The National Weather Service in Mobile is predicting severe weather conditions in the overnight hours of Tuesday night for our area. Santa Rosa County has been placed under an enhanced risk for severe weather.
Main threats:
- Tornadoes - a strong (EF2+) tornado is possible
- Damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph
According to the National Weather Service in Mobile, the line of storms will move east of I-65 during the overnight hours after midnight and impact the western Florida Panhandle during this time.
Santa Rosa County will also be under a high wind watch ahead of the line of storms from Tuesday afternoon through late Tuesday night. Sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected out of the southeast Tuesday afternoon and then switching to out of the southwest with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph Tuesday night. Gusts of up to 50 mph are also possible outside of the line of storms.
Prepare now for severe weather. Make sure all family members know the plan.
- Have multiple ways of receiving alerts.
- 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. Suggested items to include are:
- A bike helmet or some form of head protection for each family member.
- 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!
For current weather events, visit www.weather.gov/mob. For information on preparing for disasters, visit www.santarosa.fl.gov/emergency. Follow Santa Rosa County Emergency Management on Facebook for weather updates.
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