Historic Winter Storm Brings Record-Breaking Snow to Southern United States
An incredible winter storm has shattered century-old records across the Southern United States, bringing unprecedented snowfall to cities like New Orleans, Mobile, and Pensacola. Here’s what you need to know about this historic weather event and its ongoing impacts.
Residents need to be aware of how careful they should be to avoid a Slip N Fall Accident. Here are tips for avoiding a fall and what to do if it happens to you.
How to avoid Slipping and Falling and what to do if it happens to you
Latest Update on This Generational Storm
Info in quotes courtesy of The Weather Channel
“The system, named Winter Storm Enzo by The Weather Channel, brought the most snow recorded in at least a century to cities like New Orleans, Mobile, and Pensacola on Tuesday.
The storm also dumped snow on parts of Georgia and South Carolina, including Savannah and Charleston.
“What made this most memorable is how far south the snow made it. Places like Florida and Louisiana got heavy snow, but places like North Georgia did not. We even saw the first-ever blizzard warning in Louisiana,” weather.com senior meteorologist Dina Knightly said. “Now some cities in the South have more snow this season than some cities in the North.”
And it hit in areas much more used to hurricanes than winter weather.
“Many of these cities likely won’t ever see this much snow ever again when you factor in our changing climate, and if they do, we likely won’t be around to see it,” weather.com digital meteorologist Jonathan Belles said.
Here are our live updates as the impacts continued Wednesday:
(5:08 p.m. ET) Four Inches Of Snow Reported In Charleston, South Carolina
Here are some top snow totals reported from southeast Georgia and South Carolina:
Charleston – 4 inches
Savannah, Georgia – 3 inches
(4:49 p.m. ET) Widespread Road Closures Remain In Louisiana
Per a social media post from Louisiana State Police:
“LSP reminds the community that most of the Interstate system, federal, and state highways remain CLOSED statewide … While small sections may appear drivable, the majority of roadways are iced and unsafe, necessitating closures.
Troopers have seen a rise in unnecessary travel, leading to crashes and stalled vehicles that demand additional response efforts. Please stay home—your cooperation helps ensure safety and allows Troopers to focus on reopening roads as conditions improve.”
(2:46 p.m. ET) Snow Still Covering Ground In Parts Of North Florida
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office In Panama City, Florida, shared this photo of their headquarters on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office In Panama City, Florida, shared this photo of their headquarters a short while ago on Facebook.
(2:39 p.m. ET) 5 Confirmed Dead In Icy Crash In Texas
From weather.com staff writer Renee Straker:
The Zavala County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Wednesday that five people died in an overnight crash Tuesday. The accident happened on the Nueces River Bridge in southwest Texas. In a Facebook post, the Sheriff’s Office shared pictures from the scene of that crash and another wreck between a semitrailer and a minivan on Wednesday morning.
(2:06 p.m. ET) Mobile Civic Center Brought Down By Snow
From weather.com staff writer Jenn Jordan:
Add this to the list of surprising impacts from Winter Storm Enzo – The roof of the Mobile Civic Center has collapsed under the weight of the city’s historic snowfall. City officials confirmed the collapse was consistent with ongoing demolition plans, as the building was already being torn down to make way for a new arena. Thankfully, no injuries or extraneous damage were reported following the collapse.”
Record-Breaking Snowfall Totals (These are preliminary and subject to change)
NWS New Orleans Snow Totals
- New Orleans: 8 inches – Largest snowfall in modern history (since 1948)
- Milton, Florida: 8.8 inches – More than doubles state’s previous 24-hour record
- Pensacola, Florida: 7.6 inches – New all-time record
- Mobile, Alabama: 7.5 inches – New all-time 1- and 2-day snow records
Critical Infrastructure Impacts
Power Outages
Current outage numbers as of 11:27 AM ET:
- Georgia: 43,893 customers affected
- Florida: 33,426 customers affected
- Texas: 18,828 customers affected
- Louisiana: 10,990 customers affected
Transportation Disruptions
- Interstate 10: Major closures in Florida and Louisiana
- Airport Delays (as of 12:32 PM ET):
- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson: 1,036 delays
- Houston Bush Intercontinental: 511 delays
- Charlotte-Douglas: 325 delays
- New Orleans: 243 delays, all departures canceled
- Dallas-Fort Worth: 182 delays
Temperature Records and Impacts
Record-Breaking Cold in Louisiana
New all-time lows recorded:
- Lake Charles: 6 degrees (near 1899 record of 3 degrees)
- New Iberia: 2 degrees (lowest since 1948)
- Lafayette: 4 degrees (lowest since 1893)
School and Event Disruptions
- Nearly 50% of Florida school districts canceled classes
- NBA game postponed: Pelicans vs. Milwaukee Bucks
- LSU vs. South Carolina women’s basketball rescheduled
- Multiple Atlanta-area school districts closed or operating remotely
Safety and Emergency Response
- DeKalb County, Georgia declared emergency at 10 AM ET
- Multiple cold-related deaths reported in Texas
- Ongoing shelter-in-place orders in affected areas
Recovery Outlook
- Temperatures expected to rise above freezing gradually
- Full melting anticipated with 40-degree temperatures by Thursday-Friday
- Normal conditions expected to return next week
Historical Context
This winter storm has created unprecedented conditions, with Florida and Louisiana currently having more snowpack than many Northern States. – a phenomenon the National Weather Service describes as something you “don’t see, well, EVER!”
Safety Guidelines
If you’re in affected areas:
- Stay informed about local emergency updates
- Avoid unnecessary travel
- Monitor power usage
- Check on vulnerable neighbors
- Keep emergency supplies ready
https://www.cdc.gov/winter-weather/safety/stay-safe-during-after-a-winter-storm-safety.html
Additional Resources
- Local emergency management offices
- Power company outage maps
- Department of Transportation updates
- National Weather Service forecasts
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.
You can contact a weather expert for information on this wild winter storm here.