New Orleans, Louisiana – Southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi are baking under a dangerous heat wave Monday, with heat index values expected to reach a life-threatening 114°F by mid-afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service in New Orleans, an Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. CDT today for a wide swath of parishes and counties including Orleans, St. Tammany, St. John the Baptist, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and Harrison County, Mississippi. This is the second such warning issued in July, marking a relentless stretch of oppressive heat for the Gulf Coast.
New Orleans, Slidell, Biloxi, Gulfport, and LaPlace will see peak heat during commuting hours, with little overnight relief. Residents are urged to avoid outdoor activity, hydrate frequently, and check on vulnerable neighbors. Prolonged exposure can rapidly lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, especially without air conditioning.
Cooling centers are open across Orleans and Jefferson parishes. Employers are advised to modify outdoor work schedules and ensure laborers have shaded breaks.
The warning expires at 8 p.m., but forecasters say additional heat alerts are likely through midweek.
