Louisiana gets a brief thaw — then another arctic blast
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Louisiana has one more day of freezing weather before a brief thaw — then another arctic blast will bottom out temperatures this weekend.
Why it matters: The ice storm left at least three people dead in the state and thousands without power.
The big picture: New Orleans remains under an extreme cold warning through noon Tuesday.
- Frostbite, hypothermia and ruptured pipes are all possible, the National Weather Service says.
- Temperatures will dip again Tuesday night before climbing into the 50s on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Threat level: The storm's death toll increased Monday, with state health officials confirming an 86-year-old man died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Two other men died over the weekend of hypothermia, LDH says.
- Officials say they are investigating two more potential hypothermia deaths.
Zoom out: President Trump approved Gov. Jeff Landry's emergency declaration request, unlocking federal resources.
- FEMA is assisting in the response, Landry says, and DOTD crews from south Louisiana are heading to the northern part of the state to help.
- Landry says he plans to request a major disaster declaration, which would increase the federal funding available for cleanup efforts.
What we're watching: Another cold front is expected to arrive Friday, says NWS meteorologist Phil Grigsby.
- It should be dry though, so icy roads won't be an issue, he says.
- But, paradegoers should plan on warm outfits with temps in the 20s expected Friday and Saturday nights.
- See the 7-day forecast.
What to know
Power: About 85,000 Entergy customers across the state were without electricity as of 1pm Monday, according to the company's outage map.
- Entergy expects to have most of the power restored by Wednesday night.
- The majority of the outages are along the I-20 corridor.
Roads: New Orleans was back to normal Monday, and I-10 remains open throughout the state.
- Landry asks residents to limit travel in the central and northern parts of the state.
- See weather-related roads closures.
Schools: Some reopened Tuesday in New Orleans, while others in the state remained closed. See WWL's list.
Warming centers: Free, pet-friendly options are open in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish.
Plants: Leave your plants inside or covered.
- And, don't rush to prune back frozen plants when temps warm up, says the LSU AgCenter. It's best to do it in the spring when you can see if there's new growth. More tips.