Last Updated: 1:43 p.m.
If you’re hoping to see a few snow flurries as a rare winter storm barrels through the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll have to go north and west of Flagler County even as winter storm warning boundaries were extended southward to include all of Duval and Clay counties overnight. Putnam and St. Johns have a winter storm advisory.
Palm Coast, Flagler Beach and inland Flagler have only a cold-weather advisory from midnight tonight until 10 a.m. Wednesday as north winds of 26 to 31 miles per hour, with higher gusts, will spread wind chill values as low as 25 in parts of the region, and 30 along the coast. The storm is expected to produce about an inch of rain in Palm Coast between today and Wednesday, and possibly more rain Thursday, though daytime temperatures will remain in the 50s.
Flagler County’s cold-weather shelter for the unhoused and those with power issues will open tonight at the Rock Transformation center (formerly Church on the Rock) at 2200 North State Street in Bunnell, at 5 p.m., staying open until 8 a.m. Wednesday. The shelter will not be open Thursday night, but will likely open again Friday night.
Bob Pickering, Flagler County Emergency Management’s weather specialist, said the last time Flagler County had a measurable snowfall was January 19, 1977 where it did cover the ground but melted by mid-day. The last time the county had an ice storm with some snow mixed in was December 23, 1989. There was a dusting of snow on Jan. 9, 2010, which whitened cars’ paint and rooftops, but it was not measurable. There’s also been snow flurries in 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2016.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning affecting millions of residents in eight states from south Texas to coastal North Carolina, with a half dozen counties in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana facing a blizzard warning. Snow accumulations of 2 to 7 inches are possible in those parts of Louisiana and Texas, with certain areas “realistically” getting as much as 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service–what would be a historic snowfall. The Houston Chronicle was reporting between 1 and 2 inches of snow in Houston at daybreak today.
All of Florida’s Panhandle is under a winter storm warning. Tallahassee will see rain, snow and sleet today, then freezing rain and snow overnight, accumulating to up to 2 inches. Conditions will be similar in Jacksonville, but with possible accumulations of ice and snow of less than half an inch. Florida Panhandle school districts are either dismissing students early today or cancelling afterschool activities, and will close Wednesday in anticipation of the storm. Legislative committee meetings planned in Tallahassee this week have been cancelled.
“As of 7 a.m., nothing like that expected for Flagler,” Jonathan Lord, Flagler County’s emergency management director, said this morning. “Northern St. Johns and even parts of Putnam are in the possible 0.01”-0.10” accumulation area.” Flagler schools are operating on a normal schedule today and the rest of the week.
If you’re traveling in areas north and west of Flagler County, ice accumulations this evening through Wednesday morning could impact power lines and utilities, trees, roads and bridges, the National Weather Service cautions: “Icy roads are extremely hazardous and snow could mask ice underneath.”
Declaring a state of emergencies for the Panhandle on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s order said “all modes of hazardous winter weather will be likely, including snow, sleet, and freezing rain.” The order, predicting between 1 to 3 inches of snow, said “ice accumulation from freezing rain is the most impactful winter hazard, and significant impacts to roadways, bridges, trees, and powerlines are possible.” Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie will direct the emergency response and ordered the activation of the Florida National Guard “as needed” to respond.
See the National Weather Service’s full Tuesday morning weather briefing, with maps.
JimboXYZ says
Not disappointed in this weather forecast. The highs for each day won’t change day to day very much, the lows will drop 10 degrees Tuesday thru Friday for about a 8-10 degree mid 40’s to 34. By Sunday, the lows are back to the low 50’s, Highs mid 60’s. As long as the power as annoying as that can be to reset those old clocks that require it, that doesn’t go out for the worst of the rain storms, we should all be good. we’ve actually had colder winters/January in the recent years. 34 should be around the frosty temp more so than a rare snow that hasn’t been seen since the late 1970’s (1977 or whenever that was for Jax => Daytona ?).
https://www.clickorlando.com/weather/2022/01/19/45-years-ago-we-saw-snow-fall-in-central-florida/
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2019/01/07/flashback-do-you-remember-when-it-snowed-in-central-florida/
FLF says
1977 was bad here, snow flurries, really cold for a long time. A major fish kill in the Tomoka and ICW, of all species, the catfish were piled up 100 feet out from the bank. We loaded our skiffs full of dying Trout and Snook. (no limit laws in those days), then 1983, 1985 and 1989 freezes changed the whole Orange Industry and put it on its head and in my opinion started the sale of all those properties throughout the state that was part of the population explosion in this state. I remember having to go pick up parts in Orlando back 45 years ago and once you hit, Debary, Lake Mary on I4, it was orange groves until you were damn near downtown..
Atwp says
Remember the snow in 1977. Was a 19 year old kid, enjoyed walking in the snow, it was cold I was wearing short sleeve. I will not do that today. Enjoyed the snow. It was beautiful.
ByeBye says
If you want snow, I-95 will take you back to New York.
FlaglerLive says
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