Lake Charles, Louisiana – A sharp winter cold snap will grip southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas late Sunday into early Monday, bringing unusually cold wind chills and a heightened risk of frostbite and hypothermia across the region.
The most dangerous conditions arrive Sunday evening, when brisk north winds combine with falling temperatures to drive wind chills into the mid-teens. Some inland locations could briefly feel even colder before daybreak Monday. The Cold Weather Advisory covers much of central and southwest Louisiana, including Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry, Vermilion, Iberia, and Rapides parishes, as well as Orange, Jefferson, and Jasper counties in southeast Texas.
According to the National Weather Service office in Lake Charles, the advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. Sunday through 10 a.m. Monday. Wind chills as low as 16 degrees are expected across most of the area, with Lower St. Martin Parish seeing chills closer to the lower 20s. Cities impacted include Lake Charles, Sulphur, Westlake, Lafayette, Alexandria, Opelousas, Crowley, Beaumont, Orange, and Port Arthur.
Travelers along I-10, I-49, and Highways 90 and 171 should be prepared for biting cold, especially during early morning hours. According to emergency management officials, residents should wear layered clothing, hats, and gloves, and limit time outdoors late Sunday night and Monday morning. Even brief exposure without protection could lead to frostbite.
This level of cold is uncommon for the region and may stress pets, people, and pipes. Pets should be brought indoors, and outdoor plumbing should be protected before Sunday evening. Residents relying on space heaters should use them safely and avoid extension cords.
Temperatures rebound later Monday afternoon, but another cold night is possible midweek as winter settles firmly into the Gulf Coast region.
