Winter Weather Update – Jan. 20, 3:30 p.m.

From the Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Office:

Weather update from the National Weather Service in Mobile:

• Extreme winter weather conditions are forecasted for Monday (Jan. 20) into Tuesday night (Jan. 21) for our area. Santa Rosa County has been placed under a winter storm warming from 6 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 21) through 6 a.m. Wednesday (Jan. 22) and an extreme cold watch from Monday evening through Wednesday morning.
• Temperature lows are expected to drop well into the 20s Monday through Wednesday mornings. The wind chill drops into the lower 10s and possibly the single digits. Wind chills below 25 degrees can be hazardous with long exposure to humans and animals. Air temperatures below 30 degrees will also result in damage to sensitive crops.
• Wintry precipitation will impact the area on Tuesday with snow accumulations of 1-3 inches, locally 4-5 inches are possible. IMPACTS: Roads, bridges and overpasses will become hazardous, if not impassible at times.
• Residents are encouraged to stay home and off the roadways Tuesday and Wednesday as snow and ice are expected to create hazardous driving conditions.

County Offices

• County offices and facilities, including Jay Transfer Station, animal services, veterans services, extension services and all county libraries will be closed on , Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22.
• The Central Landfill will close at 10 a.m. to residents but will remain open for commercial haulers until Noon on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The landfill will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
• The Board of County Commissioners committee meeting and special presentations scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21 have been canceled. The Regular Commission meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23 is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
• Emergency Management will activate to a Level 2 Modified (emergency management staff only) on Tuesday morning for this extreme cold weather threat.
• Santa Rosa County Emergency Management has declared a Local State of Emergency, view online here.

Other office closures

• The following offices will closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22:
• Santa Rosa County Clerk of Courts
• Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser
• Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections
• Santa Rosa County Tax Collector
• All City of Gulf Breeze offices will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22.
• All Town of Jay offices will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22.

City of Milton

• All City of Milton offices will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21. A decision for Wednesday closures will be made on Tuesday.
• The City of Milton, in coordination with Santa Rosa County and the State of Florida, is actively preparing for the storm. To ensure public safety, the bridges at Broad Street and Conecuh Street will be closed on Tuesday. Traffic will be diverted to Stewart Street, which offers larger roads and signalized intersections. The state will be clearing and salting this roadway to facilitate safer travel.
• The city will be sanding the bridges immediately before the storm begins tomorrow. In addition, the city is coordinating with the state for roadways at Hwy. 90 at the Blackwater River and Pond Creek, Stewart & Dogwood Streets, and Park Ave.

Early Voting

• Due to the winter weather, the Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections office will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22. All Early Voting sites will be CLOSED on Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.
• Early Voting will be open Monday, Jan. 20 with extended voting hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There are two sites for Early Voting in Santa Rosa County:

• Supervisor of Elections Office in Milton; 6495 Caroline St. Ste F, Milton FL 32570
• South Santa Rosa Service Center (Annex) in Gulf Breeze; 5841 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze, FL 32570

Santa Rosa County District Schools

• School and after-school activities for, Jan. 21 and Wed., Jan. 22 have been cancelled.
• Updates can be found on the school district website at santarosaschools.org/en-US.

Roads

• Public works crews will be monitoring local bridges and roadways. Crews will be on standby to deploy sand as needed.
• Report road issues at santarosa.fl.gov/FormCenter/Public-Works-7/Citizen-Work-Request-48.
• Any road closures can be viewed at santarosa.fl.gov/293/Current-Road-Bridge-Closures.

Bridges

• Florida Highway Patrol and local law enforcement close bridges if conditions deteriorate and it’s hazardous for motorists. Not all bridges will close or close at the same time. Updates will be sent if any bridges are closed.
• State road and bridge closures may be monitored at. This includes, but is not limited to, the following bridges in Santa Rosa County: Hwy. 90 over Simpson River/Escambia Bay and over Blackwater River, Hwy. 87 south over Yellow River, the interstate bridges and Garcon Point Bridge.

Shelters

• The cold weather shelter for the homeless and/or heatless at Ferris Hill Baptist Church, 6848 Chaffin St. in Milton, will be open 24 hours a day until 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan., 23. Additionally, the shelter will be open nights on Thursday, Jan. 23 and Friday, Jan. 24. Arrival for Thursday night and Friday night begins at 6:30 p.m.
• No one will be admitted after 8:30 p.m. each night unless brought in by law enforcement. Only service animals (with verification of rabies vaccination) are permitted to stay with guests. 
• An update will be provided if any additional shelters open.

Residents are urged to be prepared for extreme cold:

• Have enough food, water, and medication per person in your home for at least 3 days
• Have warm clothes and blankets easily accessible
• Have an updated first aid kit
• Charge all electronics
• Stay informed using wireless Emergency Alerts
• Limit your time outdoors to prevent hypothermia and frostbite
• Drive safely by being aware of icy or snowy road conditions
• Dress warm (2-3 layers) and dry (waterproof jackets are recommended)

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 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 Exposed Pipes: Cover pipes and outdoor faucets. On occasion, outdoor faucets may need to be allowed to slowly drip to prevent freezing and breaking.
• Protect Plants: Cover cold-sensitive plants to protect them from dangerous temperatures or bring potted plants inside.
• 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.