Santa Rosa County residents are urged to prepare for possible severe weather on Wed., April 10. The National Weather Service in Mobile has provided the following weather update:
- Severe weather conditions are forecasted for Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night for our area, generally between 4 p.m. – midnight. Santa Rosa County has been placed under an enhanced risk for severe weather.
- Destructive wind gusts up to 80 mph, tornadoes (some of which could be strong, EF2+) and quarter-sized hail are all possible.
- A wind advisory will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Southeast winds 20-30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
- Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches, with locally higher amounts over six inches possible. Flash flooding is possible – do not attempt to cross flooded roads.
- Coastal and marine impacts include high surf and high risk of rip currents. A high surf warning is in effect until Thursday night. High surf will build to 4-6 feet by Tuesday afternoon and potentially as high as 7-9 feet late Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.
- A gale warning will be in effect beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday through 1 p.m. Thursday for bays and sounds. For Gulf waters out 60 nautical miles, the gale warning will be in effect from 4 p.m. Wednesday to 7 p.m. on Thursday. Southerly to southwesterly winds will increase to 20 to 30 knots with gusts up to 40 knots and seas building to 7-12 feet. Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions.
Santa Rosa County District Schools
- Santa Rosa School District will follow an early release schedule for Wednesday, April 10.
- Out of an abundance of caution, Santa Rosa students will have an early release day on Wednesday, April 10. Community Schools Latchkey/After-School Programs and all extracurricular activities, to include practices, games, and events, have been canceled for tomorrow evening. Be sure that you have multiple ways to receive information.
- It is anticipated that schools will be in session on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
- Families are encouraged to stay connected through local media outlets, county emergency management, district social media, and SchoolStatus Connect for additional information.
- Find 2023-2024 Start, Dismissal and Early Release Times online here.
Sand
- The county’s public works department has sand available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the following locations:
- The corner of Leisure St. and Citrus Dr. in Navarre
- Tiger Point Park in Gulf Breeze
- Pace Fire-Rescue in Pace
- The corner of Pine Forest Rd. and Carroll Rd. in Milton
- Residents must provide their own sandbags and shovel. Bags can be purchased at many local hardware stores. For information on how to make and use sandbags, visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.
Roads
- Report road issues at www.santarosa.fl.gov/FormCenter/Public-Works-7/Citizen-Work-Request-48.
- Any road closures can be viewed at www.santarosa.fl.gov/293/Current-Road-Bridge-Closures.
Prepare now for severe weather. Make sure all family members know the plan.
- Have multiple ways of receiving alerts.
- Clean up any items in your yard that may become projectiles due to high winds. This includes patio furniture, decorations and plants.
- Every home should have a NOAA weather radio, the first line of defense before relying on alerts through a smartphone.
- Smartphone weather apps are also an excellent delivery source of severe weather information and other disaster updates – especially in the overnight hours. Santa Rosa County’s alert app – AlertSantaRosa.com – provides updates on emergency incidents (hazardous materials as well as severe weather) in the county at addresses of your choice (work, school, home, etc).
- Be sure that you have not disabled your alerts on your phone and that it is fully charged and within reach. If you use the “Do Not Disturb” feature on your phone at night, turn it off so that any emergency calls may come through.
- Have a kit with supplies ready to go when a tornado warning is issued. The best place to shelter during a tornado warning is on the lowest floor of a well-built, site-built structure away from windows and doors. Move to a small, interior/inside room. Put as many walls as you can between you and the outside. Suggested items to include in your tornado kit are:
- A bike helmet or some form of head protection for each family member. Don’t forget to put on shoes!
- A flashlight or electric lantern.
- Charged cell phone power bank.
- A whistle or air horn in the event you are trapped under debris.
- First aid kit.
- Know where you will go (interior rooms, basement – never a car or mobile home) if a tornado warning is issued and don’t forget your pets!
