Deadly 1,500-mile paralyzing winter storm blankets South in snow from Texas to Florida
While snow and ice totals were meager by northern standards, totals still broke records across the South and paralyzed travel throughout the region. Parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi – paralleling the Interstate 10 corridor – saw more than 7 inches of snow Tuesday.
Historic winter storm blanketing Louisiana with snow amid first-ever Blizzard Warning
The National Weather Service office in Lake Charles, Louisiana, said the winter storm has been producing blizzard conditions across southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as heavy snow and wind gusts impacted the region.
NEW ORLEANS – A historic and deadly winter storm that stretched over 1,500 miles blanketed the southern U.S. on Tuesday with historic snow totals, including the first-ever Blizzard Warning for the Gulf Coast and potentially record amounts of snow in Florida.
FIRST-EVER BLIZZARD WARNING ISSUED ALONG GULF COAST AS DEADLY WINTER STORM SLAMS TEXAS
Snow totals reached numbers not seen in generations, if not lifetimes, across the South. Up to 4 inches in Houston, nearly 10 inches around New Orleans, and towns along the Florida Panhandle reporting over 6-8 inches. While the snow and ice totals were meager by northern standards, it was enough to paralyze travel throughout the region.
Watch: Snow picks up at NWS office in New Braunfels, Texas
A video shared by the National Weather Service shows snow starting to pick up at their office in New Braunfels, Texas, early Tuesday morning.
Houston airports shutter amid winter storm
The rare bout with wintry weather first swept across southwestern Texas early Tuesday morning, leading to a crash involving "several fatalities" east of La Pryor, according to Uvalde County officials.
First responders said the icy conditions hampered the response to a deadly crash that occurred southwest of San Antonio.
Snow moved across major Texas cities later Tuesday, bringing snow and sleet to Austin and San Antonio before strengthening over southeastern Texas.
A thick blanket of snow fell across the Houston metro area as temperatures dropped into the 20s with wind chills in the teens. Schools and airports were closed and residents were encouraged to stay home in the dangerous conditions.
Drone video captured snow covering Houston, Texas.
(David Maldonado)
By mid-morning Tuesday, records were falling across Louisiana as most areas saw snowfall rates of an inch per hour. A first-ever Blizzard Warning was issued for parts of the Gulf Coast, including southeast Texas and southern Louisiana.
Parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi – paralleling the Interstate 10 corridor – saw more than 7 inches of snow Tuesday. Mid-City New Orleans recorded 9.5 inches of snow.
SNOW BLANKETS NEW ORLEANS DURING HISTORIC GULF COAST WINTER STORM
New Orleans remained under a Winter Storm Warning – only the second time on record for Orleans Parish.
![The iconic St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter is barely visible in the heavy snow on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.]()
Image 1 of 14The iconic St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter is barely visible in the heavy snow on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the city shutting down schools and businesses and drawing out locals, many of whom had never seen snow before. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images) ( )
![People make their way down a snowy Canal Street on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.]()
Image 2 of 14People make their way down a snowy Canal Street on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the city shutting down schools and businesses and drawing out locals, many of whom had never seen snow before. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images) ( )
![Snow blankets Canal Street and the Central Business District in New Orleans on Jan. 21, 2025 during a major winter storm.]()
Image 3 of 14Snow blankets Canal Street and the Central Business District in New Orleans on Jan. 21, 2025 during a major winter storm. ( )
![Snow along Orange Beach, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025.]()
Image 4 of 14Snow along Orange Beach, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025. (@superdavealob/X)
![GALVESTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 21: People take photos of the 1900 Storm memorial sculpture on Seawall Blvd. during an icy winter storm on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Galveston.]()
Image 5 of 14GALVESTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 21: People take photos of the 1900 Storm memorial sculpture on Seawall Blvd. during an icy winter storm on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025 in Galveston. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)
![An ATV drives past residents sledding in the snow during a winter storm in Houston, Texas, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.]()
Image 6 of 14An ATV drives past residents sledding in the snow during a winter storm in Houston, Texas, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (Mark Felix / Bloomberg)
![Statues are covered in snow inside New Orleans Musical Legends Park on Bourbon Street on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.]()
Image 7 of 14Statues are covered in snow inside New Orleans Musical Legends Park on Bourbon Street on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the city shutting down schools and businesses and drawing out locals, many of whom had never seen snow before. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images) ( )
![Large Winter Storm Brings Rare Snowfall To Large Swath Of Southern States]()
Image 8 of 14BONIFAY, FLORIDA - JANUARY 21: A sign displays a winter storm warning on January 21, 2025 in Bonifay, Florida. The National Weather Service has placed North Florida under a winter storm warning with some predicting the Gulf’s biggest snow and ice storm in more than 100 years. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)
![Wintry mix reported at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida]()
Image 9 of 14Wintry mix reported at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida ( )
![People take photos of the Mississippi River during heavy snowfall by a docked riverboat on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.]()
Image 10 of 14People take photos of the Mississippi River during heavy snowfall by a docked riverboat on January 21, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A winter storm brought rare snowfall to the city shutting down schools and businesses and drawing out locals, many of whom had never seen snow before. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images) ( )
![Snow at Houston's IAH Airport]()
Image 11 of 14Snow at Houston's IAH Airport on Jan. 21, 2025. (Houston Intercontinental Airport)
![Texas State Sen. Paul Bettencourt shared photos of the snow in Houston as a winter storm slammed the region on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.]()
Image 12 of 14Texas State Sen. Paul Bettencourt shared photos of the snow in Houston as a winter storm slammed the region on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (@TeamBettencourt/X)
![Snow covers US 51 Robert E. Mayers Jr. Memorial Bridge in Manchac, LA, on Tuesday.]()
Image 13 of 14Snow covers US 51 Robert E. Mayers Jr. Memorial Bridge in Manchac, LA, on Tuesday. (@La_DOTD)
![Snow blankets Canal Street and the Central Business District in New Orleans on Jan. 21, 2025 during a major winter storm.]()
Image 14 of 14Snow blankets Canal Street and the Central Business District in New Orleans on Jan. 21, 2025 during a major winter storm. ( )
Parts of interstates 55, 10 and 12 in Louisiana were closed until further notice due to hazardous winter conditions.
Beachgoers trade sand for snow
Locations along the Gulf Coast known for their marine activities and beaches were also in the snow globe created by the historic winter storm.
Snow blanketed beaches and palm trees from Galveston, Texas, to Biloxi, Mississippi.
The NWS office in Mobile reported 6.2" of snow at Mobile Regional Airport, which broke their all-time snowfall record.
Snow flies in Galveston, Texas
Video from Galveston, Texas, shows snow covering palm trees, homes and the shoreline during a winter storm that hit the Gulf Coast on Jan. 21, 2025.
SEE IT: GULF COAST BEACHES COVERED WITH SNOW DURING HISTORIC WINTER STORM
Even Northwest and Northeast Florida and parts of southern Georgia saw snow, leading to road shutdowns, airport closures and breaking records.
Snow covers beach in Biloxi, Mississippi
Video from Biloxi shows a light layer of snow covering the beach Tuesday. A historic snowstorm is moving through the Gulf Coast, bringing snow to places that never see it.
Potentially record-setting snow for Florida
Perhaps no place feels more in a surreal alternate universe than the Florida Panhandle, which is on track to shatter previous state records for snowfall.
While the official record is 4.0 inches, unofficial snow reports across the Panhandle are well over that mark, with 8.8 inches reported in Milton and 6.5 inches reported along Pensacola Beach as of Tuesday evening.
"We used to think Blizzard Beach was a theme park in Orlando. It turns out that we may see some snow on our beaches throughout northwest Florida and even into Tallahassee and beyond," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
Snow along Orange Beach, Alabama on Jan. 21, 2025.
The main entrance to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola was closed on Tuesday due to icy road conditions created by the storm.
Winter weather effectively shut down the Jacksonville International Airport on Tuesday night. Airport officials expect it will reopen by noon Wednesday.
Wintry mix reported at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
(FOX Weather)
Winter weather alerts remain in effect for several states from Louisiana to North Carolina, including several major metropolitan areas.
UNUSUAL SIGHTS SPOTTED ACROSS SOUTH AS ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION WINTER STORM DUMPS SNOW
Nearly every state impacted by this system was under a state of emergency, including Florida. Tallahassee and Jacksonville in northern Florida are both under Winter Storm Warnings.
Blizzard conditions wallop Jennings, Louisiana on I-10: 'Absolutely incredible'
FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic reports live along I-10 in blizzard conditions near Jennings, Louisiana, on Tuesday.
DeSantis said the state has over 250 Department of Transportation team members and nearly 200 pieces of heavy equipment ready to support with pre-staged items, including deicing chemicals and 11 snowplows.
"Believe it or not, in the state of Florida, we're mobilizing snowplows," he said.
A chilly morning in Milton, Florida, on Tuesday at a frigid 29 degrees, and even the town fountain is frozen.
(@jmorgan_wx/X / FOX Weather)
Widespread impacts of the snowstorm continued into Tuesday night as snow moves into South Carolina, southern Georgia and northeastern Florida.
Dogs playing in the snow outside of Atlanta
A widespread snowstorm dropped fresh snow from Texas to Florida. Flakes were falling in East Point outside of Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday afternoon where two dogs enjoyed playing in the fresh snow.
The National Weather Service in Atlanta reported snow falling across areas southwest of Atlanta by Tuesday afternoon. More reports of snow were coming in from East Point, southwest of the city before snow eventually stuck to the ground in Atlanta.