NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Officials rushed to reschedule Mardi Gras celebrations and warned revelers against brining umbrellas and tents as powerful storms with a threat of tornadoes were expected to strike Louisiana and other parts of the South on Tuesday.

New Orleans parades and the Cajun version of Mardi Gras, called the courir, may seem worlds apart, But experts say they have more in common than you may think.

Mardi Gras celebrations kicked off this weekend in Northwest Arkansas, and there's more to come. HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 22: King cake at The Acadian Bakers who has been serving king cakes for 32 years Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, in Houston. (Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)