An unseasonably deep cold airmass was in place across the southeast region. An area of low pressure deepened near the Bahamas during the day as a vigorous upper level trough swept over the region from the west.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS JAX wrote it up.
An unseasonably deep cold airmass was in place across the southeast region. An area of low pressure deepened near the Bahamas during the day as a vigorous upper level trough swept over the region from the west. The upper level lift, cold airmass, and strong low level winds created an area of freezing precipitation across the forecast area, with freezing rain up to 0.50 thick across NE FL and SE GA generally south of Waycross, with a historic snowfall from Homerville to Waycross to Jesup northward with amounts of 2-4 inches and up to 6 inches. Widespread power outages occurred due to frozen precipitation and numerous roads were closed.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 2, 8:22 PM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
822 PM EST Tue Jan 2 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER EVENT ON THE WAY...
.UPDATE...
No changes planned to current winter warnings and advisories with
this update. Changes may need to be made during the night as the
00z guidance becomes available. The region currently under an
advisory may need to be upgraded to a warning depending on how the
temperature and dewpoints trend Tonight. The current downward
trend in the dewpoints in this area is being monitored.
The expected accumulation of ice in addition to the snowfall
potential would make this system a VERY SIGNIFICANT wintry weather
event.
&&
.AVIATION...
Restrictions will be expected for the majority of this 00z TAF
period, as stratus continues to overspread the region, with
ceiling heights lowering and wintry precipitation moving in.
Precipitation will overspread the region from the Southwest
Tonight, and continue through Wednesday.
There is a significant chance for this precipitation to be in the
form of freezing rain, especially Wednesday morning at area TAF
sites. For KSSI, this potential will extend through the day
Wednesday, with a period of snow and sleet also possible.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG 26 33 19 37 / 40 80 0 0
SSI 33 37 26 41 / 50 90 10 0
JAX 32 35 25 43 / 60 90 0 0
SGJ 40 43 28 45 / 50 80 10 0
GNV 33 37 25 45 / 80 80 0 0
OCF 38 42 26 51 / 60 80 0 0
&&
.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...Winter Storm Warning from 4 AM to 5 PM EST Wednesday for Baker-
Columbia-Gilchrist-Hamilton-Inland Nassau-Suwannee-Union.
Wind Chill Advisory from 1 AM Wednesday to 9 AM EST Thursday for
Alachua-Baker-Bradford-Clay-Columbia-Gilchrist-Hamilton-
Inland Duval-Inland Nassau-Suwannee-Union.
High Rip Current Risk through Wednesday evening for Coastal
Duval-Coastal Nassau-Flagler-St. Johns.
Coastal Flood Advisory until 1 PM EST Wednesday for Coastal
Duval-Coastal Nassau-Flagler-St. Johns.
High Surf Advisory until 1 PM EST Wednesday for Coastal Duval-
Coastal Nassau-Flagler-St. Johns.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM to 5 PM EST Wednesday for
Alachua-Bradford-Clay-Coastal Nassau-Inland Duval.
Freeze Warning from 3 AM Wednesday to 9 AM EST Thursday for
Baker-Columbia-Gilchrist-Hamilton-Inland Nassau-Suwannee-
Union.
GA...Winter Storm Warning from 4 AM to 5 PM EST Wednesday for Appling-
Atkinson-Bacon-Brantley-Charlton-Clinch-Coastal Camden-
Coastal Glynn-Coffee-Echols-Inland Camden-Inland Glynn-Jeff
Davis-Pierce-Ware-Wayne.
Wind Chill Advisory from 1 AM Wednesday to 9 AM EST Thursday for
Appling-Atkinson-Bacon-Brantley-Charlton-Clinch-Coastal
Camden-Coastal Glynn-Coffee-Echols-Inland Camden-Inland
Glynn-Jeff Davis-Pierce-Ware-Wayne.
High Rip Current Risk through Wednesday evening for Coastal
Camden-Coastal Glynn.
Coastal Flood Advisory until 1 PM EST Wednesday for Coastal
Camden-Coastal Glynn.
Hard Freeze Warning from 3 AM to 9 AM EST Wednesday for Appling-
Atkinson-Bacon-Coffee-Jeff Davis-Wayne.
AM...Gale Watch from Wednesday morning through late Wednesday night
for Waters from Altamaha Sound GA to Fernandina Beach FL
from 20 to 60 NM-Waters from Fernandina Beach to St.
Augustine FL from 20 to 60 NM-Waters from St. Augustine to
Flagler Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM EST Wednesday for Waters from
Altamaha Sound GA to Fernandina Beach FL from 20 to 60 NM-
Waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL from 20 to
60 NM-Waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL from 20
to 60 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM EST Thursday for Coastal waters
from Altamaha Sound to Fernandina Beach FL out 20 NM-
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL
out 20 NM-Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler
Beach FL out 20 NM.
&&
23The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter storm, 2 coastal flood, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Beach erosion and coastal flooding impacted the Flagler county coast.
At 4:18 am, the public reported freezing rain was starting to accumulate on vegetation and vehicles in Lake City. At 6 am, the broadcast media reported freezing rain in Lake City. At 9:30 am, the public reported an accumulation of 0.25 inches of freezing rain in Lake City. At 9:50 am, the media reported power outages in Lake City, as well as south of town. At 11:33 am, law enforcement reported freezing rain accumulation about 1 mile SE of Lake City caused power lines and tree limbs to fall down. At 1:41 pm, the public estimated a quarter inch of ice accumulation due to freezing rain in Lake City.
Freezing rain was observed, about a tenth to quarter in thick on vegetation in Jennings.
At 7:13 am, the public reported freezing rain about 3 miles WSW of Lake Butler with sleet reported along Highway 231. At 11:50 am, the public reported light snow about 1 miles SW of Lake Butler.
At 7:28 am, the public reported freezing rain accumulation on a porch about 4 miles WSW of Glen St. Mary.
At 7:45 am, light ice accumulation was observed on vehicles at the National Weather Service office, located at the Jacksonville International Airport. At 12:28 pm, the emergency manager reported a few local fire stations in western Duval county near Baldwin lost commercial power due to icing on power lines.
At 7:52 am, the public reported freezing rain accumulation on vehicles in Callahan. At 8:30 am, the broadcast media reported freezing rain caused ice accumulation on elevated surfaces and cars in Bryceville. At 10 am, the media reported about 270 folks had power loss along Andrews Road in Hilliard due to freezing rain and ice accumulation. At 10:52 am, the public reported freezing rain ice accumulations of about 0.25 inches in Hilliard.
There was some ice accumulation about 4 miles NW of La Crosse per a public report on social media.
At 8:45 am, the public reported freezing rain caused light ice accumulation about 3 miles W of Bell. At 5 pm, the emergency manager estimated about 0.1 to 0.25 inches of ice accumulation due to freezing rain between Bell and Trenton earlier in the day. A few power outages occurred due to ice accumulation.
An abandoned structure located on the coast at South Ponte Vedra Beach collapsed due to beach erosion. Strong onshore flow combined with high astronomical tides produce minor coastal flooding along the coast, and a coastal flood advisory was in effect.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Florida in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Florida, January 2018
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 733877, 726432, 733876, 726433, 726439, 726451, 726443, 726450, 726445, 726454.