Record-Breaking Arctic Blast Turns Even The South Into An Icebox

The first major cold spell of the season delivered a shock for 18 million people under a freeze warning across Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

The first major cold spell of the season plunged parts of the southeastern U.S. into record-low temperatures Tuesday, delivering a shock for 18 million people under a freeze warning across Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

Meanwhile, several inches of snow blanketed areas along the eastern Great Lakes as the blast of cold air moved through.

The direct shot of Arctic air affecting the eastern two-thirds of the country migrated east — and far southeast — from the Northern Plains, which was hit with gusty chills and snow over the weekend. For much of the Southeast on Tuesday, that meant an abrupt transition into wintry temperatures after reaching well into the 70s and 80s (21 to 27 Celsius) in recent days.

Some daily records were “absolutely shattered,” said meteorologist Scott Kleebauer, including a low of 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 Celsius) at the airport in Jacksonville, Florida, on Tuesday morning. That broke the previous record low of 35 degrees set in 1977.

The southeastern U.S. will face a few more colder-than-normal days before warming up later in the week.