Last week, a rare and incredible snowstorm swept through the Gulf Coast, leaving its mark in a way we don’t see very often. Believe it or not, this winter, all 50 states in the U.S. have already seen some snowfall—and at one point, all 50 had snow on the ground at the same time. That’s not something you hear about every day!
This unusual storm didn’t just bring snow to places that rarely see it; it also flipped the script on snowfall totals. Some cities in the South, like New Orleans and Pensacola, Florida, ended up with more snow in a day than places like New York City or Philadelphia have had all season.
Snow is almost unheard of in states like Florida and Louisiana, but last week’s storm delivered. According to Adam Douty, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, snow is a bit more common in Alabama and Mississippi, showing up every couple of years. But in Louisiana, snow only makes an appearance about once every five years. Florida? Even rarer—once every 10 to 15 years. Yet, both states were blanketed in snow during this storm.
Even Hawaii, which might sound like the last place to expect snow, had its share earlier this winter. Snow fell in late October on the Big Island’s Mauna Kea, a volcanic summit over 13,000 feet high. For that spot, snow isn’t unusual, but it’s still amazing to think about snow in paradise.
What about climate change? Douty explained that while the world is warming overall, extreme weather events—like this rare snowstorm—are becoming more common. He added that it’s hard to link events like this directly to global warming because they happen so infrequently, making patterns tough to identify just yet.
The last time all 50 states had snow at the same time was back in February 2010. For this kind of widespread snow, Florida is usually the deciding factor. Last week, Florida didn’t just see snow—it shattered records. The Pensacola area got at least 5 inches of snow, while Milton, Florida, saw 10 inches. Both numbers crushed the state’s previous record of 4 inches, which had stood since 1954.
The storm also made history in other Southern cities. New Orleans, which hadn’t seen measurable snow since 2009, got 8 inches. Lafayette, Louisiana, measured 10 inches. Houston, Texas, had its most significant winter storm since 1960, with some areas recording up to 6 inches of snow.
Meanwhile, Northern cities that are usually known for snow haven’t had nearly as much. New York City has only seen 5.5 inches of snow so far this winter, Philadelphia has had 4.9 inches, and even snowy Chicago and Minneapolis are sitting just under 10 inches. Parts of Alaska, like Anchorage, have also been surprisingly snow-deprived, with less than 5 inches recorded so far this season.
Looking ahead, meteorologists predict that temperatures in the eastern U.S. will warm up a bit, making the rest of winter feel more like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs instead of the sustained cold many have experienced. February could bring more snow to cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, so winter isn’t quite over yet.
For now, though, Southern states are marveling at their snowy landscapes, and folks up north are scratching their heads, wondering where all their usual snow has gone. What a winter to remember!
