Most major government offices in Louisiana will be closed through at least Thursday due to the combination of ice, snow and cold temperatures.
NEW ORLEANS – In an unexpected twist during the winter whiplash, metro New Orleans has received more snowfall since the start of meteorological winter than many cold-weather cities across the country, including Philadelphia, New York and Anchorage, Alaska.
As of Jan. 22, the Big Easy had received a total of 8 inches of snowfall, all courtesy of a storm system that produced wintry precipitation from Texas through the mid-Atlantic.
Officially, the storm system produced the snowiest day in more than 100 years, though it was not the most significant winter storm to ever impact the region.
The heaviest snowfall around New Orleans appeared to be around St. Bernard Parish, where at least 11.5 inches were reported by a member of the public.
The amount of snow was more typical of what northern latitudes see during the winter, but because of its rarity, the snowy weather has become a temporary tourist attraction.
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 22: People play in the snow throughout the Gentilly neighborhood during Winter Storm Enzo on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans received as much as 10 inches of snow through out the metro area. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images))
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 21: A person stands in the snow on Canal Street on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the Southern states including Florida, Texas and New Orleans, shutting down schools and businesses and drawing out locals, many of whom had never seen snow before. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) ( )
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 21: Snow falls on a historical information sign about New Orleans across the street from St. Louis Cathedral on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the Southern states including Florida, Texas and New Orleans, shutting down schools and businesses and drawing out locals, many of whom had never seen snow before. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) ( )
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Snow blankets Canal Street and the Central Business District in New Orleans on Jan. 21, 2025 during a major winter storm. ( )
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Snow blankets Canal Street and the Central Business District in New Orleans on Jan. 21, 2025 during a major winter storm. ( )
FLORIDA SEES HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IN STATE’S HISTORY AS WINTER STORM SLAMS SOUTH
As the South experiences unusually cold weather, the snow totals have sparked a conversation about unexpected weather trends.
According to weather observation sites, New York City has seen just under 6 inches of snow since winter began, meaning that the Big Easy has seen more frozen precipitation this winter than the Big Apple.
The same is true for dozens of other cities along the Interstate 95 corridor as well as Anchorage.
According to the National Weather Service, Anchorage has only seen 3.8 inches of snow since Dec. 1, which is nearly a deficit of 2 feet.
When the snow observations for New Orleans and Anchorage are compared since July, the snow tallies don’t even come close.
Since July 1, Alaska’s most populated city has seen 30 inches of snowfall, which might sound impressive but is more than a foot behind normal.
(FOX Weather)
SEE IT: BEACHES COVERED WITH SNOW DURING HISTORIC GULF COAST WINTER STORM
In a lighthearted post about the weather shift, NWS meteorologists in Anchorage jokingly posted, “We’d like our snow back. Or at least some King Cake in return.”
No word if the NWS office that services the New Orleans metro will send Alaska a cake around the time of Mardi Gras festivities.
King Cake is a traditional dessert consumed during Mardi Gras and often features a small plastic baby which is hidden deep inside. The person who finds the plastic figurine is said to have good luck through Lent and the entire year.
A blizzard blasted parts of the Gulf Coast on Tuesday and brought the worst snowstorm to New Orleans since 1885. FOX Weather Meteorologist Brandy Campbell was in New Orleans on Wednesday morning with the latest on the historic storm.