Powerful Storms Threaten Mardi Gras

Powerful storms with a threat of tornadoes are expected to punch through Louisiana and other parts of the South on Tuesday just as costumed revelers celebrate Mardi Gras in the streets of New Orleans and other cities in the region. New Orleans moved up its two biggest Mardi Gras Day parades and cut down their routes to try to avoid the potentially destructive weather, per the AP. Police are also expected to keep the hundreds of participants and dozens of floats moving quickly so they finish before winds are expected to pick up, according to New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. The alarming forecast will be one of the first big tests for the National Weather Service after hundreds of forecasters were fired last week.

Multiple weather threats loom this week for the US, starting with dust storms that brought near-zero visibility to parts of New Mexico and west Texas, prompting the NWS to issue Dust Storm Warnings. "Widespread blowing dust" was expected Tuesday, said the weather service office covering Midland and Odessa, Texas. The week's strong weather system will bring "a threat of blizzard conditions, high winds, flash flooding, severe weather, dust storms, and critical to extreme fire weather conditions to the nation's heartland," according to a weather service update Monday.

On Tuesday, twisters, damaging winds, and large hail are all possible as a strong storm system moves across the nation's midsection into Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, the federal Storm Prediction Center warns. The bullseye for a heightened risk of severe weather is an area stretching from east Texas to Alabama that's home to more than 7 million people. Cities under threat include Baton Rouge and Shreveport in Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama, where large crowds are also expected Tuesday for Mardi Gras celebrations. Mardi Gras floats "could become unstable," the NWS warned, adding that gusts of up to 60mph are expected Tuesday afternoon. Kirkpatrick said she may need to cancel New Orleans' parades at the last minute if the weather gets worse. (More Mardi Gras stories.)