The winter storm that moved through Florida on Tuesday into Wednesday is one for the record books, smashing the previous all-time high for snowfall in the Sunshine State.
There were 18,000 Florida homes without power as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Governor’s Office. Some 20,000 have already been restored after losing power across the state during the storm. “Extreme Cold Warnings” remain in effect for most of the Panhandle through Thursday morning.
The winter storm that crossed the Gulf coast and landed in Florida earlier this week is one for the record books, smashing the previous all-time high for snowfall in the Sunshine State.
The major winter storm moved east Wednesday, spreading heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and the eastern Carolinas. The precipitation hitting parts of the Deep South came as a blast of arctic air plunged much of the Midwest and the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.
According to The National Centers for Environmental Information, the previous Florida record for the most snow in 24 hours was set in Milton, Santa Rosa County, on March 6, 1954, when four inches was recorded.
Not only did Florida get record snowfall, but it was colder in Pensacola this morning than it was in Anchorage, Alaska.
Expect temperatures to get warmer during the days through the weekend, but overnight lows will still be freezing for most of North and Central Florida.
Some areas in Florida racked up more snow than Anchorage, Alaska, which has seen just 3.8 inches since Dec. 1, according to AccuWeather (don't get too cocky, Anchorage had more than 25 inches of snow in October and November). So far during this meteorogical winter:
Snow in the Sunshine State doesn't happen very often. But it did. And here are the photos from Pensacola to Yulee to prove it.
Storm Warning is in effect for the entire Interstate 10 corridor where snow and ice accumulations could reach 4" over the next 24 hours. Pensacola will likely see the most snowfall in the state while greater amounts of ice are anticipated for cities such as Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
While the snow may be over, the cold isn't, and that brings another hazard to Florida motorists not used to driving in snow and ice.
The federal farm bill was last updated in 2018. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson wants state lawmakers to allocate around $50 million to help farmers impacted by the hurricanes.