Chilly Black Friday shopping conditions will turn downright cold by Saturday morning as temperatures fall near the freezing mark for the first time this season. A freeze watch has already been issued for the capital region; This weekend, make sure you protect the 3 Ps from the cold: people, pets and plants.

Today and tonight: With the Thanksgiving cold front now off the coast of Louisiana, a few isolated showers will follow the system early this morning, primarily in coastal communities. Any shower activity will cease by mid-morning as the much drier and cooler air behind the front continues to flow into the Capital Region. For early Black Friday shoppers, conditions will be about 20 degrees cooler than Thursday morning, reaching into the upper 40s with partly cloudy skies. The sun will dominate through the afternoon, but temperatures will be unlikely to rise above 60 degrees today. A north wind between 5 and 15 mph Friday may also make conditions feel even cooler.

Tonight, many continue with holiday celebrations or go to high school football playoff games; bundle! Temperatures quickly drop to over 40°C at 7pm and continue to drop to 30°C as the night progresses. Overnight, areas along and north of the I-10/12 corridor could potentially see the freezing mark for the first time this season. A Freeze clock was issued for east and west Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee, east and west Feliciana, St. Helena, portions of Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes, and all of southwest Mississippi for Friday evening and Saturday morning. A frost could damage or kill sensitive crops or residential plants. Those keeping watch should move or cover their plants before the weekend and make sure pets are kept in a warm place too.

Next: While weekend afternoons will be mild with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the low to mid 60s, mornings and evenings will be cold. It is likely that another frost watch or warning will be issued for Saturday night/Sunday morning as temperatures will once again drop to the mid 30s. The cold mornings and chilly afternoons will continue into the next work week, but there are signs of a warm-up by Wednesday.

LSU & Bayou Classic: Tailgaters in Baton Rouge and New Orleans will need to add extra layers to their game day attire this weekend. While conditions in New Orleans may be a few degrees warmer for the Bayou Classic due to the warming influence of Lake Pontchartrain, it will still be cool enough to put on extra layers. LSU fans can expect a kickoff temperature of below 50 degrees at Tiger Stadium on Saturday night. Temperatures will drop to as low as 40°C during the game. Check out the latest LSU Kickoff Weather Index to see how the Tigers typically play in these conditions.

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The Tropics: No tropical development is expected in the Atlantic basin for the next seven days.

-Emma Kate C.

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