With snow approaching Central and South Louisiana and brutal cold gripping the whole state, Governor Landry has issued a state of emergency. With temperatures expected to drop into the teens overnight, Landry is encouraging local governments to open warming shelters…

Cut 5 (14) “…safe as well.”

Central and South Louisiana could see snowfall not seen since the 1960s. LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim says these are not flurries that those areas could expect.

Cut 10 (16) “…in this particular case.”

Keim says the snow will stick around after the snowfall ends tomorrow night

Needless to say, while not unprecedented, snow and ice are not things that Louisiana is accustomed to. Rodney Mallett with DOTD says crews spent the weekend preparing for the storm, and those preparations continued throughout much of the day today.

Cut 7 (14) “…to ice over.”

Louisiana State Police Trooper Shelby Mayfield says when the snow starts falling, if you do not have to be out on the roadways, stay off them.

Cut 13 (14)  “…have to be.”

Mayfield says if you absolutely have to be on the roadways, use extreme caution.