Louisiana officials plan road closures, power outages from winter weather • Louisiana Illuminator

Below-freezing temperatures and a high chance of snow have Louisiana officials treating the upcoming winter weather as an emergency, expecting road closures and other impacts from the cold conditions.

Gov. Jeff Landry took part in a conference call Sunday afternoon with state and local emergency officials and allowed the news media to listen in as they prepared. Temperatures below freezing are expected Sunday night, lasting through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

In addition to road hazards, the biggest concerns among state officials on the call are an increased risk of power outages and low water pressure.

To prevent water in exposed pipes from freezing, some utilities recommend keeping a thin line of water dripping from a single indoor faucet. But doing so can strain local water supply systems.

“This is one of those hard freeze events that is going to be complicated with snowfall,” Landry said during the conference call. “We could be looking at 24 to 48 hours of low water pressure.”

State Climatologist Jay Grimes recommends that people have at least two days’ worth of supplies on hand in case the winter weather doesn’t fully clear Wednesday. Expect grocery store shelves to be thin through at least midweek because road closures will likely affect resupply, he said.

Some parishes have already opened warming shelters for their residents as bitterly cold conditions set in Sunday, according to officials attending the call.

The biggest impacts are expected in southern Louisiana early Tuesday when a wet weather system moves in from the west, creating a 70% to 90% chance of snow throughout the day. Snow accumulation could reach 4-6 inches over Interstate 10 and Lake Pontchartrain, with 1-3 inches to the south.

Although the chances of snow are far less in the northern half of Louisiana, temperatures there will still dip into the teens early Tuesday.

State road crews were already pre-treating elevated roads and bridges Sunday and expected to continue work well into Monday in anticipation of icy conditions. Drivers are urged to stay off streets and highways that see wintry precipitation Tuesday and Wednesday — or until temperatures rise enough to melt accumulated ice.

Motorists are encouraged to monitor 511la.orgwhere state officials will post updates on road conditions and closure status.

The Louisiana Fire Marshal is urging residents to be aware of where they place space heaters in their homes to ensure they avoid fire hazards. Its staff will inspect warming shelters to ensure they remain safe.

The state Department of Health monitors local water systems in the event that the need for a boil water advisory arises due to low pressure. It also recommends that residents check the status of their carbon monoxide detectors. A malfunctioning gas furnace or heater increases the chances of CO poisoning.

Although motorists are being discouraged from being on the road, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said there should be adequate fuel supplies provided power outages are not widespread. The state’s poultry operations, concentrated in central and northern Louisiana, have natural gas-powered generators to handle power outages, Strain said.

Jessica Kayuha, a utility specialist supervisor with the Louisiana Public Service Commission, said power restoration crews will stage Monday to respond to outages. They will only be able to reconnect service as long as roads are safely navigable and winds are below 35 mph.

Louisiana utilities have also stopped customer outages through the freezing point, Kayuha said.

Utilities have not expressed any concern that their ability to generate electricity will be affected by the freezing weather, she said.

Troopers with the Louisiana State Police will begin working double shifts starting Monday night, said Lt. Joshua Nations, executive officer of LSP’s Crisis Response Command. Officers have already started clearing potential hazards on the roads, he said.

Motorists in need of assistance should call *LSP to be connected to the nearest squad for assistance.