On Tuesday, a snowstorm swept through unexpected parts of the southern United States, including Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, shattering snowfall records across the south and delivering an unprecedented and disruptive winter experience to millions of residents.

People in Texas and much of the U.S. South are facing record snowfalls and icy conditions, with both New Orleans and Houston covered in snow. The big picture: This once-in-a-generation event for millions across the Gulf Coast has closed schools,

The snowstorm currently lashing the Gulf Coast is being described as a once in a generation weather event, the National Weather Service said Monday.