Louisiana Weekly Climate Summary - January 21 – January 27, 2026

By Jay Grymes

Louisiana State Climatologist

 A major ice and sleet storm on 24-25 Jan 2026 crippled much of the northern half of the state and brought I-20 to a standstill in places. For a number of parishes, freezing rain and sleet accumulations were as substantial as those which occurred in 2021 and 1973 according to locals. 

At least nine deaths were attributed directly or indirectly to the bitter cold. Preliminary estimates indicate that roughly 150,000 Louisiana customers lost power due to the excessive icing, with several parishes reporting near-total ‘blackouts.’