11:00AM Monday: Precipitation moving out, coldest air filtering in! Hard Freezing Warning tonight to Fat Tuesday!

11:00AM FORECAST from Meteorologist Brooke Laizer — Wintery precipitation will be beginning to end shortly across much of WGNO’s viewing area. I-10 CLOSED west of Baton Rouge in both directions. I-55 is now closed from LaPlace to Ponchatoula all the way north to Louisiana’s state border. The Causeway is also closed in both directions.

Send in your reports! Reports of sleet as far south and east as Lakeview in New Orleans. Icing has been reported in Laplace and Houma. Please avoid travel and stay off of the roads if possible!

Here is the latest radar update. Heaviest wintery precipitation is finally starting to dissipate north and west of Lake Pontchartrain.

Current wind chills across the state of Louisiana are reaching single digits in northern Louisiana and teens for much of south-central Louisiana. This is going to continue into tonight, hence the Wind Chill Advisory in effect through Fat Tuesday morning. Bundle up!

I-10 West of Baton Rouge has turned into a complete ice rink. This is near Lake Charles. PLEASE avoid travel if possible. I-10 is now closed in both directions west of Baton Rouge. Do not drive around barricades.

Winter Storm Warnings are issued for much of the south. Ice accumulations of one quarter inch to near a half inch are possible within the warning area. Dangerous, near standstill travel and sporadic power outages continue to increase. Currently, about 90,000 Louisiana residents are without power.

A Winter Weather Advisory is issued for additional parts of southeast Louisiana. Freezing rain amounts of .1 expected, which would cause hazardous travel.

In Metro New Orleans, a few sleet pellets may mix in with the rain, but overall impacts will be minimal compared to spots north and west. Remember, any water left on roadways will freeze tonight into Tuesday morning.

Hard freeze Monday night likely north of the lake with lows 15-22. 18-24 in the Bayou Parishes/River Parishes. In metro New Orleans, moderate to hard freeze growing more likely 23-27.

Make sure you have full preparations completed for pipes, pets, & plants, & people. In addition, wind chills in the lower teens is expected.