Unprecedented Winter Wallop: Record Snow and Icy Blast Hit Southern US, Emergency Declared Across Multiple States

A severe winter storm has swept through the southern United States, bringing unprecedented snowfall and chilling temperatures to regions typically unaccustomed to such frigid weather. The storm, affecting areas from Texas to Florida, has led to multiple fatalities, significant travel disruptions, and extensive school and business closures.

Governors in several southern states, including Florida’s Ron DeSantis, declared states of emergency in response to the hazardous conditions, which have persisted into mid-week. The cold snap is so severe that parts of Louisiana and Texas issued their first-ever blizzard warnings, although they were later lifted.

The impact of the winter storm is widespread, with the National Weather Service recording historic snow levels in the New Orleans area, breaking the previous record set in 1963. In New Iberia, Louisiana, record-breaking low temperatures were observed, and significant snow accumulation was also reported across the state.

In Florida, meteorologists in Pensacola reported snowfall that potentially broke the state’s record for the most snowfall since 1954. Similarly, Milton witnessed substantial snow accumulation, disrupting normal life and leading to a series of emergency measures.

Tragically, the severe weather has been linked to several deaths across the impacted regions. In South Texas, multiple fatalities occurred due to a road crash on an icy highway. Austin authorities are investigating two possible cold-related deaths. Hypothermia-related fatalities are also being investigated in Georgia and Milwaukee. Additionally, in Alabama, two deaths were reported: one due to a vehicle accident on a snowy road and another from a house fire, which occurred when a man attempted to heat his home with a stove.

The storm prompted various weather warnings across the affected states, including freeze warnings in California, Arizona, and parts of Texas and Louisiana. Widespread winter storm warnings covered parts of South Carolina, Michigan, and Florida, anticipating further snowfall.

Road conditions remained perilous, with continued dangerously low temperatures contributing to icy surfaces that are difficult for residents to manage. Officials have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel to prevent accidents on the treacherous roads.

Educational disruptions have also been a significant consequence of the storm, with numerous schools across Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Georgia remaining closed. Flight operations were severely affected too, with a high percentage of cancellations reported at major airports in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Charleston, Pensacola, and others. By mid-morning Wednesday, over a thousand flights within and outside the U.S. were canceled.

Weather officials forecast that precipitation from the storm is expected to continue, with more snow, sleet, and freezing rain from northern Florida to North Carolina. As the wintry conditions persist, officials from the National Weather Service advise caution due to the forecasted continuation of extreme cold and hazardous road conditions across the affected regions.

As residents of the southern U.S. brace for more icy weather, the cold snap serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of winter storms and the wide-ranging impacts they can have, even in areas typically spared from such severe weather conditions.