Statewide we are above freezing. One more time: There are no freezing temperatures in the state of Louisiana.
Jacque Thibodeaux, Director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), couldn't be happier.
Thibodeaux told guest host Dave Cohen, "The good news: For the first time since we started this process, we're going to see some areas in the upper 40s and low 50s. We're going to get significant melting over the rest of the day until tonight... It's about to come out that all state office buildings will be open. And all schools within Louisiana, with the exception of Terrebonne and Assumption, will also be open. This is the first really big piece of news since we started."
However, conditions are still slowly lurching back to normal. Thibodeaux explained, "We'll have another refreeze tonight. But for the first time in this process, we're going to get melting from about 10 am to 5 pm. So please stay off the roads, be respectful of the DoTD, and let's put this behind us.
Thibodeaux cited fire hydrant and heating system failure as the reason for schools remaining closed in Terrebonne and Assumption.