Florida prepared for one of its most severe winter storms since 1989, with airports closing and officials urging residents in the western Panhandle to avoid traveling.
Snowfall reports ranging from 5 to 12 inches were received around Pensacola on Tuesday evening, which led to the closure of a nearly 70-mile stretch of Interstate 10 by law enforcement.
In response to the storm, the National Weather Service issued an unusual Winter Storm Warning for counties stretching from Pensacola to Jacksonville, alerting residents to snow and ice buildup that could make travel dangerous.
Ahead of the storm, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Monday, anticipating that the wintry conditions in the Panhandle might set new records.

The heaviest snowfall in Florida history was recorded in Milton, near Pensacola, on March 6, 1954, at 4 inches. On Tuesday, the storm surpassed that with reports of 5 to 12 inches in the Pensacola area.
“I don’t have to tell anybody that we’re not necessarily used to walking in a winter wonderland here in Florida,” DeSantis remarked during a press conference at the state’s emergency operations center.
Utility companies along the I-10 corridor were on alert for possible outages, anticipating that significant ice accumulation could cause widespread disruptions.
Snow forced the closure of a portion of I-10 in Florida.
FOX Weather Meteorologist Steve Bender was stationed in Tallahassee on Tuesday, monitoring the shift from liquid precipitation to freezing rain and snow.
The capital city was nearly deserted, as residents braced for the storm, particularly after the region had already experienced an intense hurricane season.
The heaviest snowfall was recorded near Pensacola, where reports indicated snow depths ranging from 5 to 12 inches by Tuesday evening.
Due to hazardous conditions and multiple accidents, Florida Highway Patrol shut down a 70-mile stretch of Interstate 10.
Emergency officials indicated that while some roadways had been pretreated, these efforts were insufficient to combat the severity of the incoming winter storm.
According to the National Weather Service, over 7.6 inches of snow officially fell in Pensacola, with nearby Milton receiving around 8.8 inches.
NWS meteorologists in Tallahassee stated that it would take several days to fully verify snowfall reports and determine if any other city surpassed the Pensacola area’s total for the largest snowfall ever recorded in Florida.
Most school districts between Jacksonville and Pensacola canceled classes on Wednesday, including major universities like Florida State University, FAMU, the University of North Florida, and the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Flights to and from Tallahassee International Airport were canceled by 3 p.m. Tuesday, with the aim of resuming operations by noon on Wednesday.
Similar cancellations were anticipated at Jacksonville International Airport, with the last flight expected to depart around 8 p.m., and normal operations set to return by Wednesday afternoon.
Frozen precipitation is particularly challenging for this region, as many areas lack the necessary equipment, such as snowplows and treatment trucks, to clear roads and airports of hazardous conditions.
Naval Air Station Pensacola closed its main gate to all traffic on Tuesday afternoon as wintry precipitation moved in from the west.
For many cities in North Florida and the Southeast, the Christmas week snowstorm of 1989 remains the benchmark for all winter weather events.
The historic storm system, which began on December 22, traveled across Florida and out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Wilmington, North Carolina, saw 15 inches of snow, while Jacksonville recorded nearly 2 inches.
Between 1 to 4 inches of snow fell along the Interstate 10 corridor from Tallahassee and Florida’s Big Bend to Jacksonville and points north.
The National Weather Service reported that the 1989 storm caused widespread power outages and significant crop damage, with arctic temperatures gripping the region for several days.
{Matzav.com}