A rare winter storm wreaked havoc from New Orleans to Pensacola, shattering snow records and departing to the sea on Wednesday. This severe wintry assault, unusual for the region, left a trail of disruptions including power outages and hazardous travel conditions. Southern cities now face the aftermath of the storm, unaccustomed to the deep freeze gripping the nation this week.
The storm originated in Texas on Tuesday, causing chaos on highways before progressing eastward. Schools closed in the Houston-Galveston area as up to 6 inches of snow fell. Louisiana witnessed its first-ever blizzard warning, with New Orleans International Airport recording 8 inches of snow, a triple of the previous record set over 60 years ago.
In Florida, the Pensacola area broke the state’s 130-year-old snowfall record with at least 5 inches reported. The storm prompted Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves to urge residents to stay off roads to avoid endangering themselves and first responders.
This generational storm, which has led to the first-ever blizzard warning on the Gulf Coast, is described as a rare weather event by the National Weather Service. Cities like Houston, New Orleans, and Jacksonville are experiencing historic snowfall, with some areas lacking plows and having to wait for the snow to melt.
A 21-year-old meteorology student, Gabriel Hebert, in Lafayette, Louisiana, is excited about the unique learning opportunity presented by this once-in-a-lifetime winter storm in his hometown. He and his family have been preparing for the storm and are thrilled to experience such unusual weather conditions.
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