The below normal temperatures are about to leave the Bayou state. Jeff Palermo spoke with state climatologist Barry Keim.
Cut 1 (31) “I’m Jeff Palermo.”
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There are more than 50 boil water advisories posted throughout the state. Michelle Southern finds how why this happens…:
Cut 2 (29) “I’m Michelle Southern.”
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The freezing grip from the polar vortex is about to loosen in Louisiana. Forecasters say we have one more night of below freezing temperatures statewide and then a warm front begins to move in which will swing temperatures the other way. State climatologist Barry Keim says this weekend will feel like paradise after nearly a month of below normal temperatures…
Cut 3 (06) “near 70.”
Keim says we haven’t seen haven’t such frigid temperatures in the last 20 years. He says the bigger weather story is the winter precipitation in the span of six weeks…
Cut 4 (09) “coastal zone.”
Keim says there’s one more day of extreme cold to go through before the temperatures start stabilizing, which will help defrost interstates and roads…
Cut 5 (11) “was yesterday.”
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Water pressure has become a concern across Louisiana in the wake of the recent arctic blast, which has prompted some parishes to issue boil water advisories. So why does this happen? Louisiana Department of Health Chief Engineer Amanda Laughlin (Loff-Lin) says when a hard freeze event takes place, pipes burst and there are an extremely high number of line breaks:
Cut 6 (12) “contamination event”
Laughlin says there are nearly 50 boil advisories posted in the state right now, and that number is expected to go up. She says if your house is under a boil water advisory, it’s important to follow the order because when pressure is low, bacteria could potentially enter the distribution system:
Cut 7 (07) “things in”
Laughlin says the advisories are only a precaution in case something has entered the system that could potentially make you sick. She says it’s still okay to shower and bathe in the water, but any water you ingest should first be boiled…:
Cut 8 (10) “all of them do”
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An off-duty Alexandria police officer was killed in an accident in Grant Parish Wednesday. 53-year-old Sgt. Travis Lowe of Deville was southbound on Highway 167, when he lost control of his pickup truck and collided with a large tree. Master State Police Trooper Scott Moreau says the frigid weather didn’t play a factor…
Cut 9 (09) “the crash.”
Moreau says they are puzzled as to why a police officer, who is concerned about safe driving, wouldn’t have his seat belt on when he was behind the wheel…
Cut 10 (08) “seat belt.”
Routine toxicology tests are pending and the crash remains under investigation.
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Residents in Louisiana were asked by their utility companies to conserve power for a time period Thursday morning as energy demand was getting close to being more than what the power grids could handle. Entergy spokeswoman Sheila Pounders says the Midcontinent Independent System Operator made the request since they manage supply and demand on the grid..:
Cut 11 (12) “weather”
Pounders says typically there is a huge spike in power usage about 8am every morning when people are getting to work, so they simply asked folks to refrain for a couple of hours. She says it is extremely unusual for demand to be greater than supply, but if electricity had exceeded available generation, MISO would ask utilities to reduce power…:
Cut 12 (08) “without any events”
Pounders says MISO doesn’t foresee any future demand that would exceed the supply over the next several days as temperatures rise…:
Cut 13 (11) “like this”
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Crowley Police says neighbors found a man frozen to death outside his home Wednesday morning. After paramedics arrived, the body of the 56-year-old man was sent for an autopsy. Police Chief Jimmy Broussard says the death remains suspicious until the report is completed by the coroner…
Cut 14 (06) “weather related.”
Broussard says they are interviewing neighbors to try to determine why he was outside and if there were health issues related to his death…
Cut 15 (07) “contributing factor.”
The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of the victim’s family.