With temperatures above freezing today, the Sewerage & Water Board is urging residents to immediately turn off their faucets to conserve water. Overuse across the east bank during this cold snap has forced the agency to reduce water pressure. 

While New Orleans continues to endure freezing conditions, the Sewerage & Water Board is cautioning the public to be careful about how much water they keep running to keep their pipes from freezing.

The City is activating its Citywide Freeze Plan (CFP) beginning the evening of Sunday, Dec.31, 2017 and ending the morning of Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 as the National Weather Service forecasts the temperature or wind chill to fall below the plan’s activation threshold of 35 degrees. The City's freeze plan will be in effect to provide temporary overnight shelter for homeless residents. 

According to the National Weather Service, a very cold air mass will settle over the New Orleans area Sunday night and will remain in place through Thursday. The coldest temperatures will be Monday night into Tuesday morning and Tuesday night into Wednesday morning with many areas seeing lows below freezing. Residents and visitors are advised to take precautions during cold weather. 

After the National Weather Service cancelled the Hurricane Warning for New Orleans on the night of Saturday, October 7, Mayor Landrieu ordered that the curfew be lifted. The Storm Surge Warning for New Orleans has also been lifted. The mandatory evacuation for Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine, and Irish Bayou will be lifted once the nearby flood gates reopen today.

The National Weather Service has cancelled the Hurricane Warning for New Orleans and Mayor Landrieu has ordered that the curfew be lifted. 

However, the City is still recommending that people shelter in place and use caution due to strong tropical force winds.

There is still a serious threat of storm surge for areas outside of levee protection and residents should continue to monitor local news and take precautions. 

According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Nate continues to intensify. It could still become a Category 2 hurricane at landfall. Tropical storm force winds are expected, especially in squalls through early Sunday morning with hurricane force winds likely throughout this evening and early Sunday morning. Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant as slight adjustments to the projected track can cause a more serious impact to the area.

A mandatory evacuation has been ordered for Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou. Residents must evacuate the area by noon tomorrow, October 7. The National Weather Service has cautioned that the majority of the serious impact and storm surge will likely occur overnight. Considering overnight impact, Mayor Landrieu instituted a mandatory curfew that will begin Saturday evening at 7 p.m. and end Sunday morning after the storm has passed. 

In anticipation of Tropical Storm Nate, the City of New Orleans will be under a curfew beginning Saturday, Oct. 7,  at 7 p.m. until Sunday morning once the severe weather has passed. The public is asked to shelter in place throughout the duration of the tropical weather. Individuals traveling to and from work or essential safety personnel will be allowed to travel on the streets as long as it is safe to do so.  

Storm surge, potentially in excess of six to nine feet, is a primary threat from Nate in areas outside the levees. As such, Mayor Landrieu has issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents living outside the levee system, including Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine, and Irish Bayou. Residents must evacuate by 12 noon on Saturday, October 7. Flood gates will be closed after this time.