Thursday a strong cold front is expected to swing through the Gulf Coast pulling down cold, Canadian air into Acadiana.
We will likely see our coldest temperatures of the season Friday morning and the cool air will continue several days into early next week.
Northern portions of Acadiana could experience morning lows in the upper 30s this weekend with afternoon highs only topping out in the upper 50s to lower 60s.
With these chilly temperatures many people might need to turn on their heater for the first time this year.
Public Information Officer with the Lafayette Fire Department Alton Trahan says, "Make sure that you run (your heater), if you start to smell something burning it's only the lint that is burning off the heating coils so don't be to concerned, however if you start to see smoke coming out of the vents call 911 immediately."
For those that don't have a central heating systems, space heaters are fine but give them 3 feet of room from the wall or other objects and plug the space heater directly into the outlet.
Trahan also recommends, "If you have any frayed cords on (your space heater to) throw those away and purchase a new one."
Other tips include not overloading wall outlets and to limit the use of extension cords, especially the cheaper cords, as those are more likely to cause fires.
For those with fireplaces you should have them inspected or cleaned to make sure they are not clogged before using them again this fall. Remember to put out fires before going to sleep and to discharge any hot ashes outside and away from anything that can catch fire.
Lastly, now is a great time to check your smoke alarms to ensure the batteries are good and they are working properly.
