmest on record for average temperature, at 18.35°C, and notably, the warmest on record for maximum temperatures, reaching 24.52°C. April precipitation was below average at 87.88 mm, a deficit of 23.2 mm.
What changed
The consistent warmth seen in Louisiana over the past three months stands in stark contrast to the national picture, where the US as a whole experienced a more moderate temperature anomaly of +1.9°C in April. Louisiana's three-month average temperature anomaly of +3.5°C places it 32nd out of 234 regions globally, indicating a particularly pronounced warming trend compared to many other areas. The state has been grappling with significant drought conditions, with 77% of Louisiana in moderate to extreme drought as of May 21, 2026, and 12 parishes designated as natural disaster areas due to drought beginning April 14, 2026. This prolonged dryness has been a concern since August 2025.
What’s driving change?
The persistent warmth and dry conditions in Louisiana are being influenced by a combination of factors. The current ENSO state is Neutral, but the forecast indicates a strong likelihood of El Niño developing in the coming months, with an 82% chance for May-Jul and a 96% chance for Jul-Sep. While El Niño typically brings cooler and wetter winters to the Southeast USA, its influence during the spring and summer can vary. The region has also experienced an unusual concentration of extreme weather events recently, with three wildfires, two drought events, and one flood event occurring in the past month, representing 100% of the annual total for each type of event. This concentration of wildfires is particularly unusual for Louisiana, a state typically known for its wet climate. Recent heavy rainfall in mid-May has provided some short-term relief from drought and reduced wildfire risk, but it is not expected to end the long-term drought.
Looking ahead
The seasonal outlook for May through July suggests that temperatures will likely average above normal, with precipitation chances remaining roughly equal for above- or below-normal levels.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Louisiana
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) — see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Louisiana changing?
Louisiana is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Louisiana come from?
Climate data for Louisiana comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Louisiana climate data cover?
The Louisiana climate profile covers New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette and surrounding areas. Louisiana climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Louisiana climate update refreshed?
The Louisiana climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.