JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As a powerful and rare winter storm approaches our area, we wanted to look at the timing for widespread ice and even snow unusually close to Jacksonville.
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On Tuesday evening, precipitation will transition from rain to freezing rain and sleet as temperatures plummet below freezing after sunset.
Press play below to re-watch the 7:30 p.m. update from The Weather Authority
The changeover will occur first north of the Florida-Georgia state line Tuesday evening, later impacting areas south, including Gainesville, and as far east as Elkton after midnight.
Ice will be the most hazardous conditions expected in western Duval and Baker counties.
In Duval County, freezing rain could start accumulating by 11 p.m. on Tuesday and stick to surfaces through 11 a.m. Wednesday.
From western Duval to the Suwannee River Valley, a quarter-inch of ice accumulation could lead to major travel disruptions.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for downtown Jacksonville eastward to the beaches and coastal Nassau County due to the combination of mixed precipitation and ice accumulations of a tenth of an inch, plus a half-inch of sleet/snow, posing a serious risk to travel and utilities.
Snow is likely in Georgia Tuesday night
Snow started around 7 p.m. Tuesday evening and is expected to last until 8 a.m. Wednesday, likely north and west of a line around Waycross.
Accumulations of 1-2 inches are likely, with some models suggesting up to 4 inches across north Florida and Southeast Georgia. Flurries are possible over Northeast Florida mixed in with sleet but any accumulations are unlikely to accumulate.
While coastal areas will stay slightly warmer, with lows in the upper 30s/low 40s, areas west of the St. Johns River will drop into the low 30s, and areas west of Highway 301 will reach the upper 20s.
Southeast Georgia is expected to experience even colder lows, in the low to mid-20s, bringing the potential for a hard freeze.