It's Snowing in New Orleans (chaos to follow)

I woke up early this morning, because my cat Smokey Robinson was acting nervous and jumpy. He miaoued a strange cry, like I've never heard before, and kept leaping onto the bed, disturbing our sleep. I finally gave up and got up, and trudged downstairs to make coffee, Smokey sticking close to me and still crying. I went to the front porch to see if the package I'm expecting today had arrived (maybe the delivery had upset the cat somehow?), and lo and behold, it was snowing! Pouring snow, almost like up North! I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing.

A few cars were making their way slowing through it on my street, which was slick and wet, but not icy or snowy. (It would have to be a lot colder for the street to freeze, and it was only in the 40s and 50s yesterday.) There was not a lot of wind, so the snow was just coming down, almost straight, and piling up on the cars and trash cans and trees. It looked beautiful, and crazy.

Back in the house, I turned on the TV and found about what I expected -- all regular programming suspended so that it could be all snow all the time. Schools and businesses announced closings across all the metro parishes. People being urged to stay off the roads unless it was an emergency. Some flights have been cancelled at the airport, and those that are still set to go are being deiced. Parish officials being interviewed about their preparedness for these "dangerous winter conditions", and the officials assuring the reporters that they had lots of sand, salt, and chemicals to take care of snow and ice. (Those supplies might well be 4 years old, since the last time it snowed in greater New Orleans was Christmas of 2004.) Children are calling the stations and asking if there will be a White Christmas. Sadly for the kids, the answer is a firm No -- the forecast is for temperatures in the 60s by this weekend.

But it's sure snowing now. I went upstairs and gently woke Big Man and said, "It's snowing in New Orleans -- chaos to follow." It'll be a crazy day, all day, and a lot of fun.