Climate Change Brings Snow To Florida And 'Bomb Cyclone' To East Coast

Florida's capital saw a small amount of sleet and snow early Wednesday morning, the first time since December 22, 1989, nearly 30 years ago.

Reports indicate that the east coast has been hit with one of the coldest winters in years. On Wednesday morning, Jack Frost also visited Florida as the state's capital woke up to snow.

The last time Tallahassee saw snow was nearly 30 years ago in 1989, when roughly an inch dropped between Dec. 22 through Dec. 23.

At 8:05 a.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service announced, "Snow has reached Tallahassee. [Precipitation] will end quickly from the west over the next 30-60 minutes."

805am: Snow has reached Tallahassee. Precip will end quickly from the west over the next 30-60 minutes. https://t.co/sLFfEuRA1W
— NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) January 3, 2018

It's snowing in the Sunshine State. Here's a look at Tallahassee, Florida:

(Video: Tallahassee Police) pic.twitter.com/PFL8st0qbN
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 3, 2018

State officials took safety precautions by closing roads and schools after icy roads caused a traffic accident. The town's most notable colleges, Florida State University and Florida A&M University, got snow days, and three central Florida theme park attractions were forced to shut down due to the cold.

RARE SIGHT: it's snowing in Tallahassee FL for the 1st time in 28 years. @NWSTallahassee measured 0.1" of snow/sleet on their roof @floridastate at 8:30 AM. Video via 904 Happy Hour. #snow #flwx #frozenAmerica pic.twitter.com/dG5uMrTcpM
— Mike Seidel (@mikeseidel) January 3, 2018

Although not all Tallahassee residents may have been excited by the chilly temperatures and snow, a handful of people (and furry friends) were thrilled by their usually sunny home being transformed into a winter wonderland.

Check out the SNOW falling in Florida right now! This is in Tallahassee & you can hear kids laughing in the background. Courtesy: dhpeeple1 #BombCyclone #WinterStorm pic.twitter.com/dU4vYwhevR

#snowpocalypse2017 #snowmaggeden17 #snow #snowday #Tallahassee #Florida #FloridaSnow

What happens when your dog experiences snow for the first time ever...???? pic.twitter.com/5b1CFGf7eA
— The Invisible Man (@invisibleman_17) January 3, 2018
— Brandi Hitt (@ABC7Brandi) January 3, 2018

The Florida capital's chilly morning came only a few short days after meteorologists warned the east coast to brace for an impending "bomb cyclone" that will start in Florida and move northeast.

More commonly referred to as a "bombogenesis" by meteorologists, this weather term describes an area of low pressure in the mid-latitudes that drops more than 24 millibars, a metric unit of pressure, in just 24 hours.

This will result in extreme weather conditions, including freezing rain in South Carolina; blizzard warnings with 50-70 mph winds for multiple states, including Virginia and Maine; and snow where snow hasn't fallen in decades, like Tallahassee.

This developing bomb cyclone is wild. Snow in Tallahassee. Heavy freezing rain along South Carolina coast. Blizzard warnings for Virginia Tidewater, eastern Mass, & eastern Maine, where 50-70 mph gusts are poss. A full updated national look here: https://t.co/SnINpPzCXX
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 3, 2018

Although bomb cyclones are not necessarily uncommon, they can result in powerful storms under certain conditions, and forecasters have warned states lining the east coast that this bomb cyclone could be just as powerful as Hurricane Sandy.

It doesn't look like Florida's capital will see a lot of the cold, white fluff however, as reports say the snow is already starting to melt, although roads remain icy.

While temperatures look like they are going to remain below freezing, it seems like it will only be for a few days and with zero percent chance of precipitation.

Although the east coast will be preparing for a mega-storm of a lifetime, this may be Tallahassee's only snowfall for years to come.