New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has kicked off the spring semester after experiencing a record-setting winter storm which covered the campus in snow and postponed the start of classes.

Snow began to fall early Tuesday morning (Jan. 21) and did not stop until the late evening. The official record for snowfall in New Orleans was easily shattered with several inches accumulating on the ground before mid-day.

Various parts of the New Orleans area recorded 9 to 10 inches of snow by the end of Tuesday. This far exceeded the official New Orleans record of 2.7 inches set on Christmas Day in 1963. An unofficial record (one the National Weather service doesn’t consider reliable) of 10 inches was documented in 1895.

Even still, this unofficial record of snowfall for the city came years before the seminary was founded in 1917, which means this past week’s storm was definitively the most snow ever seen on the NOBTS campus.

Remarkably, there was more snow on the ground in New Orleans on Wednesday (Jan. 22) than there was in South Dakota. For a brief moment, the Crescent City looked like a winter wonderland.

Freezing temperatures kept the snow and icy conditions around for a couple more days. The start of the semester, which was supposed to begin Tuesday, was postponed.

In-person classes were cancelled, and offices were closed Tuesday through Thursday (Jan. 21 - Jan. 23) for the sake of safety. Campus operations resumed as normal on Friday, Jan. 24.

Larry Lyon, senior vice president for business administration, said campus police and facilities staff did an excellent job making sure residents were safe during the unique conditions.

“NOBTS is more used to being prepared for things like hurricanes, so facing a historic 130-year storm presented a challenge to our campus security and facilities teams,” Lyon said. 

“We are so thankful that campus was safe, our facilities handled the storm well, and we were able to get back open as soon as the city opened up streets and bridges.”

He said the days off gave the campus an unexpected opportunity for fun and fellowship. 

“We are incredibly thankful that our campus community got to enjoy a beautiful snow and that families across campus got a few extra days together while classes and offices were closed,” Lyon said. “It was especially fun to see the reaction of families, especially children, who have never seen snow before having grown up along the Gulf Coast. It really was a special time had by all."

Campus residents took full advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime snowfall just as Lyon said.  

Snowmen decorated with Mardi Gras beads filled the campus. Snow fights broke out. Children gathered together for a group picture. Greg Wilton, dean of Leavell College, rounded up Leavell College students for some evening games of basketball and volleyball in the rec center.

Some campus residents had never seen or experienced snow before.

Chris Shaffer, NOBTS chief of staff, said it was a surreal experience to see the seminary campus with nearly a foot of snow.

“The campus of NOBTS and Leavell College is a beautiful sight to behold in the snow, something we don't often see in South Louisiana,” Shaffer said. “Leavell Chapel and the old live oak trees on campus look really good in the snow.  

“Having lived in New Orleans since 2009 and now being a dad of a 7-year-old and 4-year-old, it was pure bliss to experience such a historic event with my kids and the other families on campus. Certainly my kids, native New Orleanians, and many of the families on campus don't come from places with regular snowfall. It was fun to see them improvise and make sleds out of beach toys, learn how to make snowmen and stir up snowball fights up and down Seminary Place.

Although the Seminary was preparing for the start of the semester, Shaffer said last week provided exactly what campus family needed, an unexpected Sneaux Day. 

“We have a special community on the campus of NOTBS and Leavell College and it was definitely on display as the families on campus enjoyed the snow together,” he said. “We are grateful for the many good gifts that we receive from the Lord and to quote my son, Thaddeus, ‘Daddy, snow comes and snow goes, but this has been the best week of my life.’ We sure did receive a good gift from the Lord with three snow days full of fun for kids of every age on campus.”