If you've enjoyed the warmer weather we've had over the last couple of days, we have some bad news. An Arctic Blast is about to hit the New Orleans area. That burst of frigid air will send temperatures plummeting into the 20s south of the lake and possibly into the teens north of the lake.
"This one's going to have some punch to it," climatologist Barry Keim said. "It's going to stick around for a while."
Keim says temperatures will plummet to the upper-30s and mid-40s overnight and early Saturday morning.
"And then the really cold blast will hit us on Tuesday morning," Keim added. "We'll probably see a light freeze across the New Orleans metro area, which we haven't seen much of in the last few years. In fact, we have to go back to the day after Christmas 2022--a little over a year ago--since we've seen a temperature this cold.
"(It's) not unprecedented, but it'll certainly be chilly and a little unusual for an El Niño year."
National Weather Service meteorologist Christopher Bannan says based on how the cold air is approaching and how the system is setting up, the chances of any winter precipitation in southeast Louisiana are slim.
"There's a small chance that we could see some frozen precipitation," Bannon said. "If that occurs, it will likely be in the form of sleet or freezing rain."
In other words: don't hold your breath for any snow.
"I would say it's not totally out of the realm of possibility, but right now, it's not in the forecast," Bannan said.
"(It's) not very likely," Keim added. "It's not in the forecast at the moment."
If you're dreading having to wrap your pipes take other precautions around your home ahead of the freeze, there is some good news. Bannan says even though it'll be chilly this weekend, you have a little bit of time to protect your pipes, plants, and pets.
"This weekend, you should be good," Bannan said. "It'll be cold (Saturday) morning, but everything will be fine this weekend. So, whatever travel plans you have, you should be good to go. Get them done this weekend."
