Escambia County residents are encouraged to stay home and stay off the roadways Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22 as snow and ice are expected to create hazardous driving conditions. The National Weather Service in Mobile has Escambia County under a Winter Storm Warning beginning Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 6 a.m. through 6 a.m. Wednesday.
"Our message is simple: Stay home and stay off the roadways," Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore said. "The safety of our residents is our top priority, and road conditions will be unsafe for drivers over the next couple of days due to snow and ice. It is not worth the risk – please stay home and stay safe."
According to NWS Mobile, snow is expected in Northwest Florida from approximately noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday, with areas of Southern Alabama and Southern Mississippi expected to see snow as early as 6 a.m. Snow should begin to taper off throughout the late evening hours. A mix of wintry precipitation is possible across the coastal counties in the evening hours.
Escambia County Public Works crews will begin sanding bridges late this afternoon to prepare for snow and ice.
Please monitor Escambia County's website for information about county office closures and meeting cancellations.
Additional weather information from NWS Mobile/Pensacola:
- Dangerously cold conditions are expected until Wednesday. An Extreme Cold Watch is in effect from tonight through Wednesday morning.
- Wind chill values will be in the teens and single digits Tuesday and Wednesday mornings
- Many spots may not rise above freezing on Tuesday.
- A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 6 a.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday.
- Wind gusts of up to 20-25 mph are expected. Stronger wind gusts, especially along the coast, will reduce visibility.
For additional weather information, visit the NWS website.
Cold Weather Shelters Open in Escambia County
The following shelters will be open in Escambia County, as part of the county's cold weather sheltering plan:
Waterfront Rescue Mission
- Men and women
- Open 24 hours, with expanded capacity and no charge during cold weather events
- 348 W. Herman St., Pensacola
REAP Max-Well Respite Center
- Women with children
- Open daily, with expanded capacity during cold weather events
- Intake is from 4-6 p.m. (after 6 p.m. if accompanied by law enforcement)
- 2200 N. Palafox St., Pensacola
My Father's Vineyard
- Men and women (no children)
- Intake is from 4:30-6:30 p.m. (must leave by 7 a.m., with ECAT providing free transportation to Waterfront starting at 7 a.m.)
- Open Sunday, Jan. 19 through Wednesday night (Jan. 22), with operations continuing if temperatures continue to be 32 degrees or below
- 7895 Pensacola Blvd., Pensacola
Additionally, Escambia County Area Transit will provide free transportation between My Father’s Vineyard and Waterfront Rescue Mission, which allows those seeking shelter to easily travel between the overnight shelter at the church and the designated warming center at Waterfront Rescue.
Escambia County shares information about cold weather shelter openings on the MyEscambia.com website and county social media channels including the Escambia County Emergency Management Facebook page. To sign up to receive email alerts from Escambia County, visit MyEscambia.com and click the “subscribe” icon.
Residents are encouraged to remember the 5 P's of cold weather safety:
- Protect People: Remember to dress in layers and wear a hat and gloves. It is important to try to stay out of the wind and to stay dry. Also, remember to check on young children and the elderly family and neighbors who are the most sensitive to cold weather. If the temperature cannot be maintained at a home, make temporary arrangements to stay elsewhere, including with friends and family.
- Protect Pets: If cold weather is in the forecast, be sure to bring outdoor pets inside or give them a warm shelter to stay in.
- Protect Plants: Cover cold sensitive plants to protect them from the dangerous temperatures.
- Protect Pipes: Cover pipes and allow outdoor faucets to slowly drip to prevent from freezing and breaking.
- Practice Fire Safety: Use safe heating sources indoors. Do not use fuel-burning devices such as grills; they release carbon monoxide, which is a deadly gas. Also, make sure to use space heaters according to their instructions and be attentive to open flames. In the event of long-term power outages, be extremely careful when using generators, lanterns, gas powered appliances or when cooking on charcoal grills or gas grills. These appliances produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide which is a deadly, invisible and odorless gas that can cause poisoning in only a matter of minutes. Equipment or appliances that produce carbon monoxide should never be used indoors. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not stop carbon monoxide buildup.
For more cold weather safety tips, visit the Escambia County website.