The second major winter storm of 2025 continues to brew and now threatens to drop snow and ice along a 1,500-mile corridor of the southern United States. While Florida likely won’t be on the receiving end of any snow, the storm will bring heavy storms to the Panhandle area and impede air travel.
The winter storm, which has unofficially been dubbed Winter Storm Cora, is targeting the south-central and southeastern United States. AccuWeather predicts the storm will bring between 1-6 inches of snow from central Texas through Tennessee and the southern Appalachians between Thursday and Friday.
Some areas north of Dallas to Little Rock, Arkansas, as well as eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina mountains, could see as much as 6-12 inches of snow.
Winter Storm Cora will bring subfreezing temperatures to Florida through mid-January.
“The Dallas metro area is within a zone where snowfall during the first part of the storm will be limited by sleet and freezing rain,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. “Because of some ice on the front end of the storm, the snowiest second half of the storm is expected to bring 3-6 inches. A heavier amount of snow will fall where there is no mixing of sleet and freezing rain with a lower accumulation where the icy mix is long-lasting.”
Northern parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina, as well as the southern part of Arkansas and central Texas, may see some snow, but it will be reduced due to the vast amounts of sleet that will instead hit the areas, according to AccuWeather.
Motorists traveling north of Interstate 10 and south of Interstate 20 should drive with caution on Friday as some areas that may appear to be wet could be covered with a thin sheet of ice.
Winter storm will bring heavy rain to Panhandle, North Florida
Winter Storm Cora will be turning north-northeast as it passes through the Appalachians, which means the chance for winter flurries and the threat of ice is diminished. The storm is expected to grab a lot of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, which will lead to downpours and some thunderstorms along the I-10 corridor from Texas to northern Florida, according to AccuWeather.
“The downpours from Houston to New Orleans and perhaps Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, can be heavy enough to trigger urban flooding,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.
Will Winter Storm Cora bring snow to Florida?
Snowfall from Winter Storm Cora is consolidated into an 1,500-mile strip that runs northeast from Texas to Ohio and Michigan. Northern parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia could see light snow, but there’s no expectation that areas as far south as Florida will see any snow, according to AccuWeather.
How will Winter Storm Cora impact North Florida?
As of right now, Florida can expect very cold temperatures from Winter Storm Cora. Thursday night lows in areas like Pensacola, Tallahassee and Jacksonville will be between 35-45 degrees. Friday will see slightly warmer temperatures before Winter Storm Cora drags them down into the low-30s, according to the National Weather Service.
How long will the cold weather be from Winter Storm Cora?
AccuWeather originally predicted that the central and eastern U.S. would see temperatures 12-25 degrees below typical averages through Jan. 12. That has now been extended slightly through mid-January.
Winter Storm Cora path
AccuWeather says there are several scenarios for Winter Storm Cora, which is expected to pass the Appalachians over the weekend.
“These scenarios range from the storm continuing on nearly straight to the east with little (or no) snow reaching the central Appalachians and upper mid-Atlantic to a storm strengthening and turning northward with an extensive zone of major snow and ice reaching through the mid-Atlantic and into southeastern New England from Saturday to early Sunday,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Florida isn’t under any weather alerts directly related to Winter Storm Cora, but several counties are currently under a freeze warning or watch.
Pensacola 7-day weather forecast
Thursday
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Day: Sunny, with a high near 51. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
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Night: A 20% chance of rain after 3 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday
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Day: Rain. High near 66. Breezy, with a southeast wind 10 to 20 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
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Night: A 30% chance of rain before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 36. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday
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Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 46. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
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Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday
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Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
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Night: A 20% chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. East wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Monday
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Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 59. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
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Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Tuesday
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Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 52.
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Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Wednesday
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Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.
Source: National Weather Service Mobile/Pensacola
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Winter storm will bring snow, ice. How will it impact Florida?