KEY POINTS

  • The cold snap caused the temperature to dramatically drop from 75 degrees Fahrenheit from the day before 
  • An official said the snow didn’t stick so it didn’t cause any problems
  • Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing in the area into Tuesday

Parts of the Florida Panhandle received a dusting of snow early Monday after the temperature plunged dramatically from the previous day. A cold front swept through Florida during the overnight hours. This is the first time the state has witnessed snow in four years.

A video posted by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office on Twitter showed a dusting of snow falling in parts of the Florida Panhandle. An officer captured the footage during a patrol at a store parking lot on Beal by B-Shift Central. The day before, the temperature around the area had been 75 degrees, perfect for a beach day.

"Well how’s this for a temperature change? From 75 degrees at 3 in the afternoon to snow at 3 am," the tweet said. "Bundle up out there!"

The snow dusting did not cause any problem as it did not stick to any surface, said Michele Nicholson, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office, was quoted as saying by Associated Press.

In another video shared by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, snow flurries could be seen swirling in Freeport as deputies made a traffic stop. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing in the area into Tuesday, reported Tampa Bay Times.

Okaloosa County is home to Fort Walt Beach and Destin, which is popular for its white sandy beaches and emerald water. Florida had its last significant cold snap in January 2018 when a storm caused snowfall in Tallahassee, Associated Press reported. It was the first snow in three decades and forced school and office closure.

The National Weather Service in Mobile, Alabama, which covers the Florida Panhandle said Monday that the weather is going to be unusually cold and would feel colder than the actual temperature because of winds.

NBC News reported that the biggest snowstorm for the mid-Atlantic since 2019 kicked off the first full week of the new year bringing heavy rain and snow in at least 18 states in the Midwest and southern U.S. Severe storms in Alabama and Georgia knocked out power, damaged homes and downed trees. The storm caused snowfall in portions of northern Alabama, north Georgia, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle.

Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan received heavy snowfall. Over 5,300 flights were canceled due to the winter storm and staff shortage caused by COVID-19 infections.

A winter wonderland for some, travel nightmare for others as Washington and surrounding US states are pummeled by a snowstorm that has cancelled flights, closed schools and paralyzed the US capital city
A "massive" storm is expected to affect large parts of the United States through Friday. AFP / ROBERTO SCHMIDT
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