City Of New Orleans Provides Updates On Winter Storm Impacts
City Hall Remains Closed, Will Resume Normal Business Operations on Friday, Jan. 24 at 8 a.m.
The City of New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) continues to closely monitor the winter weather impacts and reminds residents to continue to stay off roadways.
The National Weather Services (NWS) advises that the New Orleans area will continue to experience cold temperatures over the next few days. Temperatures will drop below freezing tonight, and a Cold Weather Advisory is in effect through Thursday morning at 10 a.m.
Due to continued cold temperatures tonight, the snow is melting at a slow pace, and roadways will continue to remain hazardous. As temperatures rise above freezing Thursday afternoon and Friday, snow and ice on roadways will continue to melt and conditions will gradually improve.
The City continues to urge residents to exercise caution and stay off the roads. Melted snow is likely to refreeze as temperatures drop below freezing again overnight. This could lead to the formation of “black ice,” a thin layer of ice that can be nearly invisible to the eye and poses a significant risk to drivers, as it can cause vehicles to lose traction on the roadway.
Residents are asked to remain patient and allow the snow to melt as the City works diligently with public safety and transportation partners to plow priority roadways. Particularly hazardous areas, such as elevated highways and bridges, will remain closed. These routes will reopen when it is safe to do so.
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated 24/7 throughout this winter weather event. City Hall has extended its closure through Thursday, Jan. 23, as the City continues to deploy snowplows to clear the roads. Normal business hours will resume on Friday, Jan. 24 at 8 a.m.
The Mayor’s Mardi Gras Advisory Council public meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday, Jan. 29.
Snow and Ice Removal Tips
The City continues to urge residents to exercise caution and stay off the roads. Here are some safety tips to use when it becomes safe to travel.
Shovel Snow Early: Shovel snow as soon as possible. This will prevent the snow from compacting, which makes it harder to remove. If you wait until the snow has compacted, there may be a thin layer of ice underneath.
Use the Right Tools: A sturdy snow shovel or a snow blower is ideal for clearing walkways and helps to prevent the formation of ice.
Watch for Freezing Areas: Pay attention to areas that may be prone to freezing, such as shaded areas or areas with poor drainage. These areas freeze quickly and can become hazardous.
Drive with Caution: If you must drive, ensure that your vehicle is winter ready. Drive slowly, leave extra distance between you and other vehicles and be aware of icy patches and black ice that can cause vehicles to lose traction on the roadway.
Clear Your Vehicle: Remove large chunks of snow and ice from your vehicle’s roof and ensure that the front, back and side windows are clear and don’t impede vision.
Use Safe Methods to Clear Windows: Use ice scrapers or common household items, such as a plastic dustpan or kitchen tools to remove ice from your windshields and windows. Never use boiling water on your windshields and windows. This can crack the glass due to the extreme temperature difference.
CITYWIDE FREEZE ACTIVATION
Temporary overnight shelters and warming centers continue to be provided for those in need. Those in need of shelter during this severe winter weather, should call 311.
- Unhoused residents in need of shelter may visit the following:
- Ozanam Inn, 2239 Poydras Street has capacity for approximately 10 women at this time.
- Individuals in need of a warming center may visit the following:
- St. Bernard, 1500 Lafreniere Street
- Additional updates:
- Rosenwald and Treme warming centers and all other shelters are at full capacity at this time.
ROADS AND BRIDGES
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), Louisiana State Police (LSP), and the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) have continued to keep roads closed for the safety of residents. NOPD continues to urge residents not to move or attempt to go around barricades.
The City has deployed 14 snowplows to clear roads, bridges and highways, beginning with the Crescent City Connection and continuing on other critical roadways. A map of plowed roads can be viewed here.
In the event of a traffic accident not involving injuries, call 504-821-2222.
REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (RTA)
RTA Administrative office closures and transit service suspensions will remain in place through Friday, Jan. 24, at which time RTA operations and safety teams will assess road and railway conditions. If conditions are favorable, they will begin phasing in services on Saturday, Jan. 25.
RTA's goal is to resume full transit services on all modes by Sunday, Jan. 26.
SANITATION
Due to the ongoing impacts of the severe winter weather, the City of New Orleans Department of Sanitation has suspended curbside recycling collection to allow all available resources to be dedicated to trash collections this week.
Residents may hold their recycling materials for collection next week. Any recycling materials placed curbside this week will be collected and transported to the landfill.
Severe Winter Weather Trash Collection Schedule:
Trash collection will run three days behind schedule for the remainder of this week, completing on Monday, Jan. 27. Next week's collections will run one day behind schedule, beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Recycling collection has been suspended this week and will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
This Week's Collection Schedule
- Trash collection for Tuesday locations will occur on Friday, Jan. 24
- Trash collection for Wednesday locations will occur on Saturday, Jan. 25
- Trash collection for Thursday locations will occur on Sunday, Jan. 26
- Trash collection for Friday locations will occur on Monday, Jan. 27
Next Week's Collection Schedule
- Trash and recycling collection for Monday locations will occur on Tuesday, Jan. 28
- Trash and recycling collection for Tuesday locations will occur on Wednesday, Jan. 29
- Trash and recycling collection for Wednesday locations will occur on Thursday, Jan. 30
- Trash and recycling collection for Thursday locations will occur on Friday, Jan. 31
- Trash and recycling collection for Friday locations will occur on Saturday, Feb. 1
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For questions or additional information about sanitation services, contact the City’s Department of Sanitation at 3-1-1.
ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS
Entergy New Orleans continues to monitor weather impacts and, in the event of outages, will continue to move as quickly and safely as possible to restore service. Restoration times may be slowed by road conditions. Residents are urged to stay off the road, if possible. Vehicle impacts can lead to outages.
Click here to report an outage.
SEWERAGE AND WATER BOARD NEW ORLEANS (SWBNO)
At this time, the SWBNO is asking residents to avoid the use of appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers. Commercial customers are encouraged to minimize water consumption for non-essential business purposes, such as non-critical cleaning.
As the outdoor temperature approaches 32 degrees, turn on the indoor faucet farthest away from your water meter. Run only one faucet with no more than a trickle or water, about as thin as a standard strand of spaghetti, to minimize the chance of water freezing in your pipes.
Residents are urged to report sewer and water emergencies to 52-WATER. Crews are on standby and will respond as soon as weather conditions permit. SWBNO hotlines will remain available 24/7, 365 days a year.
NOLA-PS
In response to the winter storm impacts, NOLA Public Schools (NOLA-PS) and its Central Office (2401 Westbend Parkway, New Orleans, LA 70114) will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 23. NOLA-PS will continue to work in coordination with City officials and following their recommendations and guidelines.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MSY)
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) continues to monitor the winter weather conditions and the impacts to the area.
Airlines at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have canceled all departing flights on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and one may operate some late-night arriving flights. Airlines will continue to evaluate if additional cancellations will occur on Thursday, Jan. 23 based on conditions in the local area as well as on the airfield. Passengers are advised to check directly with their airlines for the most up-to-date flight information and are advised not to come to the airport unless they have a confirmed departure.
In coordination with the City of New Orleans, snowplow crews began clearing Airport roadways early morning on Wednesday, Jan. 22, and crews began snow mitigation measures on the airfield Wednesday morning. The terminal facility is operational, the terminal will be staffed appropriately as flight operations resume.
Click here for a list of airline contact information.
Passengers who made prepaid parking reservations at MSY and experienced weather-related flight cancellations can contact New South Parking by emailing info@newsouthparking.com to request a refund. Please include your full name, email address and reservation number in the email.
Updates can be found here: https://flymsy.com/2025-winter-weather-updates/
READY.NOLA.GOV
Updates on winter weather and local impacts will be available at ready.nola.gov. Residents are encouraged to follow @NOLAReady on Twitter and sign up for email and text message alerts at http://ready.nola.gov/stay-connected/emergency-alerts/. For more information on winter weather preparedness, visit http://ready.nola.gov/plan/winter/.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO KNOW
- For life threatening emergencies and downed power lines, call 911
- For real-time traffic and road conditions, call 511
- To report downed traffic signals, call 504-821-2222
- To report power outages, call 1-800-968-8243 (1-800-9OUTAGE)
To report water emergencies, call 504-529-2837 (504-52WATER)