By: Caleb Seaver, Contributing Writer
Photos by Caleb Seaver

On Jan. 21, a historic winter storm slammed the Gulf Coast, with a record snowfall of 7.5” officially recorded at the Mobile Regional Airport, shattering snowfall records and creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience for students of South Alabama and residents of Mobile.

Snow affecting the Gulf Coast is unusual, but a storm of this caliber is especially rare, breaking a 130-year-old record of 6 inches set in 1895. Mobile had its last measurable snowfall in 2017, with fewer than one inch being recorded. Any amount more than 3 inches has only occurred 10 times in Mobile history, with the last time being in 1963.

Snow began early in the morning on Jan. 21, lasting throughout the entire day. As snow accumulated, totals reached an astonishing 7.5 inches of snow at the Mobile Regional Airport, with reports in other parts of the county as high as 8.5 inches. This broke Mobile’s single-day snowfall record from 1881 and the two-day snowfall record from 1895.

This storm affected cities across the Gulf Coast, with areas in Baldwin County such as Orange Beach receiving 9 inches of snow. In nearby Century, Florida, a recorded snowfall of 10 inches shattered Florida’s statewide record of 4 inches. In New Orleans, Louisiana, a snowfall of 10 inches was recorded, with western areas of the state reaching blizzard conditions with winds of over 35 mph and a visibility of less than one-quarter of a mile for at least 3 hours. 

However, the biggest impact of the storm was not the snow itself, but rather the frigid conditions on the following days. Travel remained restricted well into Friday. Due to the continuous freezing temperatures, snow took a long time to melt and caused classes and business operations to be cancelled throughout the week. During this stretch, Mobile also reached the third coldest temperature ever recorded in the city: a very cold 6 degrees Fahrenheit.

This historic snow also provided many memorable experiences for students, and people could be seen enjoying the snow across South Alabama’s campus. While some students preferred to stay inside to enjoy their off days, many spent their time outside enjoying the snow. Students could be seen building snowmen, having snowball fights, and sledding down the hills across campus or behind trucks. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen people on campus this happy,” said sophomore Jessie Lawley.

“This is the best day of my life,” said freshman Lydia Edmondson.

It was a truly once-in-a-lifetime event for areas all across the Gulf Coast, and it is something that students will not soon forget.