Many students awoke Monday morning to find that their blankets were not enough to fend off the near-record cold temperatures.
Some grabbed hooded jackets from their closets as they dressed to keep warm in the chilly weather.
Clutching their sweaters tighter around them, students told The Daily Reveille they were “caught off-guard” by the sudden drop in temperature.
“I wish I wore a jacket today,” said Liana Mauro, an international studies senior who stood shivering from the cold. “I was walking around with a blanket on all morning.”
The temperature in Baton Rouge dropped to 45 degrees Sunday night, tying records from previous years.
Barry Kiem, state climatologist for Louisiana, told The Daily Reveille that last week’s warm weather was forced out by a cool air mass from Canada.
“A front came through Friday night and brought a persistent northerly airflow from Canada,” Kiem said. “There was even hail in certain isolated locations in the state.”
Kiem said the temperature would have to have fallen below 46 degrees in Baton Rouge on Monday to break the record set in 2001.
The actual low temperature Monday was 48.
Though it has been cooler than usual lately, Kiem said this spring has been nice overall.
“It’s been a delightful spring,” Kiem said. “It has been a little dry though. This type of weather is great for working in the garden, but not very good for the garden itself.”
Though Kiem said next week should be warmer, many students said they did not expect the weather to be so brisk Monday because it is almost May.
Paul Hebert, a psychology junior, said he needed two jackets to keep warm while he was riding his motorcycle Sunday night.
“I started out with just a t-shirt and jeans on,” Hebert said. “By the end of the night, I had two heat packs in my jacket pockets to keep my hands warm.”
Some lifetime Louisiana residents said they had never felt such cool weather this late in April.
“I am from Houma, and I was definitely caught off-guard,” said Christopher Ray, a mathematics freshman. “It was weird, when I walked out of my house, it was warmer than it was this afternoon.”
Meghan McQuaig, a business junior who wore a button-up shirt and jeans, said she had dressed for much warmer weather and was surprised at how cold it turned out to be.
“I dressed for warm weather, and it’s cold today,” McQuaig said. “It doesn’t help that it’s raining today, either.”