Snowfall set records in places and triggered some of the first-ever blizzard warnings for parts of the country on Tuesday as an unusual weather pattern brought freezing temperatures to the U.S. South.
The National Weather Service said 7 to 8 inches of snow fell between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, where New Orleans' record for snowfall is 2.7 inches, set in 1963.
Pensacola, Florida, registered 5 inches, beating a state record of 4 inches from 1954.
A winter storm warning was in effect Tuesday along the Gulf Coast from South Texas all the way to Florida. There were also winter storm warnings in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Frigid air also continued to sit over much of the contiguous U.S. Tuesday, dragging wind chill temperatures down to 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Texas. In total, nearly 250 million Americans were under cold weather advisories or extreme cold warnings.
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The National Weather Service said it issued its first-ever blizzard warnings for Jefferson and Orange counties in Texas, as well as Cameron, Calcasieu, Jeff Davis, Acadia, Vermilion, and Lafayette parishes in Louisiana. Heavy snow combined with winds topping 35 mph is expected for the region. The blizzard warning was dropped by Tuesday afternoon, but roads remained snow-covered as the advisory ended.
Tuesday's storm also marked the first time that a blizzard warning has been issued anywhere in the state of Louisiana.
Airports Disrupted
The weather continued to cramp air travel across the south even as the storm moved off. According to FlightAware.com, there were more than 2,200 cancellations and more than 4,000 delays at U.S. airports Tuesday.
Nearly all flights in and out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and Houston's William P. Hobby Airport were canceled Tuesday. San Antonio International Airport also experienced a sizable number of cancellations.
Most major airlines were offering travel waivers, making it easier for passengers to rebook their flights for another day.
Highways Snarled
Sections of Interstates 10, 45, and 69 were closed on Tuesday in and around the Houston area. Additionally, Interstate 10 in both the eastbound and westbound directions from Interstate 49 to La. 415 was closed on Tuesday amid blizzard-like conditions.
Officials also closed the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge north of New Orleans due to ice buildup.
Forecasts indicate that most of the Deep South should rise above freezing on Wednesday, but it might be early next week before temperatures return to near normal.
