High Winds Hamper Mardi Gras Parades In New Orleans Area

March 4 is Fat Tuesday, but several Mardi Gras parades in and around New Orleans have been canceled or adjusted due to thunderstorms bringing damaging winds, officials said.

In Jefferson Parish, which is just outside New Orleans, parades have been canceled in anticipation of extreme winds that could hit 60 mph.

“The range of where we consider it dangerous and we bring in our people is around 30 to 35 mph,” Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said at a news conference Monday. Municipal buses stop when winds reach 35 mph, Sheng pointed out.

“These are not conditions where we would invite family, including the elderly and children, to stand on our streets out in the open,” Sheng said. “These are not conditions for people to be elevated on floats, God forbid, having a float tip over and there’s people on the street just under those floats.”

The New Orleans Police Department, meanwhile, announced “adjustments” to Tuesdays parade schedule due to high wind gusts in the forecast. The Zulu parade krewe would roll at 6:30 a.m. with no additional elements, and the Rex krewe would start closer to 9 a.m. with no additional elements. No tents or tarps will be allowed to stay on the parade route after Tuesday night.

If winds are higher than anticipated or create unsafe conditions, parades will be canceled, police said.

“We are in constant communication with our public safety partners and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” police said. “We ask for everyones cooperation in keeping the route clear after the tonight and before the parades tomorrow to ensure a safe and smooth Mardi Gras for all.”

According to the National Weather Service, thunderstorms moving into the area are bringing not only potentially damaging winds but also the possibility of tornadoes and small hail. A high wind warning remains in effect, with gusts up to 60 mph expected.