In January 2025, a winter storm in the Southeastern US brought heavy snow and freezing temperatures, disrupting travel with record-breaking snowfall and closing over 200 miles of Interstate 10. On January 22, a low-pressure system over the Gulf Coast collided with an Arctic air mass, sending temperatures in southern Texas and Louisiana into the single digits. In 95 years of record keeping, the lowest temperature ever recorded at Baton Rouge’s airport was measured at 7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 14 degrees Celsius).

Blizzard Conditions Across the Southeast

Unused to snow and ice, southwestern Louisiana experienced blizzard conditions due to winter weather bands. The heavy snow was accompanied by gusts of wind ranging from 30 to 40 miles (50 to 65 kilometers) per hour, which made visibility difficult. On January 22, snow totals in several places, including Pensacola, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; and New Orleans, Louisiana, set records. Pensacola had about 5 inches (13 centimeters) of snow, while New Orleans received about 8 inches (20 centimeters).

When NASA’s Terra satellite’s MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) captured a picture of the storm on January 22, flakes were still falling across the Carolinas and southeast Virginia. Along the Mississippi River’s meandering path, vast expanses of the Gulf Coast were covered in pure white snow, resembling a tundra.

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Unusual Winter Landscapes and Lingering Cold

The National Weather Service reported that the winter storm in the Southeastern US deposited more snow on New Orleans than Anchorage, Alaska, had seen since the start of the meteorological winter. According to Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium professor of coastal geology Alex Kolker, the graphic shows several of the Mississippi’s historic river routes. He clarified that the delta’s riverbanks appeared brighter on satellite photos because they held more snow due to the accumulation of sediment over time.

On the morning of January 23, the south remained cold, with significant portions of Interstate 10 still closed because of icy conditions. The area was covered in snow after the storm, which contrasted sharply with the typical look of the Gulf Coast.

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