Updated Jan 22, 2025 - News
In photos: Historic snowstorm freezes New Orleans
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Snow has been steadily falling in south Louisiana, coating New Orleans metro and bringing the region to a standstill.
Why it matters: This winter storm set a record for the amount of snow it drops.
The big picture: 10 inches fell throughout New Orleans as of 8pm Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Slidell said.
- A new record was set at the National Weather Service's official observation station at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, where 8 inches fell. The previous record of 2.7 inches was set in 1963. See more totals.
- New Orleans is under a winter storm warning until midnight Tuesday.
- Leaders are asking everyone to shelter at home and stay off the roads until the ice melts, which is forecast to be sometime Thursday. Go deeper.
Zoom in: New Orleans is making the most of it. There was skiing on Bourbon Street, cookie sheet sledding in Algiers, a snowball fight with nuns in Metairie, ice skating on Canal Street and whatever this is in Lakeview.
- Watch the Bourbon Street livestream from EarthCam.
Stunning stat: The National Weather Service issued its first-ever blizzard warning Tuesday in Louisiana for Acadiana and the Lake Charles area.
- A "blizzard" requires sustained gusts of 35mph plus low visibility for at least three hours due to falling/blowing snow.
The last time New Orleans got measurable snow was in 2009 and it was a mere one-tenth of an inch, the National Weather Service says.
- Ten inches fell in Orleans Parish on Feb. 14, 1895, NOAA says, but NWS says the record is unreliable.
Here are some of the snowy scenes we're seeing so far. Send your photos to [email protected] and we may publish them.
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Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional images and details.