Update: 8pm Tuesday
A Hard Freeze Warning remains in effect tonight through 11 AM Wednesday for the entire Four State Region. Look for overnight lows to bottom out to near 7 degrees above to near 15 degrees above.
Updated Closures/Delays for Wednesday, Jan 17
42nd Judicial District Court will resume proceedings at 1pm. All persons scheduled to attend Court should be present at 1pm.
DeSoto Tax Assessors Office closed
DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office closed (office staff in Mansfield, Stonewall & Logansport). Patrol, Dispatch & Detention Center will remain open.
DeSoto Regional cafeteria will remain closed. Outpatient services & clinics will open at noon.
Mansfield City Hall closed. Crews on standby to handle emergencies. Garbage pickup will resume on Thursday. For emergencies call dispatch at 318.872.0520.
DeSoto Parish Police Jury Office including Mundy Landfill & all compactor sites are closed.
DeSoto Parish Extension office closed
Update: 3:30pm Tuesday
Hwy 84 in Logansport is OPEN
DeSoto Parish Schools closed Wednesday, Jan 17
Central Christian Academy closed Wednesday, Jan 17
Update: 11:30am Tuesday
Hwy 84 in front of Logansport Truck Stop is currently shut down in both lanes due to an accident involving an 18-wheeler. Conditions are very icy and not safe for travel. Work crews are attempting to clear the roadway as quickly as possible.
Update: 8am Tuesday
Bitterly cold temperatures will continue today and tonight. With overnight lows once again falling into the single-digits to middle teens, a Hard Freeze Warning has been extended until 11am Wednesday. Today, temperatures will likely remain below freezing in most locations.
A Hard Freeze Warning continues until 11am Wednesday. Overnight low temperatures will range from the single digits in SE OK and SW AR to the lower to middle teens elsewhere. These temps will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation, and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
A Wind Chill Advisory continues through noon today. Bitterly cold wind chills ranging as low as -9 degrees north of I-30 will be possible. Below zero wind chills are still possible south of I-20. Hypothermia or frostbite is likely with prolonged exposure.
All roads in the area remain open at this time. Use extreme caution if you must travel.
Weather Update: 7pm
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT:
While the winter precipitation begins to wind down tonight across the Four State Region, bitterly cold temperatures and dangerous wind chill temperatures will be felt areawide overnight. Look for low temperatures tonight in the single digits near and north of the I-30 Corridor of Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma and Southwest Arkansas, with low temperatures ranging from near 10 degrees to the middle teens across the remainder of Northeast Texas, Northern Louisiana and South Central Arkansas. Combine these temperatures with strong northerly winds near 10 to 15 mph with higher gusts and wind chill values will fall to near 5 degrees below zero across portions of Southeast Oklahoma and Southwest Arkansas to near zero to the lower single digits further south near the I-20 Corridor of Northeast Texas and Northern Louisiana and points south of the corridor tonight. Temperatures across much of the Four State Region may not climb above freezing until midday Wednesday. This means that much of the ice and snow covered road surfaces will remain covered through at least the first half of Wednesday. Hazardous driving conditions will continue through at least Wednesday Morning across much of the region as a result. If melting is observed across portions of the region on Tuesday, then that melt on road surfaces will rapidly refreeze after sunset Tuesday evening, resulting in black ice conditions on area road surfaces that will impact travel Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. Road surfaces will not improve until temperatures can remain above freezing long enough to evaporate wet road surfaces, hopefully sometime later in the day Wednesday.
Update: 2pm
Closures:
DeSoto Regional Health closed Tuesday, Jan 16
The ER & Inpatient unit will remain open. Cafeteria & all clinics closed.
Mansfield City Hall closed Tuesday, Jan 16
42nd Judicial District Court closed Tuesday, Jan 16
DeSoto District Attorney’s Office closed Tuesday, Jan 16
DeSoto Tax Assessor’s Office closed Tuesday, Jan 16
DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Offices in Mansfield, Stonewall & Logansport closed Tuesday, Jan 16
Dispatch, Corrections & Patrol will remain on duty and available for emergencies
Update: 12:30pm
All Desoto Parish Schools closed Tuesday, Jan 16
Update: 10am Monday
Weather update:
A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 6pm this afternoon. A mix of wintry precipitation continues across the area but should start coming to an end from northwest to southeast around midday and finally ending completely late this afternoon.
A Hard Freeze Warning is in effect from 6pm tonight through noon Tuesday. Overnight low temperatures will range from the single-digits north of I-30 to the mid teens south of I-30. Make sure to protect sensitive vegetation and outdoor plumbing.
A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect from 6pm tonight through noon Tuesday. Bitterly cold wind chills ranging as low as -9 degrees north of I-30 will be possible. Below zero wind chills are still possible south of I-20. Hypothermia or frostbite is likely with prolonged exposure.
Closures: (as of 8pm Sunday)
Central Christian Academy closed Monday, Jan 15
All DeSoto parish Police Jury operations including Mundy Landfill and all compactor sites will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
All locations of DeSoto Parish Library closed Tuesday, Jan 16
All CHRISTUS Health North Louisiana clinics will be closed Monday, Jan. 15. All hospitals remain open.
DeSoto Parish Schools will make a decision on school closures by early afternoon on Monday, Jan 15.
The weather warnings for our parish have been updated to a Winter Storm Warning by the National Weather Service. Every person in Red River Parish should be preparing for extended freezing temperatures and a mixture of wintry precipitation.
Winter weather has begun its trek across much of the area. Expect conditions to get progressively worse throughout the night through Monday evening. A wintery mix of sleet/freezing rain/ice and possibly snow will begin later this afternoon until 6pm tomorrow. Accumulation of ice up to a quarter inch is expected on bridges and roadways. If at all possible, stay home.
Tuesday morning will bring the coldest temperatures and wind chill into the single digits. Extreme caution should be taken when out in these elements.
Wednesday morning will bring more cold temperatures but the area should warm above freezing by afternoon.
Prepare now for this weather event. Check your water pipes, wrap them now. Open cabinet doors under sinks. Drip your faucets slowly. Know how to shut off the main water supply to your home if needed. Take care of outside pets/animals. If they cannot be brought inside, provide some type of shelter and heat source for them.
The National Weather Service will release Wind Chill Advisories and Hard Freeze Warnings once the criteria is met. Both are expected to be released later tonight for the area.