Officials in Louisiana are treating the impending winter weather as an emergency since temperatures below freezing and a high probability of snowfall are expected to continue.
As a result, they anticipate that roads will be closed and additional damages will be caused by the freezing conditions.
On Sunday afternoon, Governor Jeff Landry participated in a conference call with state and municipal emergency officials. He also made it possible for the press media to listen in on the conversation throughout the process of making preparations.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures that are below the freezing threshold are anticipated to take place beginning on Sunday night and continuing through Thursday.
The primary worries of the state officials who were present on the call were, in addition to the dangers posed by roads, the greater possibility of power outages and the low water pressure.
It is recommended by certain utilities that a thin line of water drop from a single interior faucet be maintained in order to prevent water from freezing in pipes that are exposed to the elements. However, doing so might put a burden on the water distribution infrastructure in the area.
“This is one of those hard freeze events that’s going to be complicated with snowfall,” Landry stated. “We could be looking at 24 to 48 hours with little water pressure.”
In the unlikely event that Wednesday is not the all-clear for winter weather, state meteorologist Jay Grimes advises residents to stock up on supplies for at least two days. Because resupplies will probably be impacted by road closures, expect grocery store shelves to remain thin through at least midweek, he said.
Officials participating in the appeal say that as windy, cold weather sets in on Sunday, some parishes have already opened warming shelters for their inhabitants.
When a wet weather system moves in from the west early Tuesday, it is predicted to have the greatest effects in south Louisiana, with a 70% to 90% likelihood of snowfall all day. The amount of snow accumulation might be between one and three inches to the south and four to six inches above Interstate 10 and Lake Pontchartrain.
In Louisiana’s northern region, temperatures will still drop into the teens early Tuesday, but the likelihood of snowfall is much lower.
It was anticipated that state road personnel will continue pre-treating bridges and elevated highways well into Monday in preparation for ice conditions. On Tuesday and Wednesday, drivers are advised to avoid roads and streets that experience winter precipitation, or until the temperature rises sufficiently to melt any ice that has collected.
State officials will provide updates on road conditions and closure status on 511la.org, which drivers are asked to keep an eye on.
Residents are urged by the Louisiana Fire Marshal to exercise caution while placing space heaters in their homes to prevent fire threats. Its staff will be checking warming shelters to make sure they’re still secure.
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In the event that low pressure necessitates boil water advisories, the state health agency is keeping an eye on nearby water systems. Additionally, it advises households to verify the condition of their carbon monoxide detectors. The risk of CO poisoning rises when a gas furnace or heater malfunctions.
Even though drivers are being warned not to drive, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain stated that as long as power disruptions are not severe, there should be enough fuel supply.
Natural gas-powered generators are used by the state’s poultry facilities, which are primarily located in central and northern Louisiana, to cope with power outages, according to Strain.
According to Louisiana Public Service Commission utilities expert supervisor Jessica Kayuha, power restoration workers will be assembling on Monday to address outages. Restoring service will only be possible if the roads are safe to drive on and the wind speed is less than 35 mph.
Through the freeze, Louisiana utilities have also prevented customer disconnections, according to Kayuha.
“Utility companies have not expressed any concerns about the freezing weather affecting their ability to generate electricity,” she said.
Louisiana State Police troopers will begin working double shifts on Monday night, according to Lt. Joshua Nations, executive officer of the Crisis Response Command of the Louisiana State Police. He claimed that police had already begun removing possible road hazards.
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