A hard freeze is likely Thursday morning as the southern part of the state is hit with an artic air mass.
The U.S. Weather Service in Mobile is reporting “rather chilly” temperatures as the cold front arrives midweek. As temperatures drop into the teens Thursday, the area is expected to see single digit wind chills as well.
Expect sunny skies and a high near 52. Forecasters predict a “breezy” day with some wind gusts as high as 30 miles per hour. As the sun begins to set, the temperatures begin to drop. The nighttime low is set at 18 degrees, according to the NWS forecast. Again wind gusts could reach as high as 25 miles per hour.
“With this severe cold, obviously we need to take safety precautions,” said Escambia County Emergency Management Agency director David Adams. “While nothing specific has been issued related directly to us, it will be cold.
“The lowest temperature predicted is between 18 and 20 degrees (tonight),” he said. “It could stay there for two or three hours, which could create some issues. At least it doesn’t look like we’re going to have any precipitation with that.”
Adams recommended taking precaution with property and lives.
“And pets,” he said. “They need a warm place to stay, too, inside if possible; if not, a warm shelter.
“Outside, you should pay attention to faucets and pipes,” he said. “The cold doesn’t create a problem with those until after it’s gone, and you could see busted pipes.
“Also, if you have neighbors who may not have proper heating or an elderly person nearby, make sure they have what they need to get through this cold weather.”
Thursday night’s low is predicted at 21 degrees; however, things will begin to warm slightly as the week progresses. Forecasts put daytime highs through the weekend between 49 and 53 degrees.
On Sunday, there is a 40 percent chance of rain with a daytime high of 58 degrees expected.