This Is Home Fest is returning for its fifth year, featuring a celebration of food, music and community. This year’s festival will take place April 26 at the Civic Center in Lake Charles, according to a news release.

The cold temperatures are coming from a not uncommon expansion in the Polar Vortex, which are counter-clockwise rotating air currents that typically hang over the Arctic.

Snow flurries are continuing to rain down in Louisiana as inches of snow pile up on the ground across the state, already exceeding some previous predictions for the maximum amounts

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette announced the campus will remain closed through the week because of snow, ice and extreme cold. The university will continue remote instructions but in-person classes won't resume until Monday, a spokesperson said in a release.

The Lafayette Parish School Board are holding meetings to hear the superintendent's "vision" for the system, as well as budget processes, at the Golden Nugget.

Landry said snow and ice will create treacherous travel conditions in regions where there are accumulations and plunging temperatures could create water pressure and delivery problems throughout the state.

According to DOTD, de-icing efforts are starting in the Lafayette and Lake Charles area. Crews will then work east as progress is made on the roads.

Interstate 10 reopened to westbound traffic from I-49 in Lafayette to the Texas border, the Department of Transportation and Development announced mid-afternoon Wednesday. The update comes after a historic winter storm brought several inches of snow to the gulf coast and shut down most of I-10 between Texas and Mississippi.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and state officials held a news briefing on Wednesday to update residents on the unprecedented weather event and its ongoing challenges.

For the first time in the history of the National Weather Service, a Blizzard Warning has been issued for Beaumont, Lake Charles and Lafayette.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said the state is facing potential record snowfall that could close Mississippi River bridges from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.