Small part of Sunshine State becomes Snowy State as Florida gets snow for 2nd year in a row

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — 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.

Elsewhere, the winter weather promised to interfere with playoff football in places — Boston and Chicago — more accustomed to it, although the visiting teams come from warmer climes. And in the upper Midwest, residents braced for blizzard conditions.

The southern snow wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Less than a year ago, on Jan. 21, 2025, some of the same areas of Florida that briefly saw frosty lawns received up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) 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 rare snow in the South wasn’t just in Florida. Southeastern Alabama and southern Georgia also reported snow in some areas as they also celebrated 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 in spots.

Heavier snowfall was expected to hit New England. Three to five inches (7 to 13 centimeters) of afternoon and evening snow was predicted in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where the New England Patriots were hosting the Houston Texans.

Those in the Boston area could expect “wet and heavy” snow showers, said National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Pederson, although the heaviest snowfall wasn’t expected until 7 p.m., long after the game’s 3 p.m. kickoff.

“There’s a low-pressure system passing offshore and it’s close enough to bring us some snow, but far enough away not to be a major hit,” Pederson said.

Snow — but much less of it — was also predicted for Chicago; there, it’s the frigid temperatures that will come into play as the Bears host the Rams from sunny Los Angeles. Snow accumulation was expected to be minimal, but temperatures in the teens and a wind chill of near zero were the main concerns.

A blizzard warning was in effect until 9 p.m. local time for parts of northwest and west central Minnesota and southeast North Dakota. Snow was expected to be limited to two inches (5 centimeters) but forecasters said that wind gusts of up to 55 mph (88 kph) could create whiteout conditions, making travel hazardous and possibly life-threatening.