Home US Historic storm dumps snow on southern US amid warnings of dangerously low temperatures

Historic storm dumps snow on southern US amid warnings of dangerously low temperatures

0 comments
Snow is starting to stick on I-285 in Tucker, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta

Record levels of snow dumped across about 1,500 miles of the southern U.S. on Tuesday, covering large parts of Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

The rare storm, which prompted the first-ever snowstorm warnings for several Gulf Coast counties, came amid dangerously low temperatures and dumped up to four inches in Houston, nearly four inches around New Orleans and as much as eight inches in Panhandle cities Florida.

The snow that normally wouldn’t even phase Northeast communities closed highways, grounded nearly all flights and canceled school for more than a million students more accustomed to hurricane layoffs than snow days.

Wintry weather swept across southwest Texas early Tuesday morning, leading to a crash that caused “multiple fatalities” east of La Pryor. Fox again reported.

The storm slammed into major Texas cities later Tuesday, bringing snow and sleet to Austin and San Antonio before strengthening over southeastern Texas.

Two people died in Austin due to the cold weather, according to a statement from the city government. No further details were provided, but the city said emergency services had responded to more than a dozen “cold exposure” calls.

Officials have also said one person in Georgia has died of hypothermia.

Snow blanketed the white-sand beaches of normally sunny vacation destinations, including Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Snow is starting to stick on I-285 in Tucker, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta

A man takes a photo with a sitting snowman in Houston, Texas, on January 21, after four inches of snow and sleet hit the area

A man takes a photo with a sitting snowman in Houston, Texas, on January 21, after four inches of snow and sleet hit the area

People hang out on Pensacola Beach in Florida as the snowstorm rages by

People hang out on Pensacola Beach in Florida as the snowstorm rages by

The official record for snowfall in Florida is four inches, but unofficial snow reports for the Panhandle far exceed that. The city of Milton reportedly got 8.8 inches and Pensacola Beach about 6.5 inches.

“We used to think Blizzard Beach was an Orlando theme park,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joked on Tuesday. “It turns out we may see some snow on our beaches in northwest Florida and even into Tallahassee and beyond.”

DeSantis said the state has mobilized 250 Department of Transportation employees to administer deicing chemicals and staff 11 snow plows.

“Believe it or not, in the state of Florida we are mobilizing snow plows,” he added.

According to measurements from the National Weather Service, Alabama has broken snowfall records that haven’t been surpassed in more than a century.

Mobile, Alabama, reached 5.4 inches and counting Tuesday, surpassing the city’s single-day snowfall record of 5 inches set on January 24, 1881, and nearly surpassing the all-time record of 6 inches of snowfall set in 1895.

In Louisiana, transportation agency employees worked through the night to prepare bridges and roads. Nevertheless, Louisiana State Police said Tuesday they had already responded to more than 50 crashes and urged people to stay home.

It was so cold in New Orleans that a city street froze over, allowing locals to play ice hockey.

In the photo: Snow plows are deployed in Houston. Florida also had to use snow plows, which is rare in the state

In the photo: Snow plows are deployed in Houston. Florida also had to use snow plows, which is rare in the state

A mother walks with her two sons through heavy snow in New Orleans, Louisiana. The city received as much as 10 centimeters on Tuesday

A mother walks with her two sons through heavy snow in New Orleans, Louisiana. The city received as much as 10 centimeters on Tuesday

During Tuesday's snowstorm, snowfall even reached South Carolina (photo).

During Tuesday’s snowstorm, snowfall even reached South Carolina (photo).

A satellite photo of the polar vortex winter storm that has hit most of the southern US with frigid temperatures and record-breaking snowfall

A satellite photo of the polar vortex winter storm that has hit most of the southern US with frigid temperatures and record-breaking snowfall

There was also an attempt at urban skiing along Bourbon Street; a priest and nuns in a snowball fight outside a suburban church; snowboarding behind a golf cart; and sledding down the snow-covered levees of the Mississippi on kayaks, cardboard boxes and inflatable alligators.

The winter weather also caused headaches for thousands of travelers, both by road and air.

Jacksonville International Airport was effectively closed Tuesday evening. Airport officials said they expect the airport to reopen Wednesday afternoon.

Nearly 2,000 flights to, from or within the U.S. were canceled Tuesday, while about 10,000 others were delayed, according to online tracker FlightAware.com. Both Houston airports have suspended flight operations as of Tuesday.

Nearly every flight at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport was canceled, but most airlines planned to resume operations on Wednesday.

The storm is now moving as far north as North Carolina, but current forecasts suggest it will be mainly located in South Carolina, Southern Georgia and northeastern Florida.

Extreme Cold Warnings remain in effect for most of Louisiana and southeastern Texas until 9 a.m. CST on Wednesday.

You may also like