“North winds 25 to 30 knots with gusts up to 45 knots. Seas 7 to 10 feet, occasionally to 13 feet,” the NWS marine forecast from Fernandina Beach south to St. Augustine said. “Intracoastal waters very rough. Showers. Freezing rain after midnight.”

Climatologically, it is not supposed to snow in South Florida. The laid-back tropics are a region constantly gaining energy from the sun, and with Florida's temperatures moderated by warm water on three sides, snow is unusual even in the northern reaches of the state.

Meteorologists were left speechless Tuesday as record amounts of snow fell along the Gulf Coast. Here’s why it was so snowy.