Snow falls in the French Quarter of New Orleans, La., on Tuesday. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
A rare, historic snowfall blanketed parts of the southern US on Tuesday, allowing residents to play in the unusual weather. Families went snow tubing in Houston. People make snowballs and snow angels. People were seen ice skating on Bourbon Street.
The storm gave New Orleans, La., its first measurable snowfall for the first time in 15 years. In nearby Kenner, 4 inches of snow was reported. The last time the area received any measurable snow was 2009 and it was a tenth of an inch thick, while the city’s record snowfall was 2.7 inches in 1963, Axios reports.
New Orleans, a city known for its heat and humidity, could get four to seven inches of snow as the National Weather Service issued its first-ever tropical storm warning for parts of southern Louisiana.
Trusted and exciting news every day, right in your inbox
See for yourself — Yodel is your go-to source for daily news, entertainment and exciting news.
This comes as much of the US is dealing with seasonally cold temperatures, as nearly 220 million residents in all 40 states face freezing temperatures and dangerously cold winds from arctic air that has settled over much of the country.
Some areas in the South are facing heavy snow, including Houston, Texas, which saw more than 4 inches of snow Monday night into Tuesday morning. Parts of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle are under winter storm warnings.
Meanwhile, many schools across Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana will be closed on Wednesday. FlightAware reported that at least 95% of Tuesday’s flights from Houston airports were canceled and 89% of New Orleans International flights were canceled.
Officials in New Orleans urged residents to stay home and avoid driving as the snow continued to fall. The city itself does not have snowplows but does get help from the Louisiana Department of Transportation to clear the roads of salt and any snow.
In a press conference on Monday, Gov. Jeff Landy warned that if other places like New Orleans get above “that critical threshold of 4 inches” of snow, “it will shut down the country for at least a day or two.”
Sous chef Eric Walker participates in a snowball fight outside Bourbon House Restaurant in the French Quarter in New Orleans. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
People play in the snow in downtown Houston, Texas, on Tuesday. (Ashley Landis/AP)
Dogs, dressed in winter clothes, are shown in New Orleans. (Gerald Herbert/AP)
A person walks on snow covered Houston. (Ashley Landis/AP)
People slide with laundry baskets along the hills of Eleanor Tinsley Park in Houston. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
People clambered over storage bins, river tubes and other items found in Houston on Tuesday. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
Houston. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
A man takes a picture of the Mississippi River during a heavy snowfall in New Orleans. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
A car skids down the nearly deserted Interstate 45 highway in Houston. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
Snow covers Mardi Gras decorations in New Orleans. (Jack Brook/AP)
A statue of Pete Fountain is covered in snow inside the New Orleans Musical Legends Park on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
Source link
