The temperature you feel when you step out of your home this morning might be the warmest you will feel today. An arctic blast that has been dropping across the nation bringing below zero wind chills to the Midwest and Great Plains is now affecting the weather across the Bayou State.

 

Temperatures across the I-20 corridor of North Louisiana will be well below freezing during  a portion of the daytime hours and most of the nighttime hours. Low temperatures in the Shreveport and Monroe areas are expected to be in the middle 20's for Friday morning.

Along the I-10 corridor, temperatures won't be quite as cold but should be at or near freezing as far south as the coast. The cold snap won't be for very long as temperatures across the state are expected to moderate into the upper 60's and lower 70's by Saturday and Sunday.

The National Weather Service forecast office has posted a freeze warning for portions of south and south-central Louisiana for this evening. A freeze warning means that temperatures across the warned area will be at or below 32 degrees for an extended period of time. Forecasters believe that most the warned area will experience those cold temperatures from midnight through at least 9 AM Friday morning.

Forecasters say the main threat from this cold snap will be potential damage to crops and vegetation. It's suggested that you protect your plants, especially your tropical plants, with a sheet or other covering to provide some shelter from the cold temperatures.

If the cold temperatures were enough to put a hitch in your get along, the strong northerly breezes certainly will. With the passage of the frontal system during the day today you can expect winds to increase to a speed of 20 to 30 mph during the daylight hours. Those winds will lay down later this evening as a high-pressure system takes over the weather pattern for the next several days.

 

 

 

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