Terrebonne and Lafourche are in for a hard freeze tonight, as well as a chilly weekend.

Temperatures for northern Lafourche and Terrebonne are expected to drop into the low 20s tonight, with the coastal regions of the parishes dropping to the upper 20s, according to forecasts by the National Weather Service. This is because northern Arctic winds are blowing into the area, Meteorologist Danielle Manning said. The winds will shift after the freeze, allowing the areas to shake off the chill, but by Friday evening, they are expected to return.

“The good news with the later week system is that we don’t have any wintry precipitation with it,” she said. “Any sort of rain should happen when it’s well above freezing.”

The weekend temperatures are expected to be below freezing, 25 to 26 degrees, with the possibility of another hard freeze Friday night into Saturday morning.

Lafourche Parish Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness Chris Boudreaux said the parish has put down sand on the bridges and recently reopened bridges in the Gheens area, deeming them once again safe for use. Neither parish expects to close bridges tonight.

Boudreaux said residents should keep their pipes covered for tonight’s freeze and keep indoor faucets with a trickle of water to avoid pipes freezing.

“Tonight’s going to be the coldest night,” he said of the temperature. “Maybe not as much wind, but tonight will be colder than last night.”

According to Louisiana State Police Public Information Officer Ross Brennan, bridge closures tonight in Terrebonne and Lafourche are not expected because there is no sign of rainfall. He said up-to-date announcements on closures can be seen either on www511la.org, or the Louisiana State Police’s Twitter or Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Terrebonne and Lafourche to freeze, officials urge caution