Frozen: Stay Off The Roads
January 29, 2014
Every major bridge and roadway in Escambia County is either closed or experiencing major issues, according to Escambia County Emergency Management.
Every roadway in the North Escambia area has ice on the roadway, and that at ice will not melt today with a high expected only in the 20’s. Highway 29 is impassable; there have been numerous accidents, vehicles into ditches (including an Escambia County EMS ambulance) and jack-knifed 18-wheelers. Highway 97 is practically impassable due to ice. Vehicles are unable to travel up a hill near Wiggins Lake Road.
Highway 29 is closed for the night from Bluff Springs Road to Cox Road. Highway 97 is closed from Arthur Brown Road to Kansas Road in Walnut Hill. There are no detours; drivers should avoid the area altogether.
The smaller county roads in the North Escambia area are in even worse condition.
It’s no better in Pensacola, with many roads closed and most of the area impassable.
“Traveling local roadways at this time can be a life threatening decision,” according to Escambia County Public Safety.
Air travel is also shutdown at the Pensacola International Airport. The airport has ceased all aircraft operation.
Pictured top: Two jack-knifed 18-wheelers on Highway 29 south of Century. Pictured below: An impassable Highway 97 near Davisville. Pictured bottom: An iced-over Delta plane at Pensacola International Airport. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Train Derails In McDavid, Tanker Cars Into Creek
January 29, 2014
A train derailment in McDavid Tuesday night ended with chemical tanker cars submerged in a creek, but resulted in no injuries and just a short evacuation for a small number of families.
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Twenty-three cars of a 69-car CSX train derailed about 6:20 p.m. on a north-south track almost behind the McDavid Sawmill . Reports from the scene indicated that a bridge and railroad tracks in the area were totally destroyed by the derailment.
There were no injuries to the CSX crew or anyone else in the crash.
Two tanker cars of phosphoric acid were submerged in Fletcher Creek with other cars landing on top of them.
“After hours of close inspection, Escambia County crews have found no evidence of any chemical leaking from the derailed cars,” Escambia County PIO Bill Pearson said early Wednesday morning.
Units from the Molino and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the county’s Hazmat team responded to the incident.
A small number of homes on Cotton Lake Road were evacuated as a precaution, and an emergency shelter was opened by the America Red Cross at the Molino Community Complex. Just one family took advantage of the shelter before officials gave the all-clear for residents to return to the homes.
Pearsons said a crash investigation would be conducted by CSX. He said it may take crews several weeks to make repairs to tracks at the bridge at that location.
Hard Freeze Tonight
January 29, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 46. Wind chill values between 5 and 15 early. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
- Thursday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 29. Calm wind.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
- Friday Night: Patchy dense fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 69.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 52.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 65.
Pictured: Sleet falls and accumulates Tuesday night in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Winter Weather Shelter Open
January 29, 2014
In coordination with Escambia County Emergency Management, the American Red Cross opened a winter weather shelter Tuesday night to provide safe, warm lodging for area residents affected by power outages and frigid temperatures.
The shelter opened at East Brent Baptist Church at 4801 North Davis in Pensacola.
Disaster Program Specialist Doug Watson asks that those needing shelter bring their personal items and any special dietary products. For families with children, it’s always a good idea to bring a special blanket or stuffed animal to help them feel more at home. In addition, you may want to prepare a go-bag and include the following:
- Medications
- Glasses
- Important personal paperwork
- Cell phone and charger
- Warm clothing
- Sanitation/ personal care products
- Flashlight and batteries
Road And Bridge Closures
January 29, 2014
The major road and bridge closures in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are listed below. Almost all other roads in the North Escambia area are covered in some combination of ice, sleet or snow. Travel is not advised.
- Boggy Creek Bridge on County Road 97A . This is the temporary metal bridge near Enon, about 10 miles from Walnut Hill.
- Highway 97 is closed from Arthur Brown Road to Kansas Road in Walnut Hill. There are no detours; drivers should avoid the area altogether.
- Highway 29 is closed from Cox Road to Byrneville/Bluff Springs Road.
- I-10 closed from Scenic Highway to Highway 87 (including Pensacola Bay Bridge)
- Theo Baars Bridge (Perdido Key Drive) to Perdido Key – Despite the bridge closure, medical and rescue crews are available on Perdido Key for emergency situations
- Three Mile Bridge
- The Barrancas Bridge over Bayou Chico
- Main Gate bridge at Pensacola NAS. Use the back gate.
- The Bayou Texar Bridge
- I- 10 bridge over the Perdido River is down to one lane from Alabama to Florida
- I-10 bridge over Escambia Bay leading into Santa Rosa County has been closed in both directions
- I-10 Bridge at Blackwater in Santa Rosa County.
- I-10 Bridge over Perdido River from Alabama to Florida is down to one lane
Winter Storm Warning: More Ice, Sleet, Snow Likely Tonight
January 28, 2014
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the entire area. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Snow and freezing rain, possibly mixed with sleet before midnight, then a chance of snow and freezing rain between midnight and 3am. Low around 20. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. North wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no ice accumulation expected. Total nighttime snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
- Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 33. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 16. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 46. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. South wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
- Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. East wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
- Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.
- Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
- Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.
Winter Storm Warning: Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snow Likely
January 27, 2014
A winter storm warning is in effect for the entire aera from 6 a.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. Wednesday. Total ice accumulations of .25 inches or ore will be possible by late Tuesday night. Total sleet and snow accumulations of 1-3 inches are possible across the region. Road conditions are expected to deteriorate Tuesday into Tuesday night. Travel will be become difficult and is not advised.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: A slight chance of rain between midnight and 3am, then a slight chance of freezing rain after 3am. Cloudy, with a low around 30. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Tuesday: Freezing rain and sleet before 9am, then rain, freezing rain, and sleet between 9am and noon, then freezing rain and sleet after noon. High near 34. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New ice accumulation of around a 0.1 of an inch possible. New sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
- Tuesday Night: Freezing rain, possibly mixed with sleet before 9pm, then snow. Low around 21. Wind chill values between 10 and 15. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.3 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
- Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 46. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67.
- Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69.
Basketball: Chiefs To Celebrate Senior Night
January 27, 2014
Tonight is Senior Night for the Northview Chiefs boys basketball team.
Senior Night festivities will take place at 6:30 p.m. following a 5:00 p.m. junior varsity game against Monroe County (Ala.). The varsity Chiefs will take on Monroe County at 7:00.
The Chiefs will round out their regular season on the road with games Thursday at Monroe County and Friday at Tate.
Learn More About Neighborhood Watch, ECUA
January 27, 2014
Area residents can learn more about neighborhood watch programs and the services offered by Emerald Coast Utilities Authority during a meeting tonight in Molino.
The Mid-County Neighborhood Watch will meet at 6:30 p.m at the Molino Community Center. The guest speaker will be Jim Roberts, a public information officer for ECUA.
For more information about neighborhood watch programs in Escambia County, contact David Craig in the Community Services Unit of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9281 or at gcraig@escambiaso.com.
Eat Out Thursday Night, Help The NHS Band
January 26, 2014
Mark your calendar to eat out Thursday night and help the Northview High School Tribal Beat Band.
Whataburger in Century will donate 20 percent of their sales from 5-8 p.m. Thursday to the band. There will also be games and a drawing for a free Whataburger each week for an entire year.