Snow in Louisiana

File:Lake Charles Louisiana Snow 1895.jpg in 1895]]

1895: As part of the Great Freeze, large snow storm spanning from Texas to Alabama left New Orleans with approximately {{convert|8.2|in|cm}} of snow, Lake Charles with {{convert|22|in|cm}} of snow, and Rayne with {{convert|24|in|cm}} of snow. However, these are unconfirmed.{{cite web|last=Burt|first=Christopher|title=Snowstorms in the Southeast and Deep South of the United States: An Historical Perspective|url=http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/snowstorms-in-the-south-an-historical-perspective|publisher=Wunderground|access-date=4 March 2014|year=2011}}

1899: With the Great Blizzard of 1899, snowfall in New Orleans reached {{convert|3.8|in|cm}} with strong winds and temperatures below {{convert|10|°F}}.

2000: This snow was nationally televised as the 2000 Independence Bowl was being played on December 31, 2000, in Shreveport. The game was later referred to as "The Snow Bowl", as a snowstorm (rare for the Shreveport area) began just before kickoff, blanketing the field in powder, and continued throughout the entire game.

2004: The 2004 Christmas Eve snowstorm swept across southern Texas and Louisiana, leaving unprecedented amounts of snow in areas that had not seen snow in 15 to 120 years.{{cite web|title=The Great Christmas Eve Snow Storm|url=http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2006/11/22/the-great-christmas-eve-snow-storm-2004/|work=Farmer's Almanac|access-date=5 March 2014|year=2006}}

2008: It snowed in and around semi-tropical New Orleans on December 11, 2008.

2014: The early 2014 North American cold wave that blew through the eastern portion of the continental United States produced record low temperatures and brought freezing snow and sleet to Louisiana.{{cite journal|last=Masters|first=Jeff|title=Extreme Cold Wave Invades Eastern Half of U.S.|journal=Wunderground|date=7 January 2014|url=http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/extreme-cold-wave-invades-eastern-half-of-us|access-date=5 March 2014}}

2017: Early in the morning on December 8, 2017, a winter storm dripped snowflakes on much of south Louisiana. Throughout the day, more and more snow fell. Snow lasted all day long. Heavy snowfall fell on the ground, giving some places a height of {{convert|6|in|cm}} of snow. Most schools across Louisiana closed due to the snow.

2021: Significant snow and ice was reported nearly statewide on February 14–15, 2021, with the February 13–17, 2021, North American winter storm and again on February 17 from the February 15–20, 2021, North American winter storm.

File:Blizzard_conditions_in_Carlyss,_Louisiana_Jan_21,_2025.jpg on January 21, 2025]]

2025: The 2025 Gulf Coast blizzard swept through Louisiana on January 21, producing snow and ice throughout much of the state. Snowfall totaled {{convert|11.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} near Chalmette, and {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=on}} in nearby New Orleans.{{Cite web|title=Storm Summary Number 3 for Gulf Coast and Southeast Winter Storm|author=Miller|date=January 21, 2025|publisher=Weather Prediction Center|access-date=January 21, 2025|url=https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/storm_summaries/storm4/stormsum_3.html}} Snowfall totaled {{Convert|13.4|in|cm|abbr=on}} in Grand Coteau, the highest recorded in the state during the blizzard.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title="Dangerous cold" warning issued for millions in the Deep South |url=https://www.newsweek.com/dangerous-cold-winter-storm-gulf-coast-weather-nws-2019506 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} Schools across the state closed, and a Blizzard Warning was issued for the first time in Louisiana's history due to the heavy snowfall and winds exceeding {{convert|35|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |last=herzmann |first=daryl |title=IEM :: LSR from NWS HGX |url=https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=AFDLCH&e=202501211030 |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=mesonet.agron.iastate.edu |language=en}}{{Cite tweet|user=NWSLakeCharles|number=1881654278747779470|title=NWS Lake Charles has issued {{as written|i|t's [sic]}} first ever Blizzard Warning for Jefferson and Orange counties as well as Cameron, Calcasieu, Jeff Davis, Acadia, Vermilion and Lafayette parishes until noon today.|date=January 21, 2025|access-date=2025-01-21}}

Because of the scarcity of freezing temperatures in Louisiana, many citizens of the region are often left unprepared to handle what might be considered a storm of little consequence in more northern states. The region has developed a system of road and school closures with only minimal snowfall, as most drivers in the area are unprepared to deal with slick, frozen roads.{{cite news|title=Baton Rouge area road and interstate closures|url=http://www.nola.com/traffic/baton-rouge/index.ssf/2014/01/baton_rouge_road_closures.html|access-date=5 March 2014|newspaper=The Times Picayune|date=29 January 2014}}{{cite news|last=Rischer|first=Richard|title=Southeast Louisiana, south Mississippi winter storm|url=http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/winter-weather-school-closures/24136298#mid=18533791|access-date=5 March 2014|newspaper=WDSU News|date=29 January 2014}} In 2014, Gov. Bobby Jindal invoked the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act in advance of the weather and assembled teams to assist in preparation and recovery.{{cite web|title=Press Release|url=http://emergency.louisiana.gov/|publisher=State of Louisiana|access-date=28 March 2014}}

The state's typically humid subtropical climate rarely encounters precipitation coupled with freezing temperatures.{{Cite web |last= |title=Louisiana, USA - Climate & Monthly weather forecast |url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/louisiana-usa-climate |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=Weather U.S. |language=en}} The low latitudes and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico helps maintain this climate, particularly closer to the coast. The normally extreme summers are rarely countered by cold winters, with snowfall low in intensity and frequency. Also the southern portions of the state typically has two seasons, a wet season from April to October and a dry season from November to March. The cooler season typically brings in very little precipitation, also limiting snowfall.{{cite web|title=Warm, subtropical climate gives an opportunity for year round operations|url=http://economicdevelopment.cleco.com/Live---Work-Climate.aspx|publisher=CLECO Business Development|access-date=5 March 2014}} Average winter temperature normals in southern Louisiana vary from the 40s to the 60s Fahrenheit.{{cite web|title=1981-2010 NCDC Monthly Normals|url=http://www.srcc.lsu.edu/climate_normals.html|publisher=Southern Regional Climate Center|access-date=5 March 2014}} Natural disasters such as hurricanes are far more common, and such an ecosystem is ill-prepared for snow, particularly the seafood supply on which Louisiana relies for much of its revenue.{{cite news|last=Gunn|first=Billy|title=Chilly temperatures before Super Bowl weekend cause short supply, higher prices|url=http://theadvocate.com/home/8243957-125/frigid-weather-reduces-crawfish-supply|access-date=5 March 2014|newspaper=The Advocate|date=1 February 2014|author2=Ward Steven}} Little research has been done directly linking effects on Louisiana's ecosystem to snow conditions. However, the jet stream that created the 2014 North American cold wave has been linked to global warming,{{cite news|last=Neuman|first=Scott|title=Warming Arctic May Be Causing Jet Stream To Lose Its Way|url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/02/16/277911739/warming-arctic-may-be-causing-jet-stream-to-lose-its-way|access-date=5 March 2014|publisher=NPR|date=16 February 2014}} and resultant cold fronts have been linked to salt water intrusion in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Bay.{{cite journal|last=Li|first=Chunyan |author2=Roberts, Harry |author3=Stone, Gregory |author4=Weeks, Eddie |author5=Yixin, Luo |title=Wind surge and saltwater intrusion in Atchafalaya Bay during onshore winds prior to cold front passage|journal=Hydrobiologia|date=January 2011|volume=658|issue=1|pages=27–39|doi=10.1007/s10750-010-0467-5|issn=0018-8158}} However, one of Louisiana's most famous animals, the alligator, has proved versatile in adapting to cold weather conditions by burrowing in "alligator holes", which they usually use for waiting out a drought.{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=Bob|title=Where Do Alligators Go in Winter?|url=http://www.loyno.edu/lucec/natural-history-writings/where-do-alligators-go-winter|publisher=Loyola University New Orleans|access-date=1 April 2014}}

• Snow in Florida

{{reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Snow in Louisiana}}

• [http://www.losc.lsu.edu Louisiana Office of State Climatology.] losc.lsu.edu
• [http://www.unep.org/geo/geo_ice/ United Nations Environment Programme] unep.org

{{ClimateUS|state=expanded}}

{{World topic|Snow in|noredlinks=yes}}

Snow

Louisiana

Category:Weather-related lists