Rare and historic blizzard hits parts of Florida

STORY: :: A rare snowstorm blankets parts of Florida,

covers beaches, lakes and homes

:: Panama City, Florida

:: Fort Walton Beach, Florida

:: January 21, 2025

Local media called the storm historic when Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in response to the storm. Teaching in some areas has been canceled and businesses closed.

The US Gulf Coast storm is breaking snowfall records more than a century old in a southern region where showers are unusual as much of the US remained in a dangerous deep freeze.

A blizzard warning was in effect for 31 million people — from south Texas east through Georgia and north into the Carolinas and into Virginia — until Wednesday (Jan. 22) morning, the National Weather Service said. The storm was expected to crawl through Mississippi, Georgia and Florida early this week.