Mardi Gras Celebrations in New Orleans and Across U.S. Start Early Due to Dangerous Weather Concerns

Mar. 15, 2025

A float in New Orleans on March 3.Photo:Erika Goldring/Getty

Erika Goldring/Getty

Severe weather systems are threateningMardi Grascelebrations across the country, including in New Orleans.

As Fat Tuesday approached, the threat of thunderstorms, high winds of over 60 mph and hail caused many popular parades in the Big Easy to be pared down and scheduled earlier, or canceled altogether, according to reports. TheNational Weather Servicewarned that dangerous wind conditions are expected from the morning of Tuesday, March 4, until 9:00 p.m. local time.

“High profile vehicles, including Mardi Gras floats, could become unstable at times,” the agency said. “Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines.”

“If the National Weather forecast turns from a watch for severe wind to a warning, I will cancel the parades at that point, no matter what point that is,” New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said in a news conference, according toNBC News.

A weather map for New Orleans from the National Weather Service.National Weather Service New Orleans/X

National Weather Service New Orleans/X

Meanwhile, all parades in neighboring Jefferson Parish were canceled the day before on Monday, March 3, according toNBC affiliate WDSU.

“Due to the forecasted high winds and potential threat to public safety, we have made the difficult decision to cancel parades on Mardi Gras Day,” Cynthia Lee Sheng, the president of Jefferson Parish, told reporters at a news conference, according to the outlet. “This is disappointing but our top priority is ensuring the well-being of everyone in our community, and we must always prioritize safety above all else.”

Despite the less-than-ideal weather conditions, many revelers took to the streets on Tuesday morning. “We’re going to roll, no matter what,” a man dressed in a bedazzled jacket on a float told a reporter forFox affiliate WVUE.

Shaquille O’Neal in New Orleans on March 2.Erika Goldring/Getty

He was among the thousands who decided to celebrate the historic day before the storm hit. People who are part of the Northside Skull and Bones Gang played drums and chanted in the early morning hours, according to theAssociated Press.

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“Mardi Gras is all about having these moments,” Kendall Calyen, 41, told the outlet. “This city is like nowhere else in the country right now.”

For parade attendees like Calyen, Mardi Gras is a continuation of a long Christian tradition. Fat Tuesday, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, has morphed from a day-long celebration to one that can last a week or more before the beginning of Lent. Celebrated around the world, Mardi Gras holds a special meaning for the citizens of New Orleans, especially after theterror attackon the city’s famed Bourbon Street on New Year’s Eve.

source: people.com