The National Weather Service Lake Charles office said there is “increasing confidence” that an arctic air mass will invade the region on Sunday, bringing sub-freezing air temperatures and dangerous wind chills beginning Monday morning.

Lead Meteorologist Joe Rua said it is “almost certain” everyone in Southwest Louisiana will see below-freezing air temperatures through Thursday.

As for snow, Rua said “there is still a lot of uncertainty as to how a Gulf low will develop, and how much lift and moisture it can push this way into the cold air.”

“Although probability for winter precipitation has increased for Monday night into Wednesday morning, it is still too early to know what, if any, impacts from the winter precipitation will be,” Rua said. “Therefore, it is still too early to say what or if any impacts from the winter precipitation will occur and for any accumulation details. From past experience, it may not be until 48 hours or less before the winter precipitation occurs that confidence in the forecast will grow.”

Lake Charles has a 30 percent chance of experiencing temperatures less than 25 degrees Monday night and a 65 percent chance of experiencing those same low temperatures on Tuesday. The potential wind chill could be 20 degrees on Monday and 16 degrees on Tuesday.

There is about a 20 percent chance of the region receiving freezing rain Monday night and into Wednesday evening.