John Guidroz

The cold snap in Southwest Louisiana is expected to continue into next week, forecasters said Friday. Temperatures are likely to drop into the teens Monday night into Tuesday, with freezing rain, sleet and snow all possible.

Alex Donato, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, said temperatures today and Sunday are expected to be around the 30s and 40s. Areas south of Interstate 10 could see rain, with freezing rain possible north of the interstate, he said.

By Monday, temperatures are expected to drop into the low 20s. They will continue to drop Monday night into Tuesday morning, with forecasted lows in the low 20s and upper teens, Donato said. Below freezing temperatures could remain in the Lake Area for at least eight hours or longer, he said.

Donato said there is a possibility of freezing rain Monday into Tuesday, which may transition into sleet and snow.

“That’s where there is still quite a bit of uncertainty in the forecast,” he said.

Wind gusts of 20 miles per hour are expected, making for colder outdoor conditions, Donato said.

 

A cold air mass moving its way south from Canada is the cause for the cold snap in Southwest Louisiana, Donato said.

Below-average temperatures are expected to remain in Southwest Louisiana into late next week, Donato said.Winter forecast

National Weather Service Lake Charles