A significant winter storm is impacting the Gulf Coast states, causing widespread concern as it moves along the northern Gulf of Mexico.
According to AccuWeather meteorologists, this storm is expected to bring hazardous snow and ice along 1,000 miles of Interstate 10, stretching from central Texas to northern Florida, as well as affecting coastal areas in Georgia and the Carolinas.
The storm poses a threat to travel, with the potential to disrupt transportation for several days and lead to prolonged power outages in certain regions.
As of Tuesday morning, a blizzard warning has been issued for areas from the upper Texas coast to parts of the Louisiana coast.
Blizzard conditions are defined as having visibility of one-quarter of a mile or less due to snow or blowing snow, combined with winds of 35 mph or greater for a duration of at least three consecutive hours.
Already, roads and airports along the Gulf Coast, including Houston, have been closed due to the storm’s impact.
For parts of the western and northern Gulf Coast, this storm could represent the most significant snow and ice event in over a century, potentially leaving a lasting impression for years to come.
Major southern U.S. cities—such as Austin, San Antonio, and Houston in Texas; New Orleans, Lake Charles, and Baton Rouge in Louisiana; Biloxi in Mississippi; Mobile in Alabama; and Savannah, Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville in Florida—are all expected to experience adverse weather conditions due to snow and/or ice.
The storm’s severity is attributed to an influx of dry, Arctic air forcing the storm system to track closely along the Gulf Coast of the United States, a region that rarely sees significant winter precipitation.
This unusual weather pattern is resulting in forecasts of several inches of snow, a rarity for the area.
