A look back at the 2025 winter storm in the Deep South

 In late January of 2025, a winter storm brought historic snow, ice, and freezing temperatures to the Deep South, producing impacts rarely seen across the area.

It rewrote record books, turned palm tree-lined streets and beaches white, and proved that even the Gulf Coast isn’t immune to historic winter weather.

The storm delivered jaw-dropping totals to the Florida Panhandle beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Pensacola recorded an incredible 8.9 inches of snow, demolishing a nearly 130-year-old record set during the February 1895 snowstorm.

Florida also set a new statewide snowfall record when Milton measured 9.8 inches, far surpassing the previous state record of 4 inches set in 1954.

A little farther East In Tallahassee, 1.9 inches of snow fell within two days, marking the second-highest two-day snowfall total on record, trailing only the February 1958 event.

Snow and sleet were reported as far east as the I-75 corridor into Taylor County, an exceptionally rare sight.

The snowfall was followed by several nights of hard freezes. In the days that followed, bitter cold settled in and lingered for days. Temperatures across the region plunged into the upper teens and low 20s for several nights.

On Jan. 22, Pensacola dropped to 13°F, breaking a daily record, while Mobile, Alabama, fell to 6°F, tying for its third-coldest temperature on record.

The frigid conditions brought much of the region to a standstill.

Schools, including Florida State University, and many businesses closed for the remainder of the week as snow and ice lingered.

Major roadways were heavily affected, with a 70-mile stretch of Interstate 10 in Florida closing the night of Jan. 21, followed by a nearly 200-mile shutdown when melted snow refroze overnight, creating hazardous travel conditions across the Deep South.

Airports faced widespread delays and closures, and many bridges and overpasses across the region were shut down.

Freezing rain was the biggest issue for areas south and east of Tallahassee. Ice-coated trees and branches collapsed onto powerlines, resulting in numerous power outages across the Big Bend.

Agricultural impacts were also significant, particularly for nursery operations. Several nurseries suffered major losses of plants and structures due to the snow and ice, with some managers saying the damage exceeded that caused by previous hurricanes, according to the National Weather Service.

One year later, the January 2025 winter storm stands as a defining winter event for the Deep South, a storm that reshaped how the region remembers winter weather.