Dec. 8 (UPI) -- They probably won't get a white Christmas, but Texans celebrated about an inch of snow brought by a 2,000-mile cold weather system moving from the South toward New England.
Major cities in Texas saw snow Thursday as parts of the system moved across the Lone Star State -- including San Antonio, Austin and Houston.
A winter weather advisory was in put effect for Houston through Friday, where 1 to 2 inches of snow is expected -- and the white stuff has fallen as far south as Laredo.
Snow in Texas -- a rare occurrence -- prompted officials to warn residents to stay indoors, while some schools delayed the start of classes Friday.
"We're not used to having this kind of weather during a winter season," Texas Department of Transportation spokeswoman Laura Lopez said. "We want to remind people that if you're going to be traveling, check those traffic conditions before heading out on the road."
The southern snow arrived even before cities that see it every year, like New York City and Boston, have gotten any.
Since 1985, Houston has only seen snow 35 times -- with the last occurrence in December 2009.
The winter storm will continue to push north this weekend, and the National Weather Service issued winter weather warnings stretching as far as western North Carolina and southern Virginia.
The snow will end south of New York City on Saturday but will continue to New England and depart into eastern Canada by Sunday, forecasters said.
Update: Band of light to moderate snow stretches from near Pleasanton northeast to La Grange. pic.twitter.com/lo8EpI9H0X
- NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) December 8, 2017
