New Orleans reopens roads after record snowfall

The big picture: Major thoroughfares in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish improved dramatically Thursday, as the sun melted the ice and temperatures climbed above freezing.

• Snowplows are also making progress throughout the city, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Homeland Security director Collin Arnold said in an afternoon media briefing.
• The plow contract was extended until Friday to focus on Interstates 10, 510 and 610, leaders say. See the map of the routes.
• I-10, including the Twin Spans and the Spillway, are expected to fully reopen Friday, DOTD spokesman Daniel Gitlin tells Axios.
• More roads and bridges will open Friday and Saturday as the temperatures warm up, reaching the 60s by Sunday.

The latest: City leaders are no longer asking drivers to stay home.

• However, they are encouraging everyone to take it slow, especially overnight Thursday and into Friday morning, when freezing temperatures are forecast.
• Go deeper for driving tips in the snow.

Closures: Many schools will stay closed Friday, but businesses and government offices are starting to reopen. See WWL's list.

Zoom out: The power situation was a bright spot in this storm. Before the snow arrived, Entergy warned of the possibility of widespread outages.

• But, they never came. At its peak, Entergy had less than 10,000 outages statewide — compared with nearly 1 million when Hurricane Ida hit in 2021.
• "Mother Nature did bless us with not having significant ice impacts across our system," said Jason Willis, VP of reliability for Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans.
• The storm dropped 10 inches of dry, powdery snow. Ice would have broken more branches and weighed down lines, causing additional outages. The winds also stayed below 30mph in New Orleans.
• Entergy's infrastructure had some damage, but not nearly as much as an a hurricane or ice storm, he said. Workers deployed around the state in advance were able to get the power restored quickly.

Water: Pipes have been more of a problem, which Arnold says is expected with an extended freeze.

• Orleans and Jefferson parish officials are asking residents to minimize nonessential water usage like washing machines and dishwashers. The most important time to conserve is in the morning.
• More leaks will be found as the temperatures stay above freezing, Arnold said. The city is looking at options to help older residents turn off their water if needed.
• Jefferson Parish and SWBNO had boil advisories in effect Thursday.

Fatalities: The storm has been deadly. Two people died in heating-related fires in Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry says, and at least 10 people have died elsewhere in the South.

Flights: MSY reopened Thursday, and airlines are slowly resuming flights. See the latest.

• Arnold said NFL officials were flying in Thursday for Super Bowl preparations, which are now in crunch mode after losing several days due to the snow.

Public transit: Ferry services and select bus routes will resume Friday, RTA says. Streetcar service is expected to resume Sunday.

• Medical transit resumed Thursday in Jefferson Parish, but other services are on hold until the roads improve.
• See the latest for RTA and Jefferson Parish Transit.

Stunning stat: The storm dropped more snow than New Orleans has seen in a century.

• Eight inches fell at the National Weather Service's official observation station at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, crushing the previous record of 2.7 inches, set in 1963.
• It also tied the historic record of 10 inches at Audubon Park, which was set in 1895.
• See the unofficial storm totals from NWS.

The bottom line: Though roads are opening, don't expect a complete return to normal on Friday.

• If you do go outside, watch out for ice and call businesses ahead to confirm they're open.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.

Go deeper

• Photos: Historic snow blankets New Orleans
• Historic winter storm hits Gulf Coast
• Remembering when New Orleans got 10 inches of snow