Escambia County residents should prepare for a significant cold snap this weekend as a powerful winter storm system moves through the Southern United States, according to Escambia County Meteorologist Scottlin Wilson.
Cold Rain, Not Freezing Rain
The good news? Unlike last weekend’s system, this storm is tracking north of the Florida Panhandle, sparing the area from dangerous freezing rain.
- “The highest impacts will be well to the north,” Wilson explained on the latest episode of (We Don’t) Color on the Dog. “Looking at trends, it’s continuing to push further north. So that’s the good news because unlike the system we had come through last weekend, this system looks to be bringing more of the freezing rain, and that’s the stuff that we absolutely do not want.”
Wilson noted that while snow might be manageable, freezing rain creates hazardous conditions that everyone wants to avoid. Instead, Escambia County will experience cold rain followed by a dramatic temperature plunge.
Weekend Weather Timeline
Rain chances increase Saturday into Sunday, potentially disrupting weekend plans. But the real story comes after the precipitation ends.
- “The very cold air moves in after that, moving into early next week,” Wilson said. “Sunday night through Tuesday, that’s when we get to near freezing and then even some upper 20s, especially the further north you go in the county.”
One challenge for Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties is their elongated geography, which creates significant temperature variations from north to south.
“I’ll look at temperature spreads from the Century area through the Ensley area down to the beach,” Wilson explained. “When we could see the 20s, that’s up in the century, closer to Pensacola Beach, it might be more like 33 degrees.”
However, wind chill will make it feel brutally cold everywhere. “That windchill, it’s going to feel like the 20s for all, if not the teens and 10s up in Century Area,” she warned.
Prepare Your Property
Residents, especially those in the northern parts of the county, should take precautions now. Check pipes, protect outdoor plants, and ensure pets have a warm shelter. The temperature drop will be sharp and sudden, leaving little time for last-minute preparations…