January usually brings the coldest air of the season to much of the country. Jan. 2025 did not hold back.
“It seems colder than normal...” You may have heard someone say this in January or you may have said it yourself! We weren’t imagining things. Much of the southern U.S. endured a prolonged cold spell due to several cold snaps. Where did this frigid air come from?
Polar air originates in the polar region and typically stays there. However, every few years, fast westerlies weaken the protective barrier around the cold air. The cold air collapses. This allows warmer air to move north into the polar region and cold air to be pushed south into the mid-latitudes–places like the United States. While certain regions of the U.S. like the upper Midwest and the northern tier, have better chances to feel polar air, it is much less common across the south.
That depends on the city. While cold air is expected in regions like the plains and the Midwest, having such an extended period of cold, and in some places, below-freezing air was a shock to the system
Charleston, SC
Jan. 2025 was the 10th coldest January on record in Charleston, South Carolina. Besides the cold temperatures, the Charleston area recorded measurable snow for the first time since Jan. 2018.
St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg experienced its 9th coldest January in history. Tampa didn’t make the top 10 for the coldest January, but it came in at number 20.
In addition to arctic air in Florida, some Floridians experienced snow for the first time! Pensacola saw almost 9 inches of snow. Other parts of the Gulf Coast and the southeast saw significant snow.
Check out viewer photos from the southern snowstorm in Jan. 2025 here.
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