A rare, historic snowfall blanketed parts of the southern U.S. on Tuesday, allowing residents to play in the rather unusual weather. Families went snow tubing in Houston. People made snowballs and snow angels. People were even seen skiing on Bourbon Street.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A rare frigid storm charged through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow that closed highways, grounded nearly all flights and canceled school for more than a million students more accustomed to hurricane dismissals than snow days.

A rare winter storm churned across the U.S. Gulf Coast on Tuesday, bringing heavy snow, ice and wind gusts to a region where flurries are unusual, while much of the United States remained in a dangerous deep freeze.

Some areas of New Orleans and Houston got more than four inches of snow Tuesday morning in a historic winter storm hitting the south.

While Iowa is recovering from a cold snap with negative 30 wind chill, the state is running about 20 to 30 inches below average for seasonal snowfall.

Houston Christian Huskies vs. New Orleans Privateers game with ticket info, start time, stats, odds and TV channel.

That's wild considering it hasn't snowed in New Orleans since 2009, and their last "big" snowstorm was in 2008 when 1-2 inches fell. Up to five inches of snow could accumulate in the Houston area. The all-time record snowfall in Houston is 3.0 inches, so this is very clearly a historic situation.

Here's a look at snowfall totals from Tuesday's winter storm that blanketed Houston and parts Louisiana in multiple inches of the white stuff.

New Orleans and Houston Christian will take the floor in a matchup of Southland foes. The teams meet Saturday for the first time this season.

Bryson Dawkins' 28 points helped Houston Christian defeat New Orleans 86-76 on Saturday night. Dawkins added five rebounds for the Huskies (9-11, 6-3 Southland Conference). Elijah Brooks added 13 points and five assists.

A winter storm dumped snow from Texas into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and even Florida Tuesday. More of the South is up next.

As heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain hit parts of the Deep South, a blast of Arctic air plunged much of the Midwest and the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.