Louisiana made a big move early Wednesday, shutting down a 100-mile portion of Interstate 10 as a rare snowstorm blanketed the Gulf Coast. This isn’t just a little flurry—record-breaking snowfall hit the state on Tuesday, leaving drivers and officials scrambling.

The closure stretches from Baton Rouge all the way to the Texas border, adding to an earlier shutdown between Baton Rouge and Lafayette. With nearly three-quarters of Louisiana’s stretch of I-10 now inaccessible, travel across the state has ground to a halt. State officials say the decision came as road conditions worsened, making driving unsafe.

New Orleans felt the brunt of the storm, with eight inches of snow piling up at Louis Armstrong International Airport. That’s a huge deal for a region that usually sees milder winters—this snowfall smashed the previous record of 2.7 inches set back in 1963.

Interstate 10 is a major highway that connects cities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette, as well as neighboring states Mississippi and Texas. Its closure is a major disruption for commuters and freight haulers alike.

This rare winter blast has caught many off guard, especially in areas more accustomed to heat and humidity than snow and ice. Authorities are urging everyone to stay off the roads as crews work to clear the highways and restore safe travel conditions.

Stay tuned for updates as Louisiana navigates this unusual winter chaos.