Dangerous Winter Weather Expected for Next Few Days
The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) is asking residents to prepare for plunging temperatures and freeze warnings. The National Weather Service (NWS) experts say an arctic air mass moving across much of the U.S. will begin impacting the state tonight. The freezing temperatures are expected to last several hours.
“GOHSEP is closely monitoring this winter blast. There are ongoing conversations with our local emergency officials and the National Weather Service (NWS) offices which serve the state,” said GOHSEP Director Kevin Davis. “We have also been in contact with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and Louisiana State Police (LSP) concerning road conditions. While no major impacts are expected from the freezing conditions, the state will be ready to address any potential problems.”
Forecast for Louisiana:
Southwest Louisiana: A reinforcing cold front will cross the area Tuesday night with a very cold air mass to build over the forecast area behind it. A hard freeze is expected for Thursday morning with much below normal temperatures to linger into Friday. Thursday morning will be the coldest with temperatures 20 to 25 F while Friday morning will be between 25 and 32 F in most areas.
Central Louisiana: A reinforcement of arctic air will spill south into the region Tuesday night and Wednesday resulting in the coldest temperatures so far with this winter season during the mid and late week timeframe. An area wide hard freeze is likely Thursday morning as low temperatures fall well into the teens and lower 20’s.
Southeast Louisiana: An arctic air mass will move through the area Wednesday night through Friday with a likelihood of hard freeze warnings and possible wind chill advisories. Wednesday night into Thursday morning temperatures are forecast to fall in to the upper teens and lower 20’s for areas generally along the north of the I- 10/12 corridor. Wind chills are currently forecast to drop to near 10 degrees for the same areas. Thursday night into Friday morning temperatures are forecast to fall into the mid to upper 20’s and will include significantly calmer winds with wind chills only a few degrees lower than the ambient temperature.
North Louisiana: Confidence is increasing in the potential for a hard freeze Wednesday night through Thursday as an arctic air mass surges southward into the area. Area wide low temperatures will fall into the teens by Wednesday night. In addition, wind chill readings may become dangerous in the single digits Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
Precautions:
• Monitor your local media, the NWS and Alert FM for any possible watches/warnings for your region.
• Protect pets and plants
• Keep space heaters a safe distance (36 inches) away from anything that can burn.
• Wrap pipes to prevent them from bursting.
• Wear proper clothing and keep exposed skin covered.
You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new ALERT FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the new Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other important information at www.getagameplan.org. The Get a Game Plan App is also available for download to your smart phones or tablets.