Please see the below weather update from the National Weather Service (NWS) New Orleans / Baton Rouge.
- An Arctic airmass will move in Saturday night, impacting the entire area through much of the work week.
- Prolonged Cold Temperatures Sunday night through Thursday will be a major concern, with high confidence in seeing minimum wind chill values in the single digits north of I 10/12 and teens south of I 10/12.
- Winter precipitation, mainly in the form of snow, is likely anywhere from midnight Monday night/Tuesday morning through late Tuesday evening/early Wednesday morning.
- The probability for snow continues to rise and a 40-50% probability is rather high 4 days out.
- Main impacts: Major to extreme travel impacts across the entire area.
- With very cold air already in place for 48 hours before any winter precipitation arrives, all roads, especially elevated roads, will have cooled. This will lead to rapid accumulations of ice/snow, creating quickly deteriorating travel conditions Tuesday.
- Additionally, we will be able to get above freezing temperatures on Wednesday for a short time.
- However, shady areas (especially along eastbound lanes of Interstates 12 and 10, etc.) will hold on to the ice/snow longer, and these areas will likely still be impassable/hazardous for driving Wednesday into Thursday morning
- One last note of importance: There is the potential for re freezing of accumulated snow/ice on Wed night/Thurs morning IF the existing precipitation has not completely melted.
- Main impacts: Hazardous driving conditions and pathways could persist through Thursday morning, weather dependent
