Louisiana Froze! Are the Crawfish Okay?

If you’ve lived in Louisiana long enough, you know we get our fair share of weather whiplash. One day it’s 75 and sunny, the next day it’s sleet and hard freezes. That kind of quick swing can raise a lot of questions—especially for folks wondering how it affects the crawfish season.

So here’s the big one: What happens to crawfish when a sudden freeze hits?

Short Answer: Not Much.

Crawfish are tougher than people give them credit for. They're cold-blooded, sure, but they're also survivors. They’ve been doing this for millions of years—long before we ever threw 'em in a pot with seasoning and corn.

How Crawfish Handle Cold Snaps
The key to understanding crawfish survival lies in the water—and how slowly it changes temperature. When the air temperature drops quickly, the water in ponds, ditches, and rice fields where crawfish live takes much longer to cool down. This gives crawfish time to do what they do best: burrow.

Crawfish naturally dig tunnels to regulate their environment. In colder months, they’ll retreat into these burrows where temperatures stay more stable. If they need to hunker down, they can do so well before the water turns dangerously cold. These mud tunnels act like little storm shelters, keeping them safe during short freezes.

Why a Few Frozen Days Don’t Wreck the Season
A brief hard freeze—two, three, even four days—usually isn’t a big deal for the crawfish population. Unlike fish kills you see during long, drawn-out freezes in shallow lakes, crawfish have the ability to go deep and wait it out.

It’s extended freezes that can cause trouble, especially if water temperatures dip below 40°F for long stretches. That’s rare in most of Louisiana. A cold snap in early January or even late December may slow down activity temporarily, but it won’t wipe out the season.

The Big Picture: Louisiana Weather Is Built In
Crawfish farming in Louisiana is built around unpredictability. Farmers know the drill. They’ve seen freezes come and go. Traps may stay empty for a few days while crawfish burrow and ride out the cold, but once it warms up, they emerge and get moving again.

So next time the forecast calls for a sudden freeze, don’t panic. Crawfish have seen worse.

Where to Get the Good Stuff
Once the sun comes back out and the water warms up, they’ll be back—and we’ll be shipping the freshest Louisiana crawfish straight to your door. Order here!