A rare snowstorm is sweeping across the Gulf Coast of the United States. The unusually frigid temperatures have left more than 100,000 homes and businesses without power.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Scenes like these are not typical for Florida.
00:04The Sunshine State, along with other places like Texas and Mississippi,
00:09along the Gulf Coast, normally experience mild winters.
00:13But an unusual sleet of snow has blanketed many places, offering some rare sights.
00:20In Texas, the friendly rivalry between police and firefighters took a chilly turn,
00:27ending in a snowball fight.
00:31Meanwhile, residents of New Orleans woke up to an equally unfamiliar sight.
00:39The last time I remember it snowing was right before Katrina in 2004,
00:43but it wasn't anything significant. It hit the ground and melted.
00:47I don't think I've ever seen snow actually stick to the ground out in New Orleans.
00:51The climate's been working. We might see it again next year. Who knows?
00:55These conditions have prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency.
01:01Officials, including Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, have also issued travel warnings.
01:07Icy roads have caused several fatalities, and over 2,000 flights have been cancelled,
01:13with delays expected throughout the week.
01:19Scientists say extreme weather events like these are becoming more frequent,
01:24and link them to planet-warming emissions that humans are releasing.