Blizzard-like whiteout conditions were reported in the New Orleans area.
Numerous areas experienced snowfall levels not seen in over 130 years, making it a truly historic occasion. Florida shattered its snowfall record with a preliminary total of 8.8 inches reported in Milton, located north of Pensacola. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), this marks the highest snow total ever recorded in the state. Elsewhere, Houston, Texas, officially recorded 1.2 inches of snow at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, though parts of southeast Houston saw accumulations exceeding 4 inches. The NWS noted that this ranks among the most significant snowstorms to hit the Houston area.
Snowfall totals were even higher in other parts of the South. Louisiana saw substantial snow, with Baton Rouge reporting 7.6 inches, New Orleans recording 8 inches, and Lake Charles receiving at least 4.8 inches, with some areas accumulating up to 6 inches. Lafayette led the state with 9 inches of snowfall. The previous snow record in New Orleans dated back to New Year’s Eve in 1963 when 2.7 inches fell.
In Alabama and Florida, Mobile and Pensacola set all-time records with 7.5 and 7.6 inches of snow, respectively. Snow also blanketed parts of the Carolinas, Georgia, and northern Florida early Wednesday. Coastal North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia reported up to 5 inches in some areas, with North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, recording 3.8 inches as snow continued to fall.
The snowstorm is expected to conclude by 7 a.m. along the East Coast, with Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, among the last areas to see snowfall. In Florida, rain will persist in the peninsula through the afternoon, moving southward and clearing Miami by evening. Spotty showers are forecast to linger into Thursday.
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