An arctic blast is on the way for New Orleans area
Cold Saturday morning. Freeze for most areas Tuesday and hard freeze Wednesday. We've got a lot going on, and it's time to prepare. The weather will be cool this weekend, but cooperates for Arctic Cold Front preparations.
It's going to be cold Saturday morning. Freezing Northshore with lows in the upper 20s to near 30. Lows Houma to Belle Chasse will be in the low to mid 30s. Some frost possible. Lows South Mississippi low to mid 30s. Some frost possible. Lows Metro low 30s to near 40. Some frost possible away from the Lake.
Sunny Weekend cool weekend with highs mostly in the 50s. Arctic cold front arrives Monday with some rain, and then temperatures are going down!
Chance for frozen precipitation always depends on whether moisture remains when the cold air arrives.
Greatest concern would be if we have rain, and then temperatures drop. Wind should cause all moisture to evaporate, but any lingering puddles on ground might freeze. That's called freezing rain, and that is a traffic concern!
Coldest mornings will be Tuesday and Wednesday, but especially Wednesday. Here is a look at your forecast lows Tuesday.
It will be coldest on the Northshore. Protect pipes, plants, pets and people.
South Shore is not as cold. Lows upper 20s to mid 30s. Protect plants, pets and people. Wind will be strong and remove any warm air lingering under raised homes. I would go ahead and protect pipes. The reason is colder weather is on the way with a long duration freeze.
We will only have a few hours above freezing Tuesday afternoon. Temps will drop below freezing by 9 PM or Midnight, and stay below freezing until around Noon Wednesday. That's about 15 hours of freezing temps for many. Here is a look at your lows Wednesday. It's a hard freeze for all of us.
The wind is also going to be blowing Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Wind chills will drop into the single digits. This is dangerous cold weather. Please take precautions to protect family, home, and animals. Check on neighbors. Be sure they are staying warm.
This is a reminder to never use your oven to heat your home. This can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. If you use a space heater, keep it away from anything flammable. Keep away from curtains, from clothing...anything that can catch on fire.
Make plans now to protect plants. Water your plants. This releases heat as it evaporates. Cover plants when warm to trap heat. If possible build a tripod over plant, then cover. It's best to prevent cover from touching plants. The wind is going to be blowing, so you will have to weight the cover to the ground, or it will blow away. Do not use plastic to cover plants. This can trap too much heat and really damage the plants. I use pine straw to cover ground plants. Pine straw can trap heat, but still allow the plant to breathe during the day when it is warmer. Be sure to protect the roots of plants well. If the plant dies back, there is a chance it will grow back from the root. This will be a long duration freeze Tuesday night into Wednesday. There's no guarantee that protected tender vegetation will survive. Good luck! I will be covering my plants Monday, but I know that I will lose some.
Do harvest all fruit from Citrus trees now.
Stay tuned to WDSU First Warning Weather for the latest on this cold weather outbreak.