Extreme winds and potential storms have led to the cancellation of Mardi Gras parades in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Officials, monitoring forecasts, warned of gusts up to 60 mph on Tuesday, creating safety hazards for floats and spectators. Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee Sheng announced the decision, emphasizing unsafe conditions for families and elevating floats. The parades, including the Krewe of Argus and Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians, might not be rescheduled due to the start of Lent. Severe weather, including tornadoes and damaging gusts, is expected across parts of Louisiana and neighboring states, as a storm system moves eastward.
Severe winds and potential storms expected on Tuesday have led to the cancellation of Mardi Gras parades in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, while officials in neighboring New Orleans are monitoring the situation closely.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings of strong winds, with gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour, set to begin early in the morning, posing significant risks for both parade floats and attendees.
“I have to deliver some very disappointing news,” stated the Jefferson Parish president, Cynthia Lee Sheng, during a news conference on Monday. “The severe gusty winds forecasted for tomorrow leave us no choice but to cancel the planned parades.”
Two parades were slated to take place in Jefferson Parish on Mardi Gras; the Krewe of Argus was set to roll with 20 floats through Metairie, Louisiana, followed by the Krewe of Elks Jeffersonians with 43 floats.
Collin Arnold, the director of New Orleans Homeland Security, informed New Orleans’s Fox affiliate that the strong winds pose a public safety risk for the floats and spectators early in the day, with tornadoes and thunderstorms possible later in the afternoon.
He mentioned that officials would make a decision by midday Monday on whether to proceed with the city’s parades.
Given that Lent starts on Wednesday, he emphasized, “rescheduling will be challenging, if not unfeasible.”
Ms. Sheng pointed out that historically, public transit buses cease operations when wind gusts exceed 35 m.p.h., and Entergy, the local utility company, restricts workers from using bucket trucks in winds above 30 m.p.h.
Given the expectation of strong winds early in the morning, she noted that it was impractical to consider an earlier start time for the parades.
“Let’s be clear: These conditions do not warrant inviting families, including the elderly and children, to stand in open streets,” she stated. “These conditions are not safe for those on floats.”
“We have children on ladders, we have participants wearing beautiful headpieces,” she added.
Ms. Sheng asserted that it would be the responsibility of the parade organizers to decide if they would like to reschedule the parades for a later date.
The cancellation of Jefferson Parish’s parades coincides with a significant weather system moving eastward from New Mexico and Texas, expected to bring severe conditions to parts of southeast Kansas, Oklahoma, and North Texas as early as Monday evening.
Meteorologists predict that intensifying winds and a surge of warm, moist air from the Gulf will set the stage for severe weather. By Tuesday afternoon and evening, the region will be primed for severe storms, particularly in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Forecasters have cautioned about damaging gusts, hail, and potential tornadoes extending from eastern Oklahoma to Alabama. The Storm Prediction Center has issued an enhanced risk, rated three out of five, for severe weather across these areas, warning of damaging winds, tornadoes, and large hail.
Nazaneen Ghaffar contributed reporting.