NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A winter storm warning in place across all of southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast as historic snow totals are expected with an approaching storm. The promised Arctic air is settled across the region with Monday morning lows in the low to middle 20s north and west of Lake Pontchartrain and just below freezing south. Even with bright sun daytime temperatures will only reach the upper 30s and low 40s. Temperatures will fall below freezing during the evening and likely stay below freezing for more than 24 hours.
Winter weather will begin overnight from west to east as the low developing along the Texas coast pushes east and forces moisture up over the deep cold. Light icing and snow will begin during the wee hours of the morning. Around 6 am snow will take over for most of the area and last through the day. Expect totals of 5 to 8 inches with some isolated higher totals across the most populated areas including the River Parishes, Orleans and Jefferson Parish, parts of Tangipahoa and St. Tammany as well as parts of Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parish. Snow totals will be lower farther north with more dry air and closer to the coast with more warmer air able to push into the cold dome…