Travel in the Gulf Coast region could be severely impacted by a rare winter storm, resulting in dangerous or even impossible conditions for several days. The storm, which is bringing heavy snow and ice, is affecting areas from San Antonio and Houston in Texas to Jacksonville, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia.
Millions of people living in the Gulf Coast states are preparing themselves for an unusual winter storm that is making its way along the northern Gulf of Mexico. According to meteorologists from AccuWeather, this storm is expected to bring hazardous snow and ice conditions along a stretch of 1,000 miles on Interstate 10, spanning from Texas to Florida and Georgia. The severity of this storm has the potential to disrupt travel for several days and result in prolonged power outages in certain areas of the region.
This snow and ice storm could be the most significant one in over a century for certain areas of the western and northern Gulf coast. It has the potential to leave a lasting impression on people’s memories for decades to come.
Major cities in the southern United States, including Austin, San Antonio, and Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Lake Charles, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Biloxi, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; Savannah, Georgia; and Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville, Florida, will suffer from the storm’s impact in the form of snow and/or ice.
A rare winter storm so far south
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The storm is being driven further south by a blast of dry, Arctic air. As a result, it is bringing wintry precipitation to the Gulf Coast of the U.S. This region seldom sees even flurries, let alone the several inches of snow that this storm is expected to bring.
AccuWeather’s Chief Meteorologist, Jonathan Porter, warns that the upcoming winter storm along the upper Gulf Coast is expected to be both rare and exceptionally dangerous. Porter predicts that this storm will cause significant and prolonged travel disruptions.
New Orleans hasn’t seen more than a few snowflakes in over 15 years, with the last significant snowfall occurring in December 2009. Throughout history, measurable snowfall has only occurred eight times since 1948. The impending storm is set to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for the New Orleans area, as well as other parts of southern Louisiana and the central Gulf coast.
In 1989, during the Christmas week storm, Jacksonville, Florida experienced a rare phenomenon – measurable snowfall. Surprisingly, almost 2 inches of snow covered the city during this memorable event.
Snowfall in Houston is not a frequent occurrence, although it is not as rare as in New Orleans and Jacksonville. The most recent snowfall in Houston was in February 2021 when a severe freeze resulted in substantial snow accumulation. This weather event affected various regions across Texas, as well as parts of northern and central Louisiana and Mississippi.
One of the most notable snowstorms in the history of the now-I-10 corridor occurred over 100 years ago, specifically from February 14-15, 1895. This massive storm brought an astonishing 6-20 inches of snow along the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
A significant amount of snow, ranging from 1 to 6 inches, is expected to cover a wide area from the upper Texas coast to the Carolina coast. There may be even higher amounts in some localized regions. The highest snowfall is forecasted to occur near and slightly north of Interstate 10, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 14 inches.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham warned that travel along vast stretches of the I-10 corridor may become dangerous or even impossible for several hours to days following the storm.
Interior South to be on storm’s edge
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson, it is unusual for a snowstorm to pass Atlanta to the south. However, that is exactly what is happening with this current storm in the southern United States.
The storm is predicted to make a last-minute shift northwards, potentially bringing a few inches of snow to central Mississippi, as well as parts of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and southeastern North Carolina. However, the heaviest snowfall is expected along the Gulf and southern East coasts. In the event that the storm intensifies and expands, there is a possibility of scattered snow and hazardous travel conditions in Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, and Charlotte.
In some parts of north-central Florida, there is a possibility of a slight drop in temperatures that could potentially lead to rain transforming into snow or freezing on elevated and exposed surfaces. This condition is likely to occur between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
There is a high chance of a severe ice storm occurring in areas near and west of Jacksonville, southern Georgia, and parts of South Texas including Corpus Christi, Victoria, and Laredo.
The determining factor will be whether the precipitation consists mainly of sleet or snow instead of freezing rain. Sleet and, to some extent, snow will easily slide off trees and power lines. However, freezing rain and wet snow have the potential to burden trees, causing them to collapse and take down power lines.
Lingering frigid conditions alone will cause major trouble
The winter storms in the southern U.S. pose a significant challenge due to the region’s lack of preparation. Numerous highways, including I-10, may face prolonged closures as a result.
During subfreezing temperatures, snow and ice have the ability to linger on the ground for several days. In cases where the daytime temperatures rise above freezing but then drop below 32 degrees at night, it is possible for new patches of ice to form.
The closure of schools may extend for several days, while certain businesses may experience a delay in their reopening.
The bitter cold that follows the storm poses a rare threat to people in the Southern states: frostbite and hypothermia for those who are not adequately dressed or lacking heat.
According to Porter, as hundreds of millions of people in the central and eastern U.S. try to turn up the heat, the electrical grid may face significant strain.
The freezing temperatures can bring significant challenges to both homes and businesses, especially when the power outage lasts for an extended period. Porter emphasized the potential consequences, stating, “The extremely cold air can lead to pipe bursts in unheated spaces, resulting in extensive water damage.”
Cities such as Dallas, Shreveport, and Memphis will be plunged into freezing temperatures and the threat of burst pipes, while the I-20 and I-40 corridors will be spared from snow and ice.
According to Porter, individuals residing in the southern United States who have been directly impacted by the winter storm will face numerous disruptions in their daily routines.
