Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Lafayette, Louisiana Weather

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Lafayette weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Lafayette, LA
Sunday, July 5 at 4:37 AM
76
°
Clear
Feels like
85°
Humidity
93%
Wind
3 mph
Sunrise
1:11 AM
Sunset
3:13 PM
Lafayette, LA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastLafayette, LA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 76 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit with a 31% chance of precipitation at 6 PM.
L 76°H 91°
Lafayette, LA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    31%
    —
    91°76°—
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Overcast
    46%
    —
    91°76°0°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    T-storm w/ Hail
    74%
    —
    91°74°0°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Thunderstorm
    46%
    —
    93°74°+2°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Thunderstorm
    23%
    —
    94°75°+1°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    19%
    —
    90°76°-4°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Thunderstorm
    41%
    —
    87°75°-3°
Lafayette, LA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°72°83°94°12a6a12p6pnow 76°high 91°low 76°PRECIP %
Lafayette, LA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
S
176° · backing 49°
Direction
S
176°
Sustained
3
mph
Gust
3
mph
Peak 24h
10
avg 4
Beaufort · 1 · LIGHT AIR
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 10 @ 8:00a
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 155SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Lafayette, LA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1013.3
0.0 mb in 3h · steady · 29.92 inHg
Now
1013.3
mb
3h
0.0
mb
12h
-0.9
mb
24h
-1.1
mb
Regime · CHANGE
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1013–1016
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1016.11013.01013.4
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Air sits at the threshold — small shifts decide the day.
Lafayette, LA
Air quality
56
AQI
Moderate
→+2 in 6h

AQI 56 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 16.6 µg/m³ (AQI 65) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERModerate
16.6μg/m³
PM 10Good
18μg/m³
NO₂Good
13μg/m³
OzoneGood
39μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.0

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 16.6 µg/m³ (AQI 65) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 3 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.91
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³330
Lafayette, LA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
25.7mi
UNLIMITED
70 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
09:37 UTC · Lafayette, LA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
09:37 UTC · Lafayette, LA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Lafayette, LA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Lafayette, LA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Lafayette, LA
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:45 AM
Sunrise
1:11 AM
Daylight
14h 02m
Sunset
3:13 PM
Civil dusk
8:42 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Lafayette, LA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
74% illuminated
Moonrise
11:20 PM
Moonset
11:23 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Lafayette, LA
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Lafayette at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 5°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: February 16 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 70501, 70503, 70506, 70507, 70508

15-Day Forecast — Lafayette

  1. Sun91°76°31%
  2. Mon91°76°46%
  3. Tue91°74°74%
  4. Wed93°74°46%
  5. Thu94°75°23%
  6. Fri90°76°19%
  7. Sat87°75°41%
  8. Sun82°73°53%
  9. Mon87°72°58%
  10. Tue90°74°37%
  11. Wed91°75°32%
  12. Thu88°75°35%
  13. Fri89°75°36%
  14. Sat86°73°45%
  15. Sun85°74°35%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Lafayette

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Lafayette

SPC includes Lafayette in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

January 1–5: Frost quiets the live oaks.January 6–10: Still water thickens with ice.January 11–15: Springs begin to move beneath ice.January 16–20: Cardinal dawn calls grow bolder.January 21–25: Late January thaw pulses.January 26–31: Last freeze locks the land.February 1–5: February's lengthening light.February 6–10: Warming winds thaw the margin.February 11–15: Magnolia blooms break the gray.February 16–20: Mockingbirds resume the dawn chorus.February 21–25: Rain replaces the last snow.February 26–28: Mist clings to greening valleys.March 1–5: The green pulse awakens.March 6–10: Hibernators emerge to call.March 11–15: Dogwood and redbud ignite.March 16–20: Swallowtails emerge from winter silk.March 21–25: Light crowns the dogwood canopy.March 26–31: Redbud cascades over the thaw.April 1–5: Thunder announces the wet season.April 6–10: Barn swallows carve the warming sky.April 11–15: Magnolia blooms and falls in a breath.April 16–20: First rainbows arch over thunderheads.April 21–25: Reeds push through marsh water.April 26–30: Frost retreats; seedlings rise free.May 1–5: Warblers flood the canopy in waves.May 6–10: Tulip poplar lights the forest crown.May 11–15: Shad pulse upstream through rapids.May 16–20: Roses open on the Piedmont edge.May 21–25: Fireflies scout the humid dusk.May 26–31: Frog choruses rise from every wetland.June 1–5: Fireflies pulse through the magnolias.June 6–10: Kudzu climbs deeper into green.June 11–15: Sun climbs to its northern throne.June 16–20: Heat settles and the rain begins.June 21–25: The longest day turns toward shadow.June 26–30: Fireflies drift through Spanish moss.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon.July 6–10: Thunderheads boil and break at dusk.July 11–15: Thunder builds each drowsy afternoon.July 16–20: Cicadas claim the long noon.July 21–25: Dog days drape the earth in haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their rasping chorus.August 1–5: Dusk arrives one minute earlier each night.August 6–10: Meteorological summer's turning page.August 11–15: Cool winds gather at the margins.August 16–20: Dog-day cicadas rise.August 21–25: Heat breaks in creek beds.August 26–31: Monarchs gather strength.September 1–5: Harvests begin in earnest.September 6–10: Dew beads on resurrection fern.September 11–15: Raptors trail the thermals.September 16–20: Day and dark find balance.September 21–25: Thunder quiets the land.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Swamp waters recede.October 6–10: Maples ignite the ridge.October 11–15: Asters crown the meadows.October 16–20: Crickets sing at dusk.October 21–25: Frost paints the garden.October 26–31: Light rains whisper down.November 1–5: Sweetgum Turns Crimson.November 6–10: Camellia Blooms Break Through.November 11–15: Earth Stiffens Underfoot.November 16–20: Bare Limbs Hold the Light.November 21–25: First Frost Grips the High Ground.November 26–30: North Wind Strips the Last Leaves.December 1–5: Darkness Falls Before Dinner.December 6–10: Winter Locks the Land.December 11–15: Wildlife Retreats to Shelter.December 16–20: Ice Edges Deepen Inward.December 21–25: The Sun Begins its Return.December 26–31: The Year Turns in Silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the scorching afternoon

Dog-day cicadas emerge in waves, their rasp dominating every sunny hour; heat peaks above 90 degrees daily.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

Lafayette peaks at about 83°F in July and bottoms near 52°F in January; December brings the heaviest rain (5.4 inches) and October the least (2.3 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January52°4.5″17
February55°4.1″14
March61°4.2″18
April68°4.5″17
May75°3.4″18
June81°3.6″19
July83°4.8″24
August82°5.3″25
September79°3.3″17
October72°2.3″10
November61°4.3″14
December54°5.4″16

Regional context

By the nearest station's NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Lafayette sees 52°F Januarys and 83°F Julys, a 31°F range, plus around 49.7 inches of precipitation across 207 days.

No season owns Lafayette's rain: December reaches 5.4 inches across 16.1 days and October keeps 2.3 inches on 9.9, an even spread through Lafayette's year. It is a balanced pattern Lafayette shares with places like Scott, LA, Broussard, LA and Ossun, LA.

Freezes are uncommon in Lafayette, where the coldest month averages 52°F; cool-season crops grow fall through spring. Summer heat in July (about 83°F) is the binding constraint, not cold. Across Lafayette, elevation and tree cover drive a 4-7°F spread in Lafayette's overnight lows.

Similar climates: Scott, LA, Broussard, LA, Ossun, LA, Milton, LA, Carencro, LA.

Naturalist notes

Late spring brings the return of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds to Lafayette's gardens and woodlands.

Southern Magnolia trees begin their spectacular blooming period, filling the air with their distinctive fragrance.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Lafayette?
Lafayette's last spring frost lands near mid-March, and in Lafayette the first fall frost follows around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Lafayette?
Rainfall in Lafayette peaks in December near 5.4 inches, out of about 50 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Lafayette?
July is Lafayette's warmest month, averaging about 83°F.
What is the coldest month in Lafayette?
Lafayette bottoms out in January, with a mean near 52°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Lafayette?
Frost-hardy sowings begin at mid-March in Lafayette; warm-season starts follow two weeks on.
How many rainy days does Lafayette get?
Lafayette averages about 207 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Lafayette?
Lafayette's USDA zone comes from its January mean (52°F); enter the ZIP on the USDA lookup for the number.
What is the 10-day forecast for Lafayette?
Lafayette's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Lafayette?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Lafayette in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Lafayette?
Current conditions for Lafayette and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Lafayette forecast updated?
The Lafayette forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Lafayette?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Lafayette are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Lafayette?
The next few days in Lafayette's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Lafayette, Louisiana has a humid subtropical climate: January averages roughly 52°F, July about 83°F, 31°F between them.

Yearly precipitation in Lafayette totals around 50 inches, spread over about 207 days of rain or snow.

Latitude 30.2°N gives Lafayette its 31°F swing, and with it the rhythm of Lafayette's growing season.

All cities in Louisiana →

New Orleans, LA weather →

ZIP codes in Lafayette

  • 70508
  • 70507
  • 70506
  • 70503
  • 70501
  • 70502
  • 70504
  • 70505
  • 70509
  • 70593
  • 70596
  • 70598

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.