Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans could be cancelled as severe storms rumble through the South, bringing strong winds and the threat of tornadoes on Tuesday.

New Orleans, renowned for its world-famous Mardi Gras celebration, rescheduled its final Carnival parades to earlier time slots ahead of expected severe winds, thunderstorms, and tornado warnings, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

The threat of severe weather has left New Orleans Mardi Gras traditions at risk, with parades being shortened or canceled, warnings issued over flying debris and officials urging extreme caution

Blizzard conditions in parts of southern Minnesota made travel there dangerous Wednesday morning, the weather service office in the Twin Cities warned on social media. Heavy snow and strong northerly winds slowed travel across much of the Twin Cities, southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, the weather service said.

A mammoth and multifaceted storm – which was dealing wind, fire, choking dust and the threat of a blizzard – pummeled much of the country as it marched east.