Snow blankets Florida Panhandle as cold front brings flakes

A small part of Florida’s western Panhandle became the “Snowy State” for a second year in a row as a cold front brought brief snow on Sunday morning, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported that snow briefly covered grass and rooftops in parts of the region when just enough frigid air rushed in behind the cold front and turned the last rain showers into snowflakes.

Elsewhere, the AP said winter weather was expected to interfere with playoff football in places that are more accustomed to it, including New England, where forecasters expected heavier snowfall later Sunday.

In Florida, the AP said the rare snow was also reflected in social media images, with a few flakes reported on the beach and snow nestled into palm fronds. The report said it was too warm for snow to stick to roads, but that a dusting remained on grass for a little while before melting.

The AP said the southern snow was not limited to Florida, with southeastern Alabama and southern Georgia also reporting snow in some areas. In Georgia, it said officials warned that enough snow might fall to make travel treacherous in spots, including in Columbus and Macon, where snow covered the ground.

Further north, the AP said heavier snowfall was expected to hit New England. It reported predictions of 3 to 5 inches (7 to 13 centimeters) of snow in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where the New England Patriots were hosting the Houston Texans.

The AP said the National Weather Service forecast for the Boston area called for “wet and heavy” snow showers, with the heaviest snowfall not expected until 7 p.m., later than the game’s 3 p.m. kickoff. Kyle Pederson, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said there was “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.”

The AP also reported that snow was predicted for Chicago, with minimal accumulation expected. It said temperatures were expected to be in the teens with a wind chill near zero, and that those conditions were the main concerns as the Bears hosted the Rams from Los Angeles.

In the northern Plains, the AP said a blizzard warning was in effect until 9 p.m. local time for parts of northwest and west central Minnesota and southeast North Dakota. The report said snow there was expected to be limited to 2 inches (5 centimeters), but that wind gusts of up to 55 mph (88 kph) could create whiteout conditions, making travel hazardous and possibly life-threatening.