PENSACOLA — A small part of Florida is the Snowy State for the second year in a row.
Snow briefly covered the grass and rooftops in parts of the western Florida Panhandle on Sunday morning as just enough frigid air rushed in behind a cold front to turn the last rain showers into snowflakes in the Sunshine State.
And it wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Less than a year ago, on Jan. 21, 2025, some of those same areas saw up to 8 inches of snow in what was the most significant snowfall in many places since the late 1800s.
Snow photos flooded social media. There were a few flakes on the beach and snow nestled into palm fronds. It was too warm to stick to the roads, but a dusting of snow sat on the grass for a little while before mostly melting.
The cold front made its way to Tampa Bay by late Sunday morning, quickly turning sunny skies gray with gusty winds and some rain. Temperatures will plunge after the front passes.
Much of Central Florida will be under a freeze warning starting at midnight and lasting until 9 a.m. Monday. Pinellas County and more coastal areas of Hillsborough and Paco counties are under a cold weather advisory, according to the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office.
Lows around Tampa Bay will drop into the high 30s and will fall below freezing in areas inland and farther north. The high Monday likely won’t get out of the 50s with another cold night Monday night into Tuesday morning. Tuesday warms up a bit into the 60s while temperatures return to the 70s on Wednesday, according to a 7-day-forecast from Spectrum Bay News 9.
The rare snow in the South wasn’t just in Florida. Southeastern Alabama and southern Georgia also reported snow in areas that also got to celebrate a second winter wonderland in less than a year.
Snow covered the ground in Columbus and Macon, Georgia, and officials warned enough might fall to make travel treacherous.
Times staff writer Chris Tisch contributed to this report.