Hell Is Freezing Over In New Orleans For Mardi Gras
It is happening….Hell is truly freezing over New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday 2021 will go down in the books as the strangest Mardi Gras ever. There will be no floats, no beads, no large crowds, and no trash to clean up after the parades. But, there may be snow…or at least a lot of ice. It has snowed in the past in New Orleans and there is certainly something magical about it. However, please stay safe and try to stay close to home and not venture out on the icy roads.
Sewage & Water Board & Entergy
According to the most recent Sewage & Water Board Facebook post, two of the major turbines are out for repairs. The turbines not only power the drainage pumps, but also the pumps that bring drinking water throughout the city. “As it stands, we do not have redundant power to operate the system if a piece of equipment goes down. A deep freeze, like the one we’re going to see this evening, is likely to impact our power system in a couple of ways,” according to the Sewage & Water Board Facebook Post. Some of the ways the power system can be impacted include: higher demand based on residents running water to prevent frozen pipes, water freezing in pipes and causing water main breaks, and even a decrease in water pressure.
The Sewage and Water Board recommends protecting your pipes before the temperature approaches 32 degrees. Wrap pipes with foam, rubber or fiberglass sleeves. Newspaper, towels, and old rags can also be used on the pipes. Make sure you wrap them with at least 1 inch of the material and then cover them with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep them dry. When the temperature approaches 32 degrees, run a spaghetti thin trickle of water from ONE facet furthest from your home’s main water valve. If the pipes in your home burst, locate your home’s main water valve and turn it to the off position.
Freezing Weather Throughout New Orleans
On February 14, 2021, Mayor Cantrell issued an emergency declaration as the City of New Orleans, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and Entergy New Orleans continue winter weather preparedness and encourage residents to take precautions for freezing temperatures early this week.
The weather will compromise our roads, our energy as well as our pipes…. Stay home and stay safe ~ Mayor LaToya Cantrell
Crews and contractors supporting Entergy’s Louisiana utilities are on standby and are closely monitoring weather forecasts as this type of precipitation can create problems for the electric system and make for hazardous driving conditions, slowing power restoration. In extreme cold, “Entergy uses a methodical and calculated process in bringing customers back online after an outage in very cold weather, regardless of whether the initial cause of the outage was specifically weather-related.” Learn more – HERE.
Make sure you stay on top of all of the latest updates. If you are looking for more information for the City of New Orleans – check out https://ready.nola.gov/incident/winter-weather/
New Orleans Local is your best resource for the latest events happening around the city. If you like Mardi Gras, we’ve got you covered with all sorts of great safe events and lots of virtual events. Whether you are looking for festivals, parties, theater, charity events or events for kids, we have everything you need to be in the “know.” Our Calendar of Events welcomes any organization or business to submit events and happenings – HERE – to help let our community know what is happening around town. Everybody knows about Mardi Gras, but do they know about the latest charitable event, local marathons, holiday events, or reveillon dinners? Submit your event with a great photo, so we can let people know what events you want to help to promote in the New Orleans area. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!
