Gulf Coast storm shatters snow records
A historic winter storm has swept across the U.S. Gulf Coast, shattering snowfall records dating back to 1895. New Orleans recorded nearly 25 cm of snow, potentially breaking its 128-year-old record of 20 cm, with the last measurable snowfall in the city occurring in 2009.
The storm, characterized by ice accumulation and wind gusts reaching 64 kph, has moved through Mississippi and into Florida's Panhandle, prompting Governor Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency in northern Florida. Legislative activities in Tallahassee have been suspended due to hazardous winter conditions.
Jacksonville faces the threat of sleet and freezing rain, with ice accumulations expected up to a tenth of an inch. The winter weather is forecast to subside, followed by gradual warming.
This rare weather event recalls South Florida's only recorded snowfall on January 19, 1977, when flakes fell as far south as Miami Beach and Homestead. That historic cold snap devastated Florida's agricultural sector, resulting in widespread crop damage and the displacement of approximately 150,000 migrant workers, with 80,000 affected in the tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.
While unconfirmed reports of snow flurries surfaced in Miami-Dade and Broward during a 2010 cold snap, such extreme weather events could become more frequent due to climate change. Scientists explain that Arctic warming weakens the polar jet stream, allowing frigid air to penetrate further south. When this cold air meets moisture, it can transform typical rainfall into historic snow events, as witnessed in this current storm system.
The combination of snow, ice, and strong winds continues to impact travel conditions across the South, with potential disruptions to power infrastructure as the system moves through the region.
