Records smashed from Texas to Fla.

A historic winter storm affected all of the Gulf Coast states. Previous old snowfall records were smashed as moisture from the Gulf rode over an already cold air mass, covering beaches in snow.

The snow first impacted parts of San Antonio in Central Texas. Houston recorded record snowfall, as 6 inches fell in many spots, and the city shut down operations to keep residents safe and away as much as possible from the roads. Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airports closed on Tuesday, prompting a domino effect of cancelations on connecting flights nationwide.

The first-ever blizzard was reported in New Orleans, a city that had not recorded snow since 2009 when only a tenth of an inch was reported. Tuesday shattered this last report with 8 inches of snow! Temperatures are still below freezing Wednesday morning and are expected to remain around the freezing mark on Wednesday afternoon. Afternoon temperatures are not likely to exceed the mid-30s all week; therefore, snow will likely linger in many spots.

Florida was another state where the snowfall changed, at least temporarily, the beachy landscape. If not for the flat land, one would think these were images from the Rockies or the Sierras. Pace, Fla., located just north of Pensacola, registered 10.5 inches of snow! Schools were closed on Tuesday and will continue to be closed on Wednesday across the I-10 corridor in the Panhandle and North Florida as there are still icy conditions on the roads.