The New Orleans area has been dealing with a cold streak that, according to the National Weather Service, may actually get worse. The NWS in Slidell has issued a warning of extreme cold temperatures in the area from Thursday to Sunday morning. This will mean many residents and citizens in the area and around it will experience a chill to an extreme that rarely is felt.
While some areas of Louisiana and Mississippi may see snow, moisture is not as much of a concern as the chill that follows. Per the NWS report
ALL OF THE MOISTURE WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY THURSDAY EVENING AND THEN THE GREATER ISSUE ARRIVES…VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. AN
ARCTIC AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IN AND REMAIN OVER THE AREA FROM THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY.
THE AIRMASS IS NOT EXPECTED TO MODIFY CONSIDERABLY. THE AIRMASS IS EXPECTED TO BRING VERY COLD TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA THAT COULD BE COMPARABLE TO THE ARCTIC OUTBREAK OF EARLY FEBRUARY 1996…BUT NOT AS LOW AS THOSE EXPERIENCED DURING THE 1985 AND 1989 ARCTIC OUTBREAKS.
The potential for ice and poor driving conditions means motorists need to take extra precautions this weekend to prevent car accidents. Some tips from AAA for winter driving include
- Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
- Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
- Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
- Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
- If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
- Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
- Always look and steer where you want to go.
- Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
As always, our firm hopes everyone handles this cold snap carefully and safely. For more information on the cold front, check out the NWS website at weather.gov or read the recent weather warning in full here.