Pikes, think about that, "unusual, but it happens," and, "for the first time in history?" Begs the question.
Not entirely certain of your intent. If I put my foot in mouth, forgive me.
Snow, while rare in the deep south, has occurred. Only the Fla peninsula is "snow-free," thought temperature has dropped in Miami to make snow possible under the right conditions.
The beaches of San Diego and Padre Island have had snow.
The Pyramids last year was a chain jerk. In Algeria, up to six inches of snow fell right down to the ocean waterfront, more inland.
Because of the palm research I do, I study this, keep track of unusual events like snow and cold where palms can be affected. The deep south is important because of one native palm, which I have growing here in Colorado. (Rhapidophyllum hystrix- the Needle Palm).
I tested Sabal minor but determined they need more GDD than our climate provides in summer.
Trachycarpus fortunei is the most exciting palm for me, because although it won't survive the ultimate low temperature hystrix will survive, it's recovery from lethal freeze defoliation is much faster, and doesn't require as much GDD to achieve equilibrium.
Equilibrium is a term to describe when a palm achieves growth stage for trunk formation. For every frond it grows, it sheds one, producing the characteristic mop of fronds atop a tall, single trunk. My research produced the understanding of Decline, which is when defoliation occurs from lethal freeze, and the apical meristem isn't killed, the palm can recover. However, it must regrow at least the equivalent in mass, within one growing season, to avoid decline. If it can't regrow that 100% requirement, the palm enters a stage where it simply replaces lost mass, can't actually grow and achieve equilibrium, and eventually in several seasons, or more, finally dies from exhaustion.
We determined that R. hystrix can withstand low temperature to about -10F, before lethal freeze of fronds occurs. For T. fortunei, the temperature floor is a range between 0F and -6F. We discovered that those with a sideways growing initial stem and root system, a common root anchoring mechanism among alpine slope plants that grow in soil that freezes, are able to resist lethal freeze a few degrees below 0F. I believe the ultimate floor is around -6F, learned from an event last winter at -7F, where our unprotected Trachycarpus defoliated, but by end of this summer, just barely surpassed the 100% foliar mass replacement necessary to avoid decline.
When the neocons rant about global warming and global climate change, they have no idea of my background and understanding of these mechanics, the network of other scientists I share and swap research data with, or how closely involved some of my work is with understanding global climate change.
Here is one of our Trachycarpus palms as it looked last October
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