Atypical Winter Weather Sends Snow and Ice Across Gulf Coast

It was a historic day along the Gulf Coast on Tuesday as a blizzard warning was issued for the first time in some communities. Here is a look at this rare winter storm for this part of the U.S. as well as what the region should expect in the days ahead.

Rare Winter Weather Blasts the U.S. Gulf Coast

A record-breaking winter storm roared through the southern U.S. on Tuesday, bringing life to a halt for residents not accustomed to this type of wintry precipitation. The snow line stretched from Texas and into northern Florida. A number of major metropolitan areas picked up measurable snowfall, including Houston and New Orleans, as the flakes flew well south of Interstate 10.

A state of emergency was issued for Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi due to the hazardous weather conditions. Widespread school and business closures were the story of the day.

By the middle of the afternoon, 9.5 inches of snow had been recorded in Lafayette, Louisiana, while 10.5 inches had fallen across the town of Rayne. Parts of Mississippi and Alabama had already seen up to 4 inches of snow by the time that the sun went down on Tuesday.

The storm was blamed on at least one fatal vehicle crash. Authorities were reporting "several fatalities" on the accident that happened on Highway 57 near Batesville, Texas. This town is located about 80 miles to the southwest of San Antonio.

A blizzard warning was put into effect for parts of the Gulf Coast from southeastern Texas and into southwestern Louisiana. The National Weather Service (NWS) defines a blizzard as snow that falls when winds are whipping around at speeds of at least 35 mph, limiting visibility to less than a quarter of a mile for at least three straight hours.