Residents of northern Florida woke up to a rare winter wonderland on Wednesday morning after a frigid storm swept through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday. While the snow brought a festive atmosphere, it also created hazardous conditions, with road closures and dangerous driving hazards.
Cold weather advisories and warnings were in effect across the Panhandle, as snow blanketed the normally sunny vacation spots, including Pensacola Beach. Major cities like Jacksonville, Florida, were affected by snow, sleet, and accumulating ice, with conditions continuing into Wednesday.
The weather led to significant disruptions, including the closure of Jacksonville International Airport on Tuesday evening, which planned to reopen by midday Wednesday. Schools canceled classes, and government offices were closed for the day as the region dealt with the impacts of the storm.
“We are expecting some winter weather we’re not used to in Northeast Florida,” the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook. ”The safest place you can be Tuesday night and Wednesday is at home!”
The heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain impacting parts of the Deep South arrived alongside a blast of Arctic air, which sent much of the Midwest and eastern U.S. into a deep freeze. In response to the severe weather, governors in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and even Florida — known for its sunny climate — declared states of emergency. Many school systems, including those in Florida, canceled classes on Tuesday, and further closures were planned in coastal communities of North and South Carolina.
“Believe it or not, in the state of Florida, we’re mobilizing snowplows,” said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, highlighting the unusual measures being taken to cope with the unexpected winter conditions.
Parts of the Florida Panhandle were blanketed in snow on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tallahassee, the state’s capital, experiencing its first snowfall since 2018. That year, the city saw just 0.1 inches (0.25 centimeters) of snow, while the highest snowfall on record in Tallahassee occurred in 1958 with 2.8 inches (7 centimeters).
Snow also covered the Pensacola Bay Bridge, and a neighborhood just east of the city was transformed into a winter scene, with tropical plants turning white under the unusual snowfall. The Florida Highway Patrol shared images of the preparations, urging residents to stay off icy roads and exercise caution during the wintry conditions.
Interstate 10 was closed from Escambia County to Okaloosa County, and the Pensacola Bay Bridge became impassable due to the heavy snow and icy conditions. In addition to road closures, the storm caused significant disruption to air travel, with more than 2,300 flights to, from, or within the U.S. being canceled on Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com. Both airports in Houston suspended flight operations, while nearly all flights were canceled at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport. Airlines planned to resume flights on Wednesday, as conditions began to improve.
