A rare winter storm has blanketed North Florida and the Panhandle, bringing record-breaking snowfall to Pensacola. While official measurements are still pending, reports from Escambia County indicate as much as 5.5 inches of snow, surpassing the area’s all-time record of 3 inches set in 1895. Some areas are saying as much as 8 inches of snow has fallen.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Sunday, Jan. 19, as forecasters warned of one of the most severe storms in Gulf Coast history.

Amid the chaos, Rabbi Mendel and Nechama Danow, Chabad emissaries to Pensacola, told YWN that the Chabad House remains open. “Despite the snow, people have stopped by for kosher food,” they said, offering a beacon of warmth and support to the community during this unprecedented storm.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)