Storm Station meteorologists said areas near and north of I-12, especially Pointe Coupee and East and West Feliciana parishes, face the risk of ice accumulation as temperatures plummet.

The harsh winter weather has raised travel and safety concerns throughout the region.  

Schools and government offices shut down ahead of the cold snap, while road workers prepped salt and brine in an effort to keep highways open and passable. The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, Glynn Ledet, said the state has 200,000 gallons of brine and 10 million pounds of salt. 

"[Crews are treating] all elevated roadways and the overpass structures that are going to get hit the hardest," Ledet said. "They are also going along the major roadways to actually trim trees where we will have the biggest ice impacts."

President Donald Trump approved state of emergency declarations for several states on Saturday, including Louisiana, to aid local government efforts in providing emergency services during the storm.

According to reports, over 100,000 people across Louisiana are experiencing power outages due to the storm, including over 38,000 residents in Ouachita Parish. 

As two men in Caddo Parish have already died from hypothermia, local leaders urge residents without reliable heat to seek shelter and take precautions against the dangerously cold conditions. 

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library has opened several branches as designated warming centres and plans to keep the main branch on Goodwood Boulevard open during the storm.

"The main library does have a generator, and in the event of a closure, we will be open here to act as a warming station," Brandon Reilly with the East Baton Rouge Parish Library said.

Other shelters open to the public include the Salvation Army and Saint Vincent de Paul. 

The American Red Cross reported a surge in home fires across the state as temperatures began to drop in January, with 105 home fires recorded within the last three weeks.  

"The numbers we are seeing across Louisiana right now are a sobering reminder of how quickly a cold night can turn tragic," Capital Area West Executive Director Micah Nicholas said. "A few moments spent checking a space heater or testing a smoke alarm can be the difference during this winter storm."

The Louisiana State Police also issued a warning for drivers travelling in the hazardous weather conditions on Saturday, urging drivers to avoid unnecessary travel as conditions worsen. One vehicle crashed into the water on South Tiger Bend Road on Saturday night due to hazardous road conditions.

Almost 12,000 flights across the country were cancelled as the storm began travelling over the weekend, with the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport cancelling 16 flights on Saturday, including flights from American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines. 

Click here to see a list of shelters in the area.

Click here to see which capital-area school districts and universities have announced closures.

Click here to see a list of current roadway closures.

Learn about more closures here.

Learn more about this weekend's winter weather from the WBRZ Storm Station here.