Leon County copes with historic winter

Photo credit: Tallahassee Democrat

On Tuesday, Leon County faced a historic and possibly record-breaking mix of winter precipitation and freezing rain. The chilling temperatures occurring between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning set a winter storm warning into effect. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, the winter storm was predicted to bring up to four inches of snow. 

Tallahassee has not seen an influx of winter weather in over seven years, with its last recorded landfall being in 2018. During this occurrence, snow fell for around 30 minutes or less, producing only a tenth of an inch. Snow is predicted to fall for nearly ten hours, accumulating amounts of snow never before seen in the capital city. 

AccuWeather provided forecasts for the Florida panhandle, addressing the special case of winter weather. 

“For parts of the western and northern Gulf Coast, this could be the biggest snow and ice storm in more than 100 years and possibly one that people may remember for decades.” AccuWeather forecasters shared. 

The National Weather Service described the rare weather as a “whiteout” across Florida’s Panhandle, with heavy snow bands and winds of up to 30 mph. In the far west of the panhandle, Bay County and Calhoun County are expecting to see up to four inches of snow; Walton and Escambia County can expect up to six inches of snow. 

Due to the chilling temperatures dropping down as low as 28 degrees, Tallahassee residents were warned to prepare for the impacts of snowfall. The unprecedented weather had the possibility of resulting in road closures and power outages throughout the city. Residents have been advised to prepare by stocking up on water, gas, and non-perishable foods. 

The National Weather Service of Tallahassee took to the social media platform X to stress the importance of safety during the storm by issuing an official warning

“Please stay off the roads! This could become a life-threatening situation for those stranded,” the National Weather Service forecasters shared. 

To prepare for the snowy weather, all Leon County schools have issued an early dismissal on Tuesday and are set to reopen elementary, middle, and high schools on Thursday Jan. 23. All after-school or extracurricular activities occurring after the set time were cancelled. 

Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and Tallahassee State College have announced college campus closures from the dates of January 21st, with a reopening date of Jan.23.

According to WCTV, Tallahassee International Airport has announced that all operations will be temporarily suspended from Tuesday afternoon until Thursday at 1p.m.

As of right now, the Talquin Electric Cooperative in Leon County has announced that nearly 1,200 customers are facing power outages, as the City of Tallahassee utility crews work diligently to restore the electricity.

The flyover at Thomasville Road and I-10 has been officially closed until further notice due to the frozen roads, as well as Hartsfield Road and Commonwealth Business Drive. 

Brent Pell, the Leon County Public Works Director, shared with WCTV a warning for those who may attempt driving in this weather. 

“Please understand the bridges will potentially be frozen, and it is a hazard to traffic.” Pell stated.

Due to the scarcity of snowstorms in Leon County, the city has limited trucks dedicated to the sanding of roads. Leon County residents are urged to practice caution during the thrilling weather.