Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans metro rescheduled or canceled amid severe weather threat
Jefferson Parish officials are canceling Mardi Gras Day parades because they are worried strong winds could flip floats, send tents flying and create other unsafe conditions.
Why it matters: It's the first time the holiday's parades have been canceled in recent memory, other than during the COVID pandemic.
The latest: The Krewe of Argus and the Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians truck parade won't roll on Tuesday, parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng said Monday.
Her administration is working with the krewes to find another day for them to reschedule, she said.
All the Lundi Gras parades in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans are rolling as scheduled.
Zoom in: Zulu and Rex currently plan to roll earlier than scheduled in Orleans Parish, according to Fox.
Zulu will roll at 7am and Rex at 9am, sources tell Fox 8 and WDSU. They will roll without bands and dance troupes. The truck parade afterward is canceled.
All parades have to be off the streets by noon, Fox reports. NOPD declined to confirm the changes, but said an announcement will be made later.
Threat level: The National Weather Service in Slidell says winds on Tuesday will strengthen throughout the day, reaching 40 mph by noon and gusts up to 60 mph in the afternoon.
Those winds could make floats unstable, forecasters warn in a high wind watch. They could also blow down trees and power lines, causing outages.
Thunderstorms, with some severe, are likely Tuesday in New Orleans between 5pm and 7pm, NWS says. The storms bring the risk of tornadoes and hail.
The rain is expected to end in New Orleans around 8pm.
State of play: It's the second weather-related kerfuffle this carnival season.
Parades were canceled Feb. 23 due to rain. Jefferson Parish moved its Family Gras festivities to the Pontchartrain Convention Center, while the parades in both parishes rolled later in the week.
Barkus, which was scheduled that day, now plans to parade through the Quarter on Sunday.
Zoom out: New Orleanians are used to whiplash weather conditions, and revelers are already gaming out changes to their outfits.
The bulk of Mardi Gras festivities are in the morning and early afternoon, when wind will be the biggest problem.
Experienced costumers are encouraging others to use zip ties and plenty of bobby pins to secure wigs and headdresses.
Others in a local costume group are saying they are paring back their costumes and planning to enjoy the festivities while the weather holds out.
The bottom line: Mardi Gras weather will be less than ideal. Stay safe on the route, y'all.
Go deeper: Full parade schedule
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