Nicondra: Major cold front takes over tonight

NEW ORLEANS, La. (WVUE) - A strong cold front is pushing its way across the United States with some areas seeing a 50 degree temperature drop in 24 hours. The front will push through southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast during the overnight hours Monday into Tuesday morning. Showers increase ahead of the cold air with a dramatic uptick in wind sustained at 20 to 30 miles per hour and gusts up to 40 to 45 mph. Temperatures will fall into the 40s south and upper 30s north by morning.

During the day cold air continues to rush in behind the front. There could be a very brief switch to sleet at the back of the rain, but with the warm ground, wind and dry air moving in quickly icing will not be an issue. Rain will clear up, but temperatures will hold in the low to mid 40s through the day. The wind slacks off late Tuesday and temperatures will fall below freezing. A freeze warning is in effect for the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Parishes north of Lake Pontchartrain, the River Parishes and northern Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes.

Lows on Wednesday morning will reach hard freeze criteria north of Lake Pontchartrain with temperatures dipping into the mid-20s. That triggers the need to make sure your home is properly winterized to prevent burst pipes. The metro area is not included in the freeze warning and may stay a degree or two above 32, but it will get close enough that precautions should be followed for pets and plants.

The extreme cold will move on fairly quickly with only one night of major freezing temperatures, but it will stay cold through the week with only a gradual warm up. Temperatures will remain below long term averages into the start of next week.

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