Ice Storm — Bienville, Louisiana

1998-12-22 to 1998-12-24 · Bienville, Louisiana

Event narrative

A shallow dome of artic air spread across northern Louisiana while low pressure formed in the northern Gulf of Mexico pulling warm moist air northward over the top of the cold air. The result was widespread freezing rain, sleet and freezing drizzle. The ice accumulated mainly across exposed surfaces such as trees and powerlines as well as bridges and overpasses. Over a quarter million people were without power, some for over a week. I-20, I-220, and I-49 were shut down for a period. Numerous minor injuries were reported from vehicle accidents caused by slippery roads..

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5675792. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.