Have there ever been snow squalls blowning off the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf States?

Question

Is it possible especially this week with a strong NorthWest Wind blowing off the Gulf of Mexico to create snow squalls/snow showers over FL? Has it ever happened like in the Great Lakes?

Answer 1

Throughout all of history, I'd have to probably say that it has probably happened at some point in northwesterly flow in the coastal regions bounded by Dixie to Panella counties. A Google search turned up an incident around Melbourne that occurred under northerly/northeasterly flow with an arctic airmass already in place, but it wasn't even close to the intensity commonly experienced around the Great Lakes and other places. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/surveys/012403/flurries.html

The links below this paragraph will give you the scoop on lake/ocean effect snow. Note that the major on/off switch to the whole process is that there needs to be at least a 13C difference between the water temperature and the air temperature at 850 millibars (roughly 5000 feet). And also recognize that the freezing level needs to be lower than about 1200-1300 feet in order for snow to reach the ground.
http://www.theweatherprediction.com/winterwx/lesnow/
http://meted.ucar.edu/norlat/snow/lake_effect/

Given that the water temps are around 13-16C and the forecasted 850mb temps (from model data generated by computers) are going to be around 01-03C...I would say that the freezing level will not going to be low enough for parts of FL to get snow. The 28 Jan 00Z sounding from Tallahassee also illustrates this.
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/upper/tlh.gif

Answer 2

Gulf States like Florida, not that i know of but in the great lakes yeah. Its a very common pattern for the Great Lake States

Answer 3

Well I think tobm 01 got there before me. But I would have to say yes there has. It has had to hit sometime throughout life.