As an Arctic blast bears down on much of the country, Louisiana is bracing for a sharp north-to-south divide in impacts, with northern parts of the state facing potentially dangerous conditions while southeast Louisiana prepares for cold, wet weather.
LSU Health climatologist Barry Keim says the incoming system represents a worst-case winter scenario for parts of the region, especially far north of Lake Pontchartrain.
“This is the kind of setup meteorologists don’t like to see,” Keim said. “Rain freezing on contact on roads, bridges, trees, and power lines can quickly bring travel to a standstill.”
Keim says areas from Alexandria to the north and west… and communities well north of the lake are most at risk for freezing rain, which can coat surfaces with ice and create hazardous driving conditions. In those hardest-hit areas, travel could become nearly impossible.
The National Weather Service has only included Northern Tangipahoa, Washington, and Livingston Parish in the Winter Weather Watch for ice locally…