Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued a “state of emergency” order Saturday ahead of a nasty winter storm that's expected to hit Louisiana this week. Landry’s declaration unlocks direct state assistance to support operational measures at the parish level.

The winter storm next week is expected to dump up to 8 inches of snow in some areas and create hazardous road conditions in New Orleans, the northshore, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, with freezing temps for days.

Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency Saturday in preparation for the winter weather expected to hit Louisiana early next week, when snow is expected to accumulate in some areas. The National Weather Service has issued extreme cold warnings for the state in effect from Monday through Thursday.