Pensacola, Florida, is a city that rarely sees snow, but this week, more than eight inches blanketed the region—more than doubling a record that stood for 130 years. The snowfall, part of a massive winter storm affecting the Gulf Coast, left residents in a state of wonder.
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In the East Hill neighborhood, eight-year-old Wyatt Walker and his family were preparing to head out to nearby Bayview Park on Tuesday around lunchtime. For Wyatt, who had never seen snow before, it was a moment of pure excitement.
"It’s just surprising—the snow in Florida—because it’s named the Sunshine State," he noted. "In maybe one hour or two, me and my dad are going to go to the park, and we’re going to probably go snowboarding with my dad’s surfboard."
Meanwhile, at Bayview Park, several dozen residents had already gathered, turning the grassy hills leading down to Bayou Texar into makeshift ski slopes.
By lunchtime, an inch of fresh powder had already accumulated, and the slopes were swarming with residents on improvised sleds. For Sierra Hobbs, that meant the plastic lid to a storage bin.
"I think it’s magical," she said of the snow. "I think it’s wild. I think it’s very cool to see everyone have the exact same idea to come to the same park and sled on mostly makeshift sleds that are surfboards or skateboards without wheels or the lids to containers."
This historic snowfall came during a tumultuous week in the news, marked by political shifts and rising social tension. For some, the snowstorm provided a much-needed distraction.
"It is a really fun reprieve from a week with some really strong emotions," Hobbs said. "Hell hath frozen over—truly."
This moment of shared joy might prove as fleeting as the melting snow, but, for now at least, it's brought neighbors together in a way that noone saw coming.
