Update 10:43 a.m. Wednesday, January 17
A Hard Freeze Warning is in effect for much of the KEDM listening area for Wednesday night.
Freezing temperatures will continue across much of the region today, then plummeting shortly after sunset tonight back into the teens and possibly upper single digits in some outlying and more rural areas. * TIMING...9 PM tonight through 9 AM Thursday. * IMPACT...Take precautions to cover exposed pipes and bring pets indoors as well as protect any sensitive outdoor plants.
Update 5:14 p.m. Tuesday, January 16
A Wind Chill Advisory remains in effect from 8 p.m. tonight through 10 a.m. Wednesday morning across the KEDM listening area.
Dangerously cold wind chills will develop tonight just after sunset with readings falling into the single digits area wide. The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to any exposed skin.
A Wind Chill Advisory means that the very cold air and wind will combine to create dangerously low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure to wear thick layers, a hat and gloves if you spend time outdoors.
Black Ice
The existing snowpack, clearing sky, and weakening winds will allow temperatures to quickly fall into teens and lower 20s this evening, and into the lower and middle teens areawide by Wednesday morning. As a result, any melting snow on the roadways, bridges, and overpasses this afternoon will quickly refreeze into black ice this evening, making travel very treacherous. Temperatures will only warm slowly Wednesday, but will likely remain below freezing until early to mid afternoon, if at all.
Thus, black ice on area roadways will remain a problem through much of Wednesday, with this threat again increasing Wednesday night as temperatures fall into the teens once again. Travel is strongly discouraged across the region this afternoon through Wednesday. If you must travel this afternoon or tonight, please drive slowly, allow plenty of time to reach your destination, and allow extra space between you and the other drivers around you. Be sure you pack a winter weather survival kit, by including food, water, extra blankets, a flashlight, and provide a means to charge your cell phone or other electronic devices in case you are stranded. Be sure you have a full tank of gas before leaving as well.
Tuesday NWS Forecast:
Snow is occurring across portions of north central and northeast Louisiana, with mixed precipitation of sleet, freezing rain and snow noted across portions of east Texas this morning, with light rain occurring across central Louisiana.
Locations still receiving rain should experience a transition to snow during the next few hours. If road conditions are not slippery now, they eventually will become slick as daytime temperatures are not expected to make to warm to above the freezing mark.
Tonight, temperatures will plummet into the lower to middle teens and a light northerly wind will cause wind chills to once again bottom out into the single digits.
Road conditions are becoming hazardous. Click here for a list of closures.
