By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — At approximately 9 a.m. this morning, the last band of wintry mix passed through Lincoln Parish and left residents to a thick layer of winter wonderland all over the area.
Now, the threat has moved from accumulation to potentially dangerous low temperatures in the area, which are forecast to be below freezing until (hopefully) sometime on Tuesday, meaning road conditions will remain dangerous as any accumulation will refreeze over night.
“We’re going to be staying in the sub-freezing temperatures for the next few days that are not going to allow this stuff to melt off very much,” Lincoln Parish Homeland Security Director Kip Franklin said. “We’re having a lot of the calls for law enforcement and fire departments, and obstacles such as trees down in the road are slowing down those response times. Public works and power crews — they are out as they are able to be.”
Franklin added that power outages in Lincoln Parish have been sporadic compared to neighboring parishes due in large part to the primary mode of precipitation in the area being sleet as opposed to freezing rain.
An estimated 2,000 Ruston residents were without power in the last day, and a vast majority of service has been restored at this point.
“As of now, it’s not been as bad as it could have been,” Franklin said in regards to potential power loss.
Now, concern turns to temperatures that are looking to plummet over the next 36 hours.
“(Monday), we’re going to see the coldest temps of all,” Franklin said. “Everyone needs to make sure pipes are wrapped — things like that need to be taken care of right now as soon as possible. The biggest thing right now is that everyone needs to stay home and ride this out. It’s one of those things we have to deal with every three or four years or so.”
Franklin also said that there is the possibility for snow flurries later tonight, although it is not expected to be enough to amount to any further issues.
The parish had also opened a warming station at the Civic Center yesterday that is now closed as of 11 a.m. Sunday morning.
