SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Wind Chill Watch and Hard Freeze Watch have been issued by the National Weather Service ahead of a strong cold front that will arrive Thursday. Temperatures will plummet Thursday afternoon with very cold weather through Christmas weekend. Wind chill temperatures Friday morning will be below zero in all areas.
Thursday to stay mostly cloudy and cool: We have another 24 hours before an Arctic cold front arrives, and today will be a quiet and cool weather day for all areas. It will begin near freezing, so there will be frost and ice on your windshield if your car is parked outside, so give yourself a few minutes to give the windshield a scape or defrost. It will remain mostly cloudy, no rain is expected, and highs will be in the low to mid-50s this afternoon. Wind will be light and out of the southeast at 5 to 10 miles per hour.
Cold front arrives Thursday morning with piercing wind and a polar chill: The cold front will begin to move into the northern ArkLaTex Thursday morning. Temperatures near and north of I-30 in northeast Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas will not reach 40 degrees before the front arrives. Wind-chill temperatures will drop below 20 degrees in these areas for much of the day.
For areas along and south of I-20, including Shreveport/Bossier, temperatures will warm into the low 50s before the front arrives in the afternoon, dropping our wind-chill temperatures below 20 degrees by the late afternoon and evening.
Forecast wind-chill temperatures by noon Thursday
Will we see accumulating snow? Not likely but it is possible we may see a few snow flurries. A narrow band of rainfall may briefly change into snow flurries, but we are not likely to see any accumulations on roads so travel impacts will be minimal.
Wind Chill Watch in effect for Thursday evening through Friday morning
Wind Chill Watch and Hard Freeze Watch in effect for Thursday night and Friday morning: Now let’s talk about the temperatures. Low temperatures will fall into the teens and single digits Thursday night into Friday morning.
Forecast low temperatures Thursday night into Friday morning
If you take temperatures between 8 and 14 degrees, and factor in a brisk northwest wind of 20 to 25 miles per hour you get wind-chill temperatures between -5 and -10 degrees. This is how will feel from midnight Thursday until 8 a.m. Friday morning. Make sure you cover up any exposed outdoor pipes, cover outdoor faucets, and turn off your sprinkler systems.
Wind-chill temperatures around sunrise Friday
Very cold temperatures Friday through Christmas Day: Friday will be a painful day if you are trying to do anything outside. High temperatures will be in the mid-20s, but the breeze will remain out of the north at 15 to 20 miles per hour for much of the day. Wind chill temperatures Friday afternoon will be between 10 and 15 degrees. This is how cold it will feel for the duration of the Independence Bowl in Shreveport. Layer up if you are headed to the game! Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy but no precipitation is expected Friday.
Independence Bowl forecast Friday in Shreveport
Staying cold for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: The wind will finally relax Friday evening into Saturday (Christmas Eve). Highs will be in the 30s Saturday, but with the light breeze, it will be easier to do things outside or run last-minute errands for Christmas.
Christmas morning will be in the 20s, with afternoon highs returning to the 40s.
We won’t have to wait long for ‘warmer’ air to return. Highs will be in the 50s next Monday and Tuesday, and will likely be back into the 60s by Wednesday.
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