Cold/Wind Chill in Upper St. Bernard, Louisiana

An arctic airmass overspread much of SE Louisiana bringing the longest extended period of cold weather since 1989. A 77 year old woman died from hypothermia in Metairie, Jefferson Parish on the 4th. She slipped and fell at a construction site at the rear of a hospital, was unable to get assistance, and died of exposure to cold weather. Many schools were closed and considerable property damage resulted from broken pipes due to the extended period of subfreezing temperatures. Several house fires were started by malfunctioning heaters. The cost of the damage to the sugar cane crop was estimated at $20,000,000 by a representative of the American Sugar Cane League. Several daily record minimum temperatures were set on Monday the 5th. The 16 degree reading at Moisant International Airport also established a record minimum temperature for the month. The temperature at the Baton Rouge Airport remained below freezing for 68 consecutive hours.