Louisiana's Chilly Surprise: What's Happening with the Weather?

Louisiana is feeling the chill! A cold front swept through, bringing strong winds and a big drop in temperature. This happened on a Monday, catching some people off guard after a warm Christmas. Winds were quite strong, with speeds between 20 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph. Areas like New Orleans, Slidell, and Lafayette were under a wind advisory until 3 p. m. that day. Power outages were a problem too. Over 1, 000 people in New Orleans lost power early in the morning, but it was mostly fixed by 7 a. m. By 8:35 a. m. , more than 1, 300 people in Tangipahoa Parish were without electricity. Crews worked hard to restore power quickly. Temperatures dropped significantly. After a warm weekend, freezing conditions were expected overnight, especially north of Interstate 10 and 12. A cold weather advisory was issued from midnight to 9 a. m. , affecting places like Baton Rouge and Slidell.The wind chill made it feel even colder, with temperatures in the upper 10s to lower 20s. People were advised to protect pipes, pets, and plants from the frost. New Orleans and Lafayette also saw low temperatures, with wind chills in the 20s. The cold weather stuck around through Tuesday and Wednesday, especially overnight. Frost was expected in Baton Rouge by New Year’s Eve. But don’t worry, temperatures were forecast to rise on New Year’s Day. Here’s what the weather looked like for New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette: New Orleans had a breezy Monday with temperatures around 53 degrees. At night, it was partly cloudy with a low of 37 degrees. Tuesday was sunny with a high near 50 degrees and a low around 37 degrees. Wednesday was sunny with a high near 56 degrees and a low around 43 degrees. New Year’s Day started sunny with a high near 66 degrees and ended cloudy with a low around 53 degrees.