LAFAYETTE, La. − A wide swath of the South was targeted by a major winter storm Tuesday as brutally cold temperatures gripped much of the nation, breaking snowfall records more than a century old in a southern region where flurries are unusual.
Stacey Denson, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, told USA TODAY that a blizzard warning was a first for Louisiana. A blizzard warning means the expectation that snow and frequent wind gusts of up to 35 mph could reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less.
“It was pretty crazy to see,” Denson said. “It is actually improving a bit, but we had whiteout conditions.”
The blizzard warning expired for all of Louisiana as of noon CDT, but a winter storm warning remained in effect until Wednesday. More than 30 million people were under a snowstorm warning until Wednesday morning, from southern Texas through Georgia and into Virginia. Authorities in Houston investigated two deaths that may be weather-related, including that of a homeless man who was found near an apartment complex, the Harris County Sheriff said on X.
In Lafayette, 70 miles east of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet said residents should plan to stay home for the next few days, and that the approaching storm represents a weather event unlike anything the city has ever experienced.
“We are prepared for hurricanes, we have all the equipment we need, we know what we need,” Boulet said. “This is going to be different. We don’t necessarily have snow equipment to deal with what we have coming.”
The storm was on a track to sweep through Texas and Louisiana, across the Gulf Coast, and deep into Florida, with significant snow and ice in tow. Some areas slammed by the storm haven’t seen frozen storms in decades.
By Tuesday evening, parts of the 1-10 corridor in Louisiana had received 10 inches of snow, while areas of southeastern Texas reported up to 6 inches, and some locations in Mississippi and Alabama were at 4-plus inches, according to AccuWeather.
Denson said snow is rare in Louisiana and even more unusual to have the unrelenting cold required to keep it from quickly melting. The cold front was not expected to release its grip until Thursday, meaning hazardous road conditions won’t be gone soon. The weather service message to residents was simple: “Do not travel. If you must travel, have a winter survival kit with you.”
“We don’t really have any snowplows,” Denson said. “Our neighboring state (Arkansas) sent plows down to help us out.”
Elsewhere, temperatures in many areas from the interior West through the Midwest and up and down the East Coast were 20 degrees below normal, even for the dead of winter. And in Southern California, another round of Santa Ana winds racing through the smoldering fires of greater Los Angeles − combined with dry conditions − drew new concerns.
Wind chills 55 below: Snow and ice in Florida? Extreme cold invading US
Developments:
∎ Richard Bann, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said that the service was confirming whether Tuesday’s snowfall broke a New Orleans record set in 1895 when 8 inches fell.
∎ Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey proclaimed a state of emergency for 39 counties and ordered the National Guard to prepare for activation. The weather service office in Mobile posted a video of heavy snow with about an inch already covering the ground and vehicles.
∎ All roads and bridges in Montgomery County should be considered impassable until further notice due to snowy conditions, the Montgomery County engineering department has determined. Only emergency vehicles should travel on county roads and bridges until further notice.
∎ The Port of Houston said all its facilities will be closed through Wednesday because of the harsh winter weather.
∎ In Georgia, Savannah and its surrounding area are under a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service beginning Tuesday at 5 p.m. and lasting until noon Wednesday. The forecast calls for “heavy mixed precipitation.”
Snow falls on Chartres Street in the French Quarter on Jan. 21, 2025, in New Orleans.
Winter storm across Gulf Coast draws superlatives
Weather experts are using terms like “historic snowfall” and “the most significant winter storm” to describe the cold front coursing through the Gulf Coast.
So this is far from your garden-variety system. But how rare? For starters, New Orleans, which had not received measurable snow since 2009, is expecting 8 inches, near its record total set in 1895.
“It almost looks like a hurricane … only with snow as the precip type!” meteorologist A.J. Mastrangelo said on social media as the city got blanketed Tuesday morning.
Other examples: The Houston area is expecting its largest winter storm in more than 60 years, and Jacksonville, Florida, which hasn’t had measurable snow in 35 years, is forecast to get freezing rain overnight. So yes, very rare.
− Doyle Rice
New Orleans resident: ‘Sit and watch, ’cause it’s really beautiful’
New Orleans resident Claire Spenard has had her fair share of snow days from her time growing up in Rochester, New York. At first, she thought the weather predictions of a frozen landscape in the South were a hoax. Now watching schools and major highways close, she regrets failing to buy a shovel before the storm hit.
“It reminds me of being home, and I never thought I would say that,” Spenard told USA TODAY.
The 23-year-old ballet teacher and server described a ghost town of a city sprinkled with excited children seeing snow for the first time, making snowmen, and walking in the middle of roads untouched by cars.
Her advice for those not used to braving the cold? Yield to the occasional vehicle and soak up the wonder.
“Sit and watch, ’cause it’s really beautiful,” Spenard said. “And I think that’s what a lot of people here are doing, they’re taking time to really sit and enjoy it, ’cause that’s what people in New Orleans do about most things.”
− Sam Woodward
Record-breaking snow in Mobile and Pensacola
The National Weather Service office in Mobile, Alabama, reported on snowfall records about its city and Pensacola, Florida, about 60 miles to the southeast.
By late afternoon Tuesday, a new mark of 6.2 inches of snow had been registered at Mobile’s regional airport, according to the office, breaking a 144-year-old record. The office reposted several photos of Alabamians reporting 7-plus inches at their locations.
Pensacola, better known for its white-sand beaches, was covered in a different source of white Tuesday as it set a record with 5 inches of snow while more was still coming down, breaking the 3-inch clip set in 1895. As it was still snowing, a full total for the day wasn’t expected until later in the evening. said meteorologist Jason Beaman.
Scattered reports of 6.5 to 7.5 inches had been received nearby, Beaman said.
“FLORIDA WHITEOUT” blared the homepage of the Pensacola News Journal’s website, saying the 5 1/2 inches of snow registered almost certainly beat a previous mark that had stood for 130 years.
– Jim Little, Pensacola News Journal
Winter sledding Florida style on tap in state capital
Floridians commonly keep pool floats, boogie boards and kayaks in storage during the winter months. On Wednesday, folks in north Florida may be bringing the novelties out and converting them into makeshift sleds, Florida style.
Leon County Schools canceled Wednesday’s classes because of the incoming storm, meaning kids in Tallahassee will be out on a rare snow day.
Tallahassee is a hilly city, so residents looking to sled the day away have plenty of options. One likely location: Florida A&M University, since its website says the campus “sits on the highest of seven hills in Florida’s capital city.”
− Alaijah Brown, Tallahassee Democrat
Rare snow in Louisiana is a thrill for this family
For 21-year-old meteorology student Gabriel Hebert, a once-in-a-lifetime winter storm in his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, isn’t just a snow day but a great learning opportunity.
“I’m so thrilled,” he told USA TODAY. “This is my favorite kind of weather.”
Hebert had been monitoring the storm for a few days, staying up late to track snowfall. In preparation, his family left open their cabinets to prevent pipes from freezing, have all agreed to stay off the roads and stocked up on essential food for the days ahead.
As the snow fell and his family bunkered down, his young siblings relished the first. “I just want to enjoy this time with my family, watching them make snow angels and snowmen,” Hebert said.
− Sam Woodward
Flights canceled as airlines struggle with storm
The winter storm was upending travel plans across the Southeast. Winter storm warnings were in effect from Texas through the Carolinas, according to the National Weather Service. As of 8 p.m. ET, more than 2,200 U.S. flights had been canceled, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. That includes 22% of United Airlines flights and 12% of Southwest Airlines flights, the bulk of which were canceled Monday ahead of the storm’s impact.
More than 90% of flights out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport in Houston and nearly 90% of flights out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have been canceled. Read more here.
− Zach Wichter and Eve Chen
What are your rights? What happens when your flight is delayed or canceled?
Storm could be ‘historic’ for North Florida
North Florida is bracing for what has the potential to be one of the most impactful winter storms in Gulf Coast history.
“This is going to be a historic storm any way you slice the cake,” WeatherTiger meteorologist Ryan Truchelut wrote in a forecast for the USA TODAY NETWORK. “But the worst impacts will be if the majority of precipitation falls as a freezing rain that ices over surfaces like roads, powerlines, and trees that have been repeatedly pulled this way and that in the past decade by hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms.”
Storm shuts down University of Texas
In Texas, Austin residents awoke to falling snow and temperatures below freezing. The total snow and sleet forecast for the area that includes San Antonio, 80 miles to the south, ranged from a dusting up to 1 1/2 inches − with hazardous ice accumulations of one-tenth of an inch. The forecast was enough for all Central Texas school districts − including the Austin district − the University of Texas and Texas State University to shut down Tuesday.
Outside of his home in Austin’s Travis Heights neighborhood, Gail Armstrong prepared for the cold by replacing the propane in the trailer in front of his house. Armstrong said he’s concerned about road conditions.
“People don’t know diddly about driving on snow and ice,” Armstrong said.
− Keri Heath and Ella McCarthy, Austin American-Statesman
Single-digit temperatures coming to Mississippi
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for Central and South Mississippi through Wednesday. Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm. Schools, businesses and city governments announced closures ahead of the snowfall.
“South Mississippi is still expected to get the highest amounts with up to 4 inches of snow,” the state Emergency Management Agency reported. “We encourage everyone to stay off the roads once the snow starts to fall as roads will become dangerous.”
The entire state will see temperatures plunge. Oxford is forecast to have a low of 8 degrees Wednesday morning while Jackson should see a low of 13 degrees, forecasters said. On the Mississippi coast, temperatures in Biloxi are expected to drop to 17 degrees. Read more here.
− Lici Beveridge, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Winter punch in Louisiana could be ‘crippling’ to travel
Southern Louisiana is facing a winter weather event the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the 1960s. Snow accumulations could create “crippling” travel conditions along the Interstate 10 and Interstate 12 corridors, Gov. Jeff Landry and other state officials warned. Landry declared a weather emergency and ordered state offices closed Tuesday.
Northern Louisiana cities from Shreveport to Ruston to Monroe will likely be spared snow and ice, but every corner of the state will encounter frigid temperatures that could impact water supplies and create power outages, forecasters said.
“Most people in (southern Louisiana) haven’t experienced this combination of snow and bitter cold in our lifetimes,” state climatologist Jay Grymes said. Read more here.
− Greg Hilburn, Shreveport Times
Louisiana faces crippling snowstorm: From New Orleans to Baton Rouge
School closings sweep nation with wintry weather
Hundreds of school districts shut down across much of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida as the storm began its assault on the region. Schools in other states were already struggling because of an earlier storm that hit much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states over the weekend. Scores of school districts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia delayed their openings.
In the Midwest, many districts were closed because of the intense cold. In Wisconsin, residents of Green Bay awoke to a temperature of minus 12 degrees. The wind chill was minus 31. That was a bit too much, even for Green Bay.
“The Green Bay Area Public School District will be closed on January 21, 2025, due to severe weather,” the district posted on its website. “There will be no after-school or evening activities.”
Southern cities face rare wintry slam
Major Southern cities facing a wintry hit include Austin, San Antonio and Houston in Texas; New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana; Jackson and Biloxi in Mississippi; Mobile in Alabama; Savannah in Georgia; and Pensacola, Tallahassee and Jacksonville in Florida, AccuWeather warned.
New Orleans hasn’t seen measurable snowfall in 16 years. It has been 35 years for Jacksonville. Scores of school districts in Texas canceled classes for Tuesday and may not reopen Wednesday.
In California, San Diego County now battling fires
Powerful Santa Ana winds fueled the spread of wildfires in San Diego County early Tuesday, prompting evacuations as officials in Los Angeles remained on high alert amid high winds and relentless dry conditions.
At least three fires broke out in northern San Diego County overnight, including the Lilac and Pala fires, which grew to 80 and 17 acres, respectively, before firefighters stopped their spread. Another brush fire, dubbed the Riverview Fire, burned about one acre of land before firefighters halted its forward progress, according to Cal Fire, the state’s firefighting agency. Read more here.
− Christopher Cann
Traveling? Be prepared for road closures
At least 4 to 6 inches of snow are possible from southeastern Texas into southern Louisiana, according to the weather service, while lighter portions of snow may fall along the Florida Panhandle to the beaches of the Carolinas. Wintry precipitation is expected to cause power outages, flight delays or cancellations and other travel disruptions, especially on area highways, the NWS warned.
“If you must travel, be prepared for road closures and the possibility of being stranded (so stock your vehicle with water, food, and warm clothing),” the NWS office in Houston wrote on X. Read more here.
− Anthony Robledo
Santa Ana winds threaten again: Firefighters labor to douse Los Angeles blazes
In California, here come the winds
In Southern California, where a rash of fires have killed more than two dozen people and destroyed thousands of homes this month, the winds that fueled those blazes are returning. For the mountains and foothills, northeast winds will reach 35 to 50 mph with widespread gusts of 60 to 80, the National Weather Service warned.
Isolated gusts of 80 to 100 mph are possible in most wind-prone mountain locations, such as the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, western Santa Monica and southern Ventura mountains, the weather service said. For the coasts and valleys, northeast to east winds increasing to 25 to 40 mph with damaging gusts of 50 to 70 mph are possible.
“Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines,” the weather service said in its high-wind warning. “Widespread power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.”
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deep freeze and snow blankets parts of US as storm targets South
