Snowman and snow on the Beach — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Artiom Photo
PENSACOLA, Fla. – For the second consecutive year, a tiny portion of Florida is the Snowy State.
On Sunday morning, just enough cold air surged in behind a cold front to turn the last rain showers in the Sunshine State into snowflakes, temporarily covering the grass and rooftops in sections of the western Florida Panhandle.
Even though the visiting teams are from warmer climates, the winter weather promised to disrupt postseason football in locations like Boston and Chicago that are more used to it. Additionally, people in the upper Midwest prepared for blizzard conditions.
The snowfall in the South wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The most major snowfall in many places since the late 1800s occurred less than a year ago on January 21, 2025, when up to 8 inches (20 cm) of snow fell in some of the same parts of Florida that temporarily had chilly lawns.
Social media was inundated with images of snow. Snow tucked under palm fronds and a few flakes on the beach. A sprinkling of snow stayed on the grass for a short while before mostly melting since it was too warm to stay on the roadways.
Not just Florida experienced the uncommon snowfall in the South. In addition to celebrating a second winter wonderland in less than a year, certain parts of southern Georgia and southeastern Alabama reported snowfall.
Officials cautioned that enough snow would fall in some areas to make travel dangerous. Snow was already covering the ground in Columbus and Macon, Georgia.
It was predicted that New England would see more snowfall. The New England Patriots were hosting the Houston Texans in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and three to five inches (7 to 13 centimeters) of afternoon and evening snow was forecast for these states.
Although the worst snowfall wasn’t anticipated until 7 p.m., long after the game’s 3 p.m. kickoff, National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Pederson warned residents in the Boston region to expect “wet and heavy” snow showers.
A low-pressure system is moving offshore, and while it’s close enough to bring some snow, it’s far enough away to not cause a significant impact, according to Pederson.
Chicago was also expected to have snow, but considerably less of it; there, the Bears will meet the Rams from sunny Los Angeles in extremely cold temps. Temperatures in the teens and a wind chill of almost zero were the biggest concerns, but snow accumulation was predicted to be minor.
Parts of northwest and west central Minnesota and southeast North Dakota were under a blizzard warning through 9 p.m. local time. Although two inches (5 cm) of snow was predicted, wind gusts of up to 55 mph (88 kph) could cause whiteout conditions, making travel dangerous and potentially fatal, according to forecasters.
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
