Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas - Residents across Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas should prepare for a sharp temperature drop again Monday night as the National Weather Service issued a Freeze Warning for areas north of Interstate 10 and a Frost Warning for areas to the south.
The warnings will be in effect from 9 p.m. Monday night through 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, with low temperatures expected to plummet to between 29 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind chill readings, which measure how cold the air feels on exposed skin when factoring in the wind, could drop as low as 27 degrees.
Counties in Texas and parishes in Louisiana along and north of the Interstate 10 corridor, including parts of lower Acadiana, will experience freeze conditions that could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation. Areas south of Interstate 10 are likely to see frost formation overnight.
Weather officials are urging residents to take precautions to protect people, pets, and plants from the freezing conditions. Sensitive outdoor plants should be covered or brought indoors, and outdoor animals should be provided with adequate shelter.
The combination of very dry conditions and gusty winds in the area may also create an environment favorable for erratic fire spread. Officials are strongly discouraging any outdoor burning. Residents should avoid activities that cause open flames or sparks and properly discard cigarettes to prevent accidental fires.
The extended forecast shows a dramatic temperature swing following the lower temperatures. Tuesday's high temperatures will reach 61 to 68 degrees, with no rain expected. By Wednesday, temperatures will climb to 76 to 80 degrees, and Thursday and Friday will see highs between 78 and 82 degrees.
No rain is in the forecast through Friday, with rain chances remaining at zero percent throughout the five-day outlook period. Overnight lows will gradually warm from the upper 40s Tuesday night to the upper 50s and low 60s by the end of the week.
The freeze event marks a significant weather change for the region, which has experienced mild conditions in recent weeks.
