Lake Charles, LA – Residents across central and southwest Louisiana and parts of southeast Texas are bracing for a hard freeze overnight into Sunday morning, as a Freeze Warning and Cold Weather Advisory remain in effect until 10 a.m. CST Sunday.
According to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, overnight temperatures are expected to fall as low as 19 to 21 degrees, with wind chills dropping into the mid-teens. The cold snap impacts a broad region including Lake Charles, Lafayette, Alexandria, Opelousas, Eunice, DeRidder, Leesville, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, and Jasper, along with surrounding rural communities.
Forecasters warn that frostbite and hypothermia may occur if exposed skin is left unprotected for extended periods. The hard freeze also poses a serious threat to crops, sensitive vegetation, pets, and unprotected outdoor plumbing, especially in areas unaccustomed to prolonged freezing temperatures.
Inland areas of Rapides, Vernon, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Allen, and Evangeline parishes, as well as Hardin, Tyler, Jasper, Newton, Jefferson, and Orange counties in Texas, are expected to see the coldest conditions, with temperatures remaining below freezing for several hours overnight.
Residents are urged to dress warmly, wearing hats, gloves, and layered clothing if outdoors. Officials recommend bringing pets indoors, protecting tender plants, and wrapping or allowing outdoor pipes to drip to prevent freezing and potential damage.
Travelers should also use caution during early morning hours, as freezing temperatures could lead to patchy frost on bridges and elevated roadways.
Temperatures are expected to gradually improve late Sunday morning, but officials stress that the overnight period poses the greatest risk and precautions should be taken now.
