Hurricane Nate Update: Florida Panhandle Need-To-Know Facts

PENSACOLA, FL - As Hurricane Nate made landfall in southeast Louisiana Saturday night, Pensacola residents can expect southeasterly gale force winds to occur near 11 p.m. Top sustained winds could reach 44 mph with gusts near 54 mph. The total rainfall for the Pensacola area over the next five days is forecast to be 3.7 inches up to 8 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Nate's fast storm movement will likely limit higher totals.

Evacuations began for Escambia County residents living in Zones A and B on Saturday morning. Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties are under a hurricane watch, a tropical storm warning, a flash flood watch and a storm surge warning, the National Weather Service reported.

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in 29 counties Thursday. In Santa Rosa County, there is a recommended evacuation for Zone A, which includes all mobile homes, campgrounds, RV parks and those living in low-lying areas. About 100 National Guard members are actively preparing for disaster operations and support of local emergency operations centers.

In Escambia County, Zones A and B include Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key and low-lying coastal areas, according to the county's website.

• Evacuation routes can be viewed at http://bit.ly/2eJAKzm.
• For a map of evacuation routes and zones, click here.
• When sustained wind speeds reach 39 mph or storm surge covers roadways, law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire departments may not be able to come to a resident's aid, county officials said.
• Escambia County is not providing sandbags for this event as sandbags are not an effective tool for storm surge, according to county officials.
• Escambia County has not issued a curfew for residents.

Hurricane Nate made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River Saturday night as a Category 1 storm, the National Hurricane Center said. A second landfall is likely on the Mississippi coast after the eye of the storm passes over the Chandeleur Sound. The hurricane center said Nate has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph.

Maximum storm surge is likely to occur Saturday night and early Sunday morning (near high tide). Western Florida Panhandle: 3-5 feet with locally up to 6 feet possible above normally dry ground.

The threat of tornadoes will exist along the center of the storm and east of the center Saturday through midday Sunday. There is an elevated threat for tornadoes through the evening and tornado watches are likely. Long period swells reaching area beaches will result in a high rip current risk and increasing surf heights.

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In Escambia County, Sheriff David Morgan said local bridges will be closed when winds hit 40 miles per hour. At Pensacola Beach, no one is allowed in the water as the beach is under a double red flag.

• The Citizen Information Line is open 24 hours a day. Residents with questions may call 850-471-6600.
• Escambia County Emergency Operations Center is at a level 1 activation, or full staffing, until further notice.
• Residents needing transportation to a shelter should call ECAT at 850-595-3228.
• City of Pensacola road closures can be viewed here.

Interstate and highway construction in four Panhandle counties has been suspended until Monday to allow for the possible increase in traffic as motorists evacuate from a possible Category 1 hurricane. The counties are: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

Shelters Open In Escambia County

The following shelters opened at 8 a.m. Saturday in Escambia County. Alcohol and weapons are not permitted in shelters. Escambia County released this information on shelters:

Pet friendly shelter

• Molino Park Elementary School, 899 Highway 97. Bring the pet's food, water, medications, crate or leash and proof of vaccinations. You must stay at the shelter with your pet.

Special-needs shelter only

• West Florida High School buildings 9, 25 & 26 2400 Longleaf Drive

General population shelters

• Jim Bailey Middle School, 4110 Bauer Road
• Pensacola Bay Center, 201 E. Gregory St.
• Marie Young/Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Road

If you go to a shelter, you will need to take the following items:

• A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes
• Toiletries and personal items
• Blankets or sleeping bags and pillows
• ID and any important papers
• Games, toys or books for children
• Books for adults
• Special items for infants or elderly family members
• Any special dietary needs & nonperishable foods for snacks
• Battery-operated radio, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries
• Prescription medications or any over-the-counter medications you normally take.

Pensacola International Airport Closing

• Pensacola International Airport will close and cease all operations at 6 p.m. Saturday and will remain closed throughout Sunday. Weather permitting, normal operations are expected to resume beginning Monday.
• Passengers with impacted scheduled travel to/from Pensacola International Airport should contact their airline for specific flight information and rebooking/cancellation details.
• Individuals attempting to access the parking garage Saturday must present a valid airline ticket with the same-day scheduled departure. Access to the parking garage will close at 8 p.m. Saturday and will not reopen until Monday.

Schools, Colleges And Universities

• Pensacola State College will close at 5 p.m., Saturday and remain closed through Sunday. All activities and classes, whether on campus or online, are canceled during this time. The college will resume normal operations, activities and class schedules on Monday. PSC will continue to monitor the weather and send additional notifications through PSC Alert, PSC social media, PSC website and local media, if needed.
• Monday is a scheduled professional development day for Escambia County School District teachers and staff, students do not attend school on this date. Staff and teachers should plan to attend scheduled professional development training sessions on Monday, as scheduled, unless they are informed otherwise.

Office Closures

• All county offices are expected to be open on Monday.
• West Florida Public Libraries will close all locations on Sunday.
• City of Pensacola offices anticipate being open for business on Monday morning. If the county decides to close offices, the city offices also will close.
• There are no planned judicial closures at this time.
• All Escambia County Tax Collector’s offices are closed Monday for a planned Professional Development Day.

Park Closures

State parks in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties closed at 5 p.m. Friday:

• Big Lagoon State Park (Escambia County)
• Blackwater Heritage State Trail (Santa Rosa County)
• Blackwater River State Park (Santa Rosa County)
• Perdido Key State Park (Escambia County)
• Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park (Escambia County)
• Yellow River Marsh Preserve State Park (Santa Rosa County)

The National Park Service has closed all of Gulf Islands National Seashore to the public.

Image via National Hurricane Center