Some Mardi Gras celebrations canceled due to severe weather as New Orleans tornado threat increases
The city's iconic Fat Tuesday parades are adapting to the impending storms, with the Zulu and Rex krewes shortening their routes and starting earlier than usual, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
Significant severe weather threat cuts Mardi Gras celebrations short in New Orleans
Mardi Gras festivities are underway in New Orleans early Tuesday morning despite a forecast of severe weather expected later in the day. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray has the latest.
NEW ORLEANS – Mardi Gras festivities are underway in New Orleans early Tuesday morning despite a forecast of severe weather expected later in the day.
The city's iconic Fat Tuesday parades are adapting to the impending storms, with the Zulu and Rex krewes shortening their routes and starting earlier than usual, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
Officials have banned floats and marching bands due to concerns about strong winds. All parades were supposed to be off the street by 11:30 a.m. Police are warning that they may cancel the parades if conditions warrant.
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A Tornado Watch was issued for New Orleans through Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service also issued a High Wind Watch for the entire southern coast of Louisiana. Forecasters said they expect wind gusts of up to 60 mph possible.
New Orleans is within a Level 3 out of 5 severe weather threat, which includes risks of damaging winds, hail, and even tornadoes.
Mardi Gras events canceled or altered as severe weather threat intensifies Tuesday afternoon
New Orleans, Baton Rouge, southern Mississippi and southern Alabama at risk for strong tornadoes Tuesday leading to shortened Mardi Gras festivities. Storms push into Louisiana by Tuesday afternoon.
Officials in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, announced Monday that Mardi Gras celebrations for Tuesday were canceled due to the high wind threat.
"Let me state the obvious. These are not conditions where we would invite family, including the elderly and children, to stand on our streets, out in the open. These are not conditions for people to be elevated on floats. God forbid having a float tip over, and there's people on the street just under those floats," Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said.
Sheng also said the strong winds could cause debris to fly through the air, raising safety concerns.
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Mardis Gras weather history
While about a third of all Mardi Gras events typically see rainfall, locals don't recall a single instance of Fat Tuesday being postponed or canceled due to weather. Climatological data showed that the rainiest Mardi Gras happened on March 1, 1927, when 2.12 inches of precipitation fell.
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Mardi Gras weather extremes.
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The coldest Mardi Gras happened in 1989 when the temperature dropped to 22 degrees.
City officials and organizers are closely monitoring the forecast, but at this point, the spirits that watch over the Big Easy may allow the festivities to go off without a hitch.
According to locals, major sites around New Orleans tend to close early Tuesday evening as the city shifts into cleanup mode in preparation for Ash Wednesday.
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Lundi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, LA.
Take a trip through New Orleans as people throughout the city celebrate the festivities ahead of Mardi Gras 2025 (Robert Ray/ FOX Weather).
Unlike Easter, most Ash Wednesday services are held well after sunrise. This means that the worst of the weather will likely have passed the New Orleans metro area by the time services begin.
Once the cold front moves through, Wednesday is expected to turn pleasant, with highs around 70 degrees and plenty of sunshine.