Snow in the Sunshine State? It might look like it, but these remarkable pictures actually show 5ft SAND drifts engulfing cars in Florida after fierce winds swept it inland

  • Strong winds and powerful waves have swept huge amounts of sand inland near Pensacola in Florida
  • Drifts are as deep as 5ft in places and look like snow - especially as plows have been called out to shift them
  • Cars were engulfed after sand was dumped on coastal roads, causing motorists to abandon their vehicles

By Ollie Gillman For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:44 EST, 29 October 2015 | Updated: 21:31 EST, 29 October 2015

On first sight these remarkable pictures appear to show 5ft snow drifts engulfing cars in Florida as plows are sent out to rescue stranded vehicles.

But while it looks like the Sunshine State has been struck by a rare Arctic blast, the white powder seen blocking roads is actually sand. 

Forecasters say powerful waves, strong winds and localized flooding have all swept vast amounts of sand inland, dumping it on coastal roads and causing traffic chaos.

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Snow chance: Florida has not been hit by a wintry flurry, but huge sand drifts have engulfed cars and blocked coastal roads

Snow chance: Florida has not been hit by a wintry flurry, but huge sand drifts have engulfed cars and blocked coastal roads

Nancy Johnson Allen took an extraordinary video of the sand drifts as she drove through a road on the Fort Pickens Campground peninsula near Pensacola
Nancy Johnson Allen took an extraordinary video of the sand drifts as she drove through a road on the Fort Pickens Campground peninsula near Pensacola

Nancy Johnson Allen took an extraordinary video (pictured) of the sand drifts as she drove through a road on the Fort Pickens Campground peninsula near Pensacola 

Nancy Johnson Allen took an extraordinary video of the sand drifts as she drove through a road on the Fort Pickens Campground peninsula near Pensacola.

Ms Allen, who was only able to pass along the road after it was cleared by a plow, said she had never seen anything like it after passing by a stranded SUV, which was covered in deep sand.

It is not clear who owns the vehicle, but one man wrote on Facebook that his friend had parked the car next to the road to go surfing at a nearby beach. When he returned the SUV would not start so he had to abandon it, leaving it at the mercy of the sand.  

Swathes of Gulf Island National Seashore, a US National Park, have been shut because of the hazardous road conditions caused by 5ft deep drifts.

A statement from the park said: 'Fort Pickens Road and J. Earle Bowden Way are closed until further notice. High surf and winds have caused the roads to become impassable and they are covered by sand and water.' 

Much of south and coastal areas of Florida have been buffeted by 30mph winds in the last week, with more strong gusts expected over the next few days. 

Forecasters say powerful waves, strong winds and localized flooding have all swept the vast amounts of sand inland, causing traffic chaos on some coast roads

Forecasters say powerful waves, strong winds and localized flooding have all swept the vast amounts of sand inland, causing traffic chaos on some coast roads

Swathes of Gulf Island National Seashore (pictured) have been shut because of the hazardous road conditions caused by 5ft deep drifts

Swathes of Gulf Island National Seashore (pictured) have been shut because of the hazardous road conditions caused by 5ft deep drifts

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