Winter Storm Enzo A Rare Snow, Ice Threat As Far South As Gulf Coast, Including Houston, New Orleans

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A stripe of snow and ice will hit the South early this week due to Winter Storm Enzo, making travel conditions hazardous, particularly in the areas near the Gulf Coast, where winter weather is not common.

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Latest Alerts And Radar

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm alerts across the southern states, affecting central and eastern Texas, as well as parts of Georgia. Cities under these alerts include Houston, New Orleans, Tallahassee and areas within the Atlanta metropolitan region.

These warnings mean that snow, ice, and strong winds could create hazardous conditions at the start of this week. Roads may become covered in snow and/or ice, and power outages are a possibility.

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Here's a look at the latest radar showing where Enzo is currently producing snow.

Here's a day-by-day look at the predicted winter storm and some additional factors to take into account with the forecast:

Overnight Into Early Tuesday

• It's likely that there will be an area of snow, sleet, and freezing rain, especially near and south of Interstate 20 down to the Gulf Coast.
• Major cities in Texas, such as Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi, are facing the potential threat of snow and/or ice.
• The northern part of this winter weather system's coverage is currently the most uncertain aspect of the forecast, so expect things to change.
• A threat of freezing temperatures is forecast for parts of South Texas, from the Galveston area to the Rio Grande Valley.

T​uesday's Forecast

• Potentially severe weather can impact a wide area including southeastern Texas and southern Mississippi, places like Houston and New Orleans.
• Snow and ice will spread further eastward along the Gulf Coast into parts of Alabama and Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, and the Carolinas by Tuesday night.
• For now, precipitation will fall as snow north of Interstate 10, and as a wintry mix south of Interstate 10.
• In the Florida panhandle, precipitation is forecasted to start on Tuesday as regular rain. As the evening hours approach, there's a possibility the rain could change to freezing rain or sleet as the temperature drops.
• Strong winds gusting over 30 miles per hour are possible near the Gulf Coast. This could cause drifting snow and break tree branches.
• The northern and eastern parts of this storm's moisture, and its related snow and ice, are uncertain. This includes the Atlanta area's metropolitan region, where traveling conditions could be hazardous on Tuesday, depending on how far north the storm's snowfall reaches.

Most of this storm should be largely gone by Wednesday morning, but some snow and ice could still be present in northeast Florida and the coastal Carolinas.

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Snowfall Forecast

Here's a look at the latest snowfall forecast, but remember that it may change as there's still some uncertainty in the forecast.

• At least a few inches of snow will accumulate from southeast Texas, extending into Louisiana, the southern part of Mississippi and southern Alabama. When heavier snowfall bands develop, totals could reach up to a half-foot, especially in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas.
• Accumulating snow is also possible in parts of Georgia and the eastern Carolinas.
• As mentioned earlier, it's hard to predict exactly where heavy snowfall may occur north and east, including in Atlanta, the rest of Georgia, and the Carolinas. However, even small amounts of snow could still make travel very hazardous.
• There is also a zone from the Florida panhandle to coastal South Carolina, and also southern Texas, that may receive enough ice to cause tree branches to bend and make roads slippery.

Winter weather Complications Due to usual difficulties

This snow and ice threat setup is typical as we move through late January and into the second half of winter.

A cold snap from the Arctic is dominating the weather in the central and eastern United States, extending down into parts of the Deep South.

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At the same time, a weak wave of low air pressure over the Gulf of Mexico will help push moisture towards the north, leading to snow and ice.

Jonathan Belles has been a meteorologist specializing in graphics and writer for weather.com For 8 years, he’s worked as a weather forecaster and also assisted in video production for the Spanish-language Weather Channel. His preferred kind of weather is tropical, although he also enjoys reporting on significant weather events and winter storms. He’s a graduate of Florida State University with honors, and he’s also a degree-holding alumnus of St. Petersburg College.