Weather Service Updates Louisiana’s Weekend Ice Threat

(KMDL-FM)  Forecasters with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Lake Charles are keeping a vigilant watch over southern Louisiana's forecast for the next several days.

Over the next several days, the area is expected to experience a significant rainfall event. That's forecast to be a part of your plans on Wednesday. And the region could experience a major winter weather event by this weekend.

READ MORE: What is Louisiana's Snow Outlook for the Rest of the Winter?

Whether it's rain, freezing rain, or something else falling from the sky, it's going to change your plans. Here is when you can expect rain, at least on Wednesday, where you live, and possibly frozen precipitation over the weekend.

The graphic that you see is courtesy of NWS/LCH, and your eyes are probably drawn to the green area of the chart. That's when the cities listed can expect the greatest threat of precipitation. As you can see, Wednesday is going to be a wet day as most of the area has at least a 60% chance of showers on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

The second area of green you see on the chart is the precipitation forecast for this weekend. As you can see, forecasters have outlined Saturday and Sunday as times when freezing rain or other wintry precipitation could fall. I think it's safe to say there will be precipitation this weekend, but we just can't be too certain about what kind of precipitation will be falling.

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What Parts Of Louisiana Are At the Greatest Risk of Ice Accumulation This Weekend?

The Lake Charles Forecast Office has also provided this graphic (below), which details the current probability of frozen precipitation in a given area of the region. As of now, the greatest threat for ice and ice accumulation appears to be along and north of US 190. This would mean the northern sections of Acadiana could see ice on bridges, tree limbs, and powerlines.

The current thinking suggests there is a 40-50% chance of minor ice impacts along and north of US 190. There is a 20-30% chance of minor ice impacts between US 190 and I-10. There is a 5-10% of minor ice impacts in the area south of I-10 to the coast.

READ MORE: How Cold Does It Need to Get Before Pipes Start Freezing?

Here is what that looks like in picture form. Sometimes it's easier to understand when you have a graphic. You'll notice forecasters have highlighted the "minor impacts" box with a red outline.

And while this graphic doesn't show it, the impacts in northern Louisiana along the I-20 corridor are going to be much worse than they will be further to the south along I-10.

How Cold Is It Going To Get During the Upcoming Winter Weather Event?

Temperatures across the region won't fall below freezing until sometime late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. The overnight low for Sunday is forecast to be 27 degrees, which is cold enough for falling water to freeze on many surfaces. However, the forecast high for Sunday is 39 degrees, which would turn any frozen spots into liquid by midday.

Of course, the forecast can and will likely change, at least a little, between now and Saturday night. We will keep you updated, so do check back with us from time to time. And since we know the weekend will be cold and wet, why not make plans to be inside and cozy?