Louisiana
What’s the latest forecast for snow, ice, freezing temperatures across Louisiana?
People in parts of Louisiana can “confidently” expect 4 to 6 inches of snow Tuesday with up to 10 inches in some isolated areas, meteorologists said on a Sunday afternoon call with Gov. Jeff Landry and parish presidents.
Most of the heaviest snowfall will blanket areas in the Interstate 10 corridor beginning after midnight Monday entering western Louisiana in Lake Charles and moving through Lafayette and then Baton Rouge with accumulations forecast south of I-10 to New Orleans and north to Alexandria.
Northern Louisiana cities along the I-20 corridor from Shreveport to Ruston to Monroe may avoid any snow or ice in the current forecast, but the entire state will suffer frigid low temperatures in the high teens or 20s that will likely extend through Thursday.
Landry said snow and ice will create treacherous travel conditions in regions where there are accumulations and plunging temperatures could create water pressure and delivery problems throughout the state.
“This is not one of the fun snow events,” Landry said on the call. “It’s a hard freeze event that will be complicated by snowfall.”
Landry has already declared a statewide weather emergency to allow the state to provide direct state assistance at the parish level ahead of the storm.
He has also closed all state offices Tuesday and suggested Sunday those closures could be extended through Wednesday depending on the forecast and Tuesday’s snowfall.
Danielle Manning of the National Weather Service in Slidell said the latest forecast provides “high confidence for a snow or wintry mix Tuesday in the southern part of the state.”
“It’s going to get progressively worse Tuesday and linger into Wednesday,” she said. “Any melting will refreeze Wednesday so the travel impacts could last through Thursday.”
Louisiana Climatologist Jay Grymes agreed, saying there will be a “broad swath of 4 inches plus” of snow along the I-10 corridor.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.