A rare blast of winter weather today dusted Louisiana with snow, shutting down much of the state.
Schools are closed, government offices shuttered and drivers are warily traversing slick roads. City-parish workers are laying down de-icing solutions and officials are preparing barricades in case roads have to be closed. Social media feeds are full of photos of dogs and children experiencing snow for the first time, and of makeshift sleds at City Park. East Baton Rouge Parish received between one and three inches, according to the mayor’s office.
Many—including Mike the Tiger—are spending some time outside, experiencing the once-every-few-years phenomenon of a southern snow. (As of this morning, there was enough snow on the ground in many places for snowball fights).
However, the snow day hasn’t brought joy to everyone. Entergy is reporting tens of thousands of customers are out of power, and city-parish officials say visibility and slick roads could be an issue for drivers. Garbage and recycling won’t be picked up today or tomorrow either because of road conditions.
The winter weather is not entirely unprecedented for the Capital Region, which gets a light snow every few years. According to the National Weather Service, there have been 20 “measurable” snow events since 1892, not including today’s snowfall. The most recent was a 2010 snowfall of about an inch.
And today is nowhere near a record. That came in February 1895, when more than a foot of snow fell on Baton Rouge over a two-day period.
A winter weather advisory will remain in effect until at least 4 p.m., the Weather Service says. Drive safe out there.
—Sam Karlin
