Updated NOAA Forecast – Could Louisiana See Snow for Mardi Gras?

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In case you hadn't noticed, Louisiana has been in the midst of an extreme drought. Thankfully, the statewide burn ban has finally been lifted and it looks like Mother Nature is ready to catch us up on precipitation this winter...

Will Louisiana get snow this year?

What's better than a redneck in the snow? Not much because we have no idea how to deal with it! After all, we're still talking about 'Snowpocalypse' from a few years ago when so many of us ended up on the side of the road or with a collapsed roof or carport. Earlier this year, the Farmer's Alamac's extended forecast said that south-central states like Louisiana will experience, 'Lots of cold temperatures and some storms will keep folks in the South Central States busy during the middle of January.' In short, they say we're in for an 'unseasonable cold and stormy winter.'

Since then, the forecast has been updated again and NOAA and the Climate Prediction Center are predicting several days below freezing during January and February. On top of that, they're also predicting a 'wet' January and February... right smack in the middle of Mardi Gras.

Seeing how it's an exceptionally short Mardi Gras season this year with Fat Tuesday falling on February, 13th, you can see that a snowy Mardi Gras isn't out of the question. Does this mean we'll have snow for sure? Of course not. However, it's always best to be prepared when dealing with Mother Nature. As forecasters like to say, the 'conditions will be in place.'

What's the most snow we've ever had in Shreveport, LA?

According to NOAA.com, back in 1948, Shreveport got a whopping 14 inches of snow! 'Snowmageddon' didn't even come close in 2021. However, it is the second most snow we've ever received locally, coming in at 9.5".

What does El Nino have to do with the winter weather in Louisiana?

During an El Nino winter, the south tends to experience more precipitation. Whether or not Louisiana has a wet winter will depend on how strong this El Nino grows and how long it lasts. As of now, forecasts predict it will be 'moderate to strong.'

Great! Do they even sell snow tires or chains in the south?