Winter Storm — Coastal Nassau, Florida

2025-01-21 to 2025-01-22 · Coastal Nassau, Florida

Event narrative

At 7:45 am on 1/22, Nassau County Emergency Management reported that the State Road 200 Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway (Shave Bridge) was closed due to ice accumulation. Multiple accidents were reported across the county due to hazardous driving conditions. At 8:19 am, the public shared a photo via social media of sleet about 0.7 inches thick in Yulee. At 8:30 am, Nassau County Emergency Management and the Florida State Watch Office reported that Interstate 95 in the vicinity of State Road 200 was closed in both directions due to a vehicular accident with an injury. Semi-trucks also jackknifed and crashed on I-95 near the US-17 exit blocking the off ramp and part of the lanes. At 9 am, the public reported 0.3 inches of snow and ice accumulation in Fernandina Beach.

Wider weather episode

A rare winter storm impacted the southeast region as a surface low tracked eastward across the Gulf Coast region with cold air across the region. Snowfall of 3-5 inches impacted parts of SE GA roughly form Homerville to Jesup while a winter mix of sleet and freezing rain impacted locations south of Waycross and east toward the Golden Isles and Nassau County Florida. Snow was observed in Fernandina Beach. Ice accumulations caused major damage to trees, power lines and other utilities across the Golden Isles of SE GA and major traffic accidents along and near the Interstate 95 corridor from Glynn County GA to Nassau County FL. Sleet, patches of ice and some snow impacted the Jacksonville Metro area during the morning of the 22nd. Bridges in downtown Jacksonville had to be closed due to ice for several hours.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1226456. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.