Areas of Southwest Louisiana broke all-time record lows overnight Tuesday that dated back to the late 1800s. “It was quite the historic event for us,” said National Weather Service Lake Charles Storm Warning Meteorologist Doug Cramer.

In the last of a series of calls held by the office to help local officials make decisions on closures and emergency operations, Cramer pointed to some data showing “quite the historic event” in terms of weather.

By Thursday, highs should warm a little more. Another weaker cold front will arrive Thursday night, so low temperatures still should fall below freezing, especially where there is still more snow on the ground. By Friday, temperatures may return to the 50’s for highs.

A "Freeze Warning" is in effect across southern Arkansas, northern Louisiana, Oklahoma and eastern Texas, as well as in small parts of Arizona, California and Florida, with temperatures falling as low as 27, and wind chills expected to feel as cold as low as 13 in some areas.

Southwest Louisiana spent Tuesday morning experiencing — likely for the first time ever — blizzard-like conditions with 35 mph wind gusts, a limited quarter-mile of visibility and up to 6 inches of snowfall recorded.

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles, LA, issued a blizzard warning about 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, January 21, 2025 for Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. It is the first blizzard warning ever issued by the Lake Charles weather service office.

For those in need of shelter, two area churches are opening warming centers as long as the life-threatening conditions last. Water’s Edge Gathering Church in Lake Charles and the Sulphur Christian Community Coalition will open their doors Sunday night with assistance from the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury.

A photographer captured mesmerising footage of the US flag blowing in the wind in a snowy Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Tuesday, January 21, as a winter storm lashed the area. Video by Chad Casey shows the US flag standing prominently amid frosty conditions at Veterans Memorial Park.

Though NWS forecasters are still collecting official snowfall counts, these reports give a good look at just how much snow Louisiana saw.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - The Calcasieu Parish Executive Policy Group held a briefing for the public regarding preparations for the upcoming winter weather.

Lake Charles' lowest temperature on record is 3 degrees on Feb. 12, 1899. Records go back to 1895. We can thank clear skies, light wind and the snow for the frigid temperatures overnight.