The well advertised freeze is on schedule with NWS issuing a Hard Freeze Warning for the North Shore and west of Lake P. with a light freeze south. As mentioned in my previous blog, I look to Texas to see what our cold might be like the next day. Last night San Antonio did dip below freezing and I have no trouble accepting the freeze warnings out here for tonight.
Numerical guidance is calling for 22 tomorrow for ASD (Slidell) and 31 for MSY (Kenner)
For us to get that cold USUALLY depends on several factors lining up. Skies must be clear and winds very light making the "Lake Effect" less pronounced. Also, there needs to be a snow cover nearby. Satellite pics do show snow cover all the way down into northern Tennessee. You know it's snow on the ground when you can see the outline of various rivers.
The final factor is how dry is the air as dry air allows for rapid cooling once the sun sets. Dew points in the teens back in Texas and North Louisiana are spreading our way and that's why 22-25 looks reasonable for the North Shore and 28-33 south of Lake P. The plants I want to save are in my back shed. One thing I did do yesterday was to make sure all plants (even in ground) were well watered. With strong winds. some plants will quickly become de-hydrated. You still have a couple of hours to go if you did not prepare your yard for the freeze.
The core of the core is to our north and east, however, this is a large Arctic air mass and it will only slowly warm up. We will stay in the 50s through Friday at best!
Computer models are hinting at some kind of Gulf Low on Thursday producing a cold rain off/on. I don't see temperatures getting back above 70 for the next 5-7 days. Frankly, if you are dressed for it, it actually feels pretty good. Stay tuned!
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