City of Pensacola offices and facilities will be closed Friday, Jan. 21 due to anticipated hazardous weather and road conditions, except for some essential city services. City of Pensacola offices and facilities will reopen Monday, Jan. 24.
The closure will include:
- City of Pensacola administrative offices, including departments and divisions not located at City Hall
- City Hall
- City of Pensacola community resource centers
Exceptions:
- Essential departments including Pensacola Fire Department and Pensacola Police Department will remain operational.
- Pensacola International Airport will remain open. Please check with airlines about potential flight delays. Pensacola International Airport Administration Offices will be closed.
City Sanitation Services
- City of Pensacola Sanitation Services will be operating on a delayed schedule due to weather conditions, with an anticipated start time of 10 a.m. As a reminder, Sanitation Services are collecting Thursday routes on Friday, Jan. 21 due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. Sanitation Services will resume a normal pickup schedule on Monday, Jan. 24.
Information from the National Weather Service of Mobile
- Escambia County is under a Winter Weather Advisory from late tonight, Thursday, Jan. 20 through the morning of Friday, Jan. 21.
- A brief period of patchy, light freezing rain will be possible late tonight into Friday morning over portions of Southwest Alabama, Northwest Florida and Southeast Mississippi. A light glaze of ice accumulations is possible.
- Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. The hazardous conditions could impact morning commutes.
Driving Safety Tips
Beware of “black ice.” On asphalt or dark-colored roads, this ice appears black making it difficult to see. When driving, following these tips:
- Keep at least 8-10 seconds following distance from the vehicle in front of you
- Don’t hit the brakes to avoid a skid. Hold your steering wheel as steady as you can.
- Use extra caution when on our many bridges and overpasses. Bridges freeze before roads.
- Avoid over-correcting your steering if you start to slide or skid.
- If you can wait until it warms up and morning traffic slows down, do so.
Cold Weather Safety
Citizens are also urged to remember the five P’s of cold weather safety:
- Protect People:Â Remember to dress in layers and wear a hat and gloves. It is essential to try to stay out of the wind and to stay dry. Remember to check on young children and the older family and neighbors who are the most sensitive to cold weather. If the temperature cannot be maintained at home, make temporary arrangements to stay elsewhere, including with friends and family.
- Protect Pets:Â Be sure to bring outdoor pets inside or give them a warm shelter to stay in.
- Protect Plants:Â Cover cold-sensitive plants to protect them from dangerous temperatures.
- Protect Pipes:Â Cover pipes and allow outdoor faucets to drip to prevent from freezing and breaking slowly.
- Practice Fire Safety:Â Use safe heating sources indoors. Do not use fuel-burning devices such as grills; they release carbon monoxide, a deadly gas. Also, make sure to use space heaters according to their instructions and be attentive to open flames. Space heaters need space!
