BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a State of Emergency Saturday afternoon because of the incoming arctic blast. 

The State of Emergency allows for direct state assistance, if needed, at the parish level.

“Keeping Louisianans safe is our top priority. I am declaring a state of emergency for the incoming winter storm currently forecasted to impact Louisiana, and I’m encouraging everyone to stay alert, monitor the weather forecast, and prepare now for any potential impacts,” Governor Landry said.