Winter Storm Warning for Florida and Texas as Gulf Coast Hit by Heavy Snow
Florida and Texas were both under winter storm warning from the National Weather Service (NWS) on Tuesday morning as an arctic air mass caused plunging temperatures and heavy snow along the Gulf Coast.
Snow can disrupt travel and lead to hazardous driving conditions. Winter storms can also trigger power outages.
Additionally, freezing temperatures may present health risks, especially for vulnerable groups such as infants and older adults.
Areas of Florida under winter storm warning included North and Northeast Florida, while areas of Texas under winter storm warning included the south and southeast portions of the state.
The NWS said forecast heavy mixed precipitation for Florida, with up to four inches of snow accumulation possible in the Northwest regions of the state.
For Texas, the NWS said heavy mixed precipitation was also expected, with snow and sleet accumulations of between two and four inches possible in some parts of the state.
Ice accumulations up to one tenth of an inch were also possible for some areas of Texas, the service said.
Winter storm warnings are issued when "a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent."
The NWS said on Monday a "major" winter storm would begin Monday evenings across eastern Texas, spreading across the southeast and Gulf Coast through Wednesday.
Houston was forecast to see considerable disruptions and dangerous driving conditions.
The westernmost part of Florida's Panhandle was expected to see moderately severe impacts, as was the area around Jacksonville.
NWS Houston said on X: "Sleet & snow showers have developed across the area. Temperatures are also quickly falling below freezing with temperatures as low as 25°F north of the Houston Metro. Roads will become dangerous as the temperatures fall, so please don't be on the roads unless you have to."
NWS Jacksonville said on X: "Winter Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Warning for all of SE GA and a portion of interior NE FL Reminder that forecast values can and will change as the system comes into better focus of the next 18 to 24 hrs."
Meteorologist Gino Recchia said on X: "Step outside and there's no question that it is cold. This push of arctic air is impacting the majority of the country. Cold weather headlines stretch fron Minnesota down to Texas and Florida!"
The NWS previously said it expects that hazardous cold weather would likely persist along the Gulf Coast and across the Southeast U.S. for much of the week.