One of the largest and most memorable snowstorms in the Southeast occurred just before the Christmas of 1989 and produced a white Christmas for many. Many cities across the Southeast set records of all-time snowfall and snow flurries were reported as far south as Tampa and Sarasota.
In addition to the snow, cold temperatures followed the
storm. Temperatures dropped to below zero in parts of North Carolina and reached
44 degrees in Key West, FL. The combination of the wintery weather and the cold
temperatures destroyed must of the local citrus trees. Crop damage totaled
around $1.4 billion (30% of the vegetation was lost).
Synoptically speaking, the storm system developed off the coast of the Georgia as a strong Artic high pressure system moved over the Central U.S. The ridge had a pressure of 1054 mb which helped usher in the cold temperatures. The Southeast had already seen an artic front push through the day before the storm system developed. The low pressure system moved off to the north and east.
Local
Snow Reports
JIA: 0.8 inches
NAS Jax: 1 inch
Jax Beach: 2.5 inches
Mayport: 2.9 inches
Live Oak: 3 inches
Comments