A winter storm is expected to move through the Deep South and East Coast this weekend, bringing heavy rain and potentially icy conditions across parts of south Louisiana.
While the most severe winter weather is expected to remain north of New Orleans, the storm will bring the coldest temperatures of the season so far. Light showers are forecast to start late Friday, with heavier rain continuing through Sunday.
Forecasters say New Orleans is unlikely to experience ice accumulation this weekend, as temperatures are not expected to remain below freezing. However, overnight lows could drop to around 28 degrees in New Orleans on Monday morning.
The storm comes just over a year after a historic winter storm brought snow to New Orleans for the first time in two decades.
Officials urge residents to remain cautious, as freezing temperatures elsewhere in the region could lead to power outages and hazardous travel conditions.
A polar vortex, a large low-pressure expanse of swirling air, will bring frigid conditions to most of the United States over the weekend. Wind chill temperatures are forecast to feel like -40 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit in some northern parts of the country.
Nationwide travel impacts are possible as many southern airports lack sufficient deicing equipment and interstates could become hard to navigate.
Mike • Jan 31, 2026 at 9:37 pm
Ice storm was brutal in the northern parishes