A rare frigid storm charged through Texas and the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, blanketing New Orleans and Houston with snow, closing highways, grounding nearly all flights and canceling school for millions of students more used to hurricane dismissals than snow days.

If confirmed, Florida had its highest snowfall total since 1954. As many as 15,000 Duke Energy customers lost power at one point.

Florida residents from Pensacola to Jacksonville are bracing for what is expected to be a historic, once-in-a-lifetime winter storm with record-breaking, single-digit temperatures and an