Florida sees snowfall as winter weather grips East Coast

The Sunshine State became an icy winter wonderland Wednesday morning as flakes began falling in northern Florida — part of a larger storm system threatening to drop more than a foot of snow in New England this week.

As of 8 a.m. ET, the National Weather Service’s Tallahassee office tweeted that a moderate sleet and snow mix was on the ground, but that precipitation would end quickly over the course of the following hour.

Forecasts showed possible snow stretching from Tallahassee to Jacksonville, but Tallahassee was forecast to see the most snowfall — about 0.7 inches expected.

A winter storm watch issued Tuesday by the NWS was the first that Tallahassee had received in almost four years. Although Florida’s panhandle saw snow in December, this latest bitter blast left many awestruck with the rare weather event.

Related: South braces for possible snow as cold weather ravages the East Coast

Astonished Floridians quickly began posting videos of the snowfall on Twitter, showing thick flurries landing in backyards and swimming pools.

One person tweeted a photo of snow accumulating in a pair of sandals and atop fire ant hills.

Although Florida won’t receive much snow, the moisture mixed with the cold could still create treacherous conditions.

“There could certainly be some slick spots on the road that could impact travel, and in a region that doesn’t see it often, they’ll need to take care,” NBC meteorologist Sherri Pugh said.

On Wednesday, the office of the mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, urged locals to be careful while traveling.

#WinterStorm update: after our dusting this morning, we are still asking everyone to exercise significant caution and stay off the roads as much as possible. Still very slick,” the office tweeted.

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Winter Storm Grayson may be a damaging ice storm in parts of north Florida and southeast Georgia. Weather Channel

The winter storm, impacting 41 million people from northern Florida to Maine, was expected to intensify in the already-frigid Northeast over the week. The strip of ice and snow stretching up to New England is being caused by a powerful low-pressure system intensifying off the East Coast, according to The Weather Channel.

Winter storm watches were in effect from parts of Virginia to eastern Long Island and New England, The Weather Channel reported.

Photos: Arctic blast leaves half the country in deep freeze

Blizzard conditions are also possible in parts of Maine, and heavy snow is likely as the storm intensifies.

Southern New Hampshire and eastern Long Island also have the potential for blizzard conditions.

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Ice covers a tree Tuesday in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, after a resident left his sprinklers on. Nick Tomecek / Northwest Florida Daily News via AP

Extreme lows coupled with the potential for a loss of power could make for a dangerous combination, meteorologists warned. The cold weather has been linked to the deaths of at least 19 people in the U.S. since Dec. 26.