The polar vortex struck again last week, with temperatures dipping well below freezing and icy conditions paralyzing Baton Rouge activities. Governor Jindal declared a state of emergency last Monday due the hazardous driving conditions and the bitter cold caused by the inclement weather.
Hundreds of schools across the state were closed on Friday the 24^th and the following Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. State agencies were closed in 45 parishes across Louisiana as a result of the wintry storms. Parish offices resumed operations on Thursday, though many schools throughout the state remained closed until Friday.
The cold did more than just close roads and offices, however. Governor Jindal reported that the State Police responded 744 traffic incidents on Friday the 24^th, the first day of the cold snap. Only 168 events were reported on the 17^th, just one week earlier. The cold also caused scattered power-outages across the state, with widespread outages in Plaquemines Parish. The Advocate reported an estimated and economic loss of around $40 million suffered by government and businesses alike.
In order to compensate for the days lost to the cold, LSU plans to schedule three Saturday classes to avoid having to cut into Spring Break or the Mardi Gras holidays.