Some of the rhythms of responding to hurricanes were evident during the snowstorm, like cooking up pots of gumbo and pans of fried chicken, and using up perishable foods in the refrigerator and freezer.
There were also fears about those exposed to the elements, particularly the homeless.
Joycelyn Scott, an outreach worker for Unity of Greater New Orleans, a group of agencies supporting the homeless, drove a van around the city, picking up some people who were eager for shelter and convincing others they needed to find somewhere safe. On Monday, she pleaded with a group of people sleeping on the steps of the main branch of the New Orleans Public Library.
“We are not accustomed to this kind of weather, this much snow,” Ms. Scott said.
On most nights, there would be 15 to 20 people sleeping out. By 9 p.m. Monday, she and her team had gotten it down to eight. A few had agreed to come inside after sleeping out on Sunday night, when temperatures dipped to 29 degrees.
But that experience had made Kelvin Easley, 54, feel more confident he could handle the conditions on his own. “It was very cold — very,” he said. “But I’m going to be all right.”
“You need a hat?” Ms. Scott asked, “Some socks?”
“A hat for me, over here?” asked one man, sticking his head out of a pile of blankets covered with a tarp.
“That’s all I needed,” he said. “Now let the snow come.”
Katy Reckdahl reported from New Orleans, and Rick Rojas from Atlanta.