What Impact did Winter Storm Leon Have on Baton Rouge?

The ice is melting and the flurries have stopped. The end of Winter Storm Leon is officially here. Baton Rouge rarely has to deal with one of these storms a year, much less two. This second round of wintry weather, immediately following the first, sent residents into full preparation mode. School closure announcements came much sooner, and police warned far ahead of time that interstates and elevated roadways would likely be closed for extended periods of time. Still, many areas of the southeastern United States were not as well prepared, and chaos ensued, as what many thought would be a light dusting of snow turned into a full-fledged winter storm.

Of the many stories to come out of this round of wintry weather, perhaps the most astounding were from the Atlanta area. There, deteriorating road conditions meant that normal 45 minute or hour long commutes took 16 hours or more to complete. Cars were abandoned along the side of the road, as many chose to walk, and thousands of children spent the night in schools or on buses with no way for their parents to reach them. There was even a baby who made her grand entrance amid the gridlocked traffic. As the situation begins to improve, most are grateful for the hospitality of strangers who opened their homes or businesses and took to the road to pass out hot drinks and snacks.

Locally, Baton Rouge saw traffic accidents increase Wednesday morning as drivers tried to make their way back onto the road. As of 11:00 AM, Livingston Parish police reported having already worked 20 accidents, and Baton Rouge police had responded to 25. Still, these numbers are far fewer than the 200 total accidents that were reported during last week’s storm. Police and government officials alike have been exercising extra caution, closing roads and offices to ensure that people stay safe at home. In the largest of these shut downs, I-10 remained closed from I-49 to New Orleans throughout much of the day.

While these conditions may be foreign to Louisianians, state officials and police did all they could to keep residents safe and any damages to a minimum. Thankfully, Baton Rouge did not experience conditions as severe as those in Atlanta and even Birmingham. Instead, the worst that most of us have is a bad case of cabin fever. 

If you did have to brave Winter Storm Leon and were involved in an accident, contact the local collision repair experts at Medines. Our friendly staff and knowledgeable technicians are here to help and will have you back on the road in no time.