PENSACOLA, Fla. — 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 be a game-time factor Sunday in playoff football in places more accustomed to it — Chicago and the Boston area.
The Florida snow wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing. About a year ago, on Jan. 21, 2025, some of the same areas of the state that briefly saw frosty lawns this weekend received up to 8 inches 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 extended to other states. Parts of southeastern Alabama and southern Georgia also reported snow.
Snow covered the ground in Columbus and Macon, Ga., and officials warned that enough might fall to make travel treacherous.
Heavier snowfall was expected to hit New England. Three to 5 inches of snow was predicted for Sunday afternoon and evening in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where the New England Patriots were hosting the Houston Texans for an AFC divisional playoff game.
Those in the Boston area can expect “wet and heavy” snow showers, said National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Pederson, although the heaviest snowfall wasn’t expected until 7 p.m., probably after the end of the game, which was scheduled for a 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, but there, it’s the frigid temperatures that were expected to come into play as the Bears host the Rams. Snow accumulation was expected to be minimal, but temperatures in the teens and a wind chill of near zero were the main concern. That NFC divisional playoff is a night game, scheduled to kick off at 5:30 p.m. local time.
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