textproduct: New Orleans/Baton Rouge

KEY MESSAGES

Updated at 554 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

- Below normal temps expected through the remainder of the week.

- Another significant Arctic outbreak, stronger/colder than last weekend, with impacts expected late Friday through early Monday morning. No precipitation is expected, but the air mass will be very cold, with the primary threats being dangerously low temperatures and wind chills.

- Small Craft Advisory to possibly Gale force winds look to be on the horizon the entire weekend, starting as early as Friday night.

SHORT TERM

(This afternoon through Thursday) Issued at 1138 AM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

A fairly innocuous weather pattern for mid-week. We are at the base of an upper trough, but collecting some influence from a shallow, upstream ridge that is bringing slightly warmer air from the Pacific off of southern California. Mostly sunny skies and light winds are on tap through Friday. While it looks nice outside, temperatures will remain five to 10 degrees below normal (for this time of year we generally expect highs in the low 60s and low in the lower 40s).

LONG TERM

(Friday through Tuesday) Issued at 1138 AM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

As the upper pattern progresses, beginning Friday we start to come under the influence of an upper level ridge that brings northwesterly to northerly flow over us. This eventually carries arctic air over us and brings bitterly cold temperatures back to us. As noted in the key messages, we can expect overnight lows in the upper teens to low 20s and wind chills in the low teens with even isolated single digits possible. The lowest temperatures can be expected early Sunday morning. Fortunately, there is no precipitation associated with this system. By the end of the period we are still looking at lows in the upper 20s south to mid 30s north, although daytime highs do make it up to around 60.

AVIATION

(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1138 AM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

VFR conditions will persist through the forecast. Light winds will remain in place with the next impacts to terminals expected to be on Friday. /CAB/

MARINE

Issued at 554 PM CST Wed Jan 28 2026

Currently marine conditions are benign with northerly winds up to 10 kt and waves in the 1 to 2 foot range. System arriving Friday will drive strong winds over the weekend quite possibly into the range of Gale force and associated wave action in the 10 ft range.

LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

LA...Freeze Warning from midnight tonight to 8 AM CST Thursday for LAZ056>060-065.

GM...None. MS...None. GM...None.