Please see the below update from the National Weather Service (NWS) New Orleans/Baton Rouge.
Today
- Cold morning with wind chills in the 20s. Cold Weather Advisory in effect until 9:00 AM this morning. Afternoon temps rising to 45-53 degrees.
- Tonight – freeze durations 1-7 hours. A Freeze Warning will be in effect from tonight at midnight through 9:00AM Thursday morning.
Thursday
- Cold morning with wind chills in the 20s. Increasing evening showers. Temps rising into the 50s to low 60s.
Friday
- Temperatures stay above freezing with a high chance of rain. 1” – 3” of rain is forecasted between 6AM Thursday – 6AM Saturday. Afternoon temps rising to 53-60 degrees.
Saturday
- Drying out with morning temps near freezing along and north of I-10/12. Afternoon temps rising to 46-52 degrees.
Sunday
- Morning temps near freezing along and north of I-10/12. Afternoon temps rising to 54-60 degrees.
Southeast Louisiana and Southern Mississippi partners -
Here is an update concerning the cold weather threat tonight, and the heavy rain threat Thursday night through Friday.
Changes from previous update:
· A Freeze Warning has been issued for areas along the I-12 corridor in Louisiana, and I-10 corridor in coastal Mississippi for temperatures below freezing again tonight (see graphic below).
· A Freeze Watch has been issued for the River Parishes and Southshore for the possibility of temperatures reaching below freezing again tonight. This watch could be upgraded to a warning in the afternoon forecast package (see graphic below).
Overview:
WHAT: Widespread freeze and wind chills in the 20s with isolated hard freeze conditions in the Pearl River and Pascagoula River basins, and then locally heavy rainfall.
WHEN: Wednesday night for the freezing conditions. Thursday night through Friday for the heavy rain threat.
WHERE: All of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi with the greatest threat across areas along/north of the I-10/12 corridor for both cold weather and heavy rain threat.
CONFIDENCE:
· We have high confidence in the occurrence of freezing conditions across most of the area tonight, but confidence has decreased for widespread hard freeze conditions (25 degrees or lower) along/north of the interstate 10/12 corridor.
· Confidence is high that temperatures will warm and stay above freezing prior to the arrival of rain on Thursday night. Winter precipitation is not expected anywhere in southern MS or southeast Louisiana.
· Confidence is medium that locally heavy rainfall will occur somewhere across southeast Louisiana or southern MS on Thursday night through Friday. Exact totals and locations of heaviest totals are uncertain at this time, but it appears the highest probability of heavy rainfall will be along and north of the I-10/12 corridor and less so for coastal areas.
Impacts:
· Temperatures will range from the mid 20s across southwestern Mississippi to the mid 30s across coastal southeastern Louisiana. Temperatures are forecast to be below freezing for up to 13 hours for northern areas of the Florida Parishes and Southwest MS and 1-7 hours for areas along and south of the I-10/12 corridor tonight.
· Wind chills of 21 to 30 degrees are forecast Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
· Rainfall rates of 1-2"/hr will lead to runoff with ponding of water and localized flash flooding in poor drainage and urban areas.
The graphics below highlight the low temperature forecasts, the probability of temperatures 25 degrees or lower Thursday morning, and an overview of the heavy rain threat.
