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Escambia County Emergency Management warns of significant severe-storm risk March 15; high surf and rip currents expected
Summary
Escambia County Emergency Management warned March 13 that a storm system forecast to arrive Saturday, March 15, carries a rare "level 4 of 5" severe-weather risk for the northern county and an enhanced risk elsewhere, with threats including large hail, 70-plus mph winds, strong tornadoes, high surf and dangerous rip currents.
Ian, a staff member with Escambia County Emergency Management, said Thursday, March 13, that a storm system is expected to bring severe weather to Escambia County beginning Saturday, March 15. The Storm Prediction Center has placed the northern portion of the county in a level 4 of 5 moderate severe-weather risk and the remainder of the county in a level 3 of 5 enhanced risk.
“It is important to note that storms won't and don't follow these colors or risk zones, so we don't wanna get hung up on that,” Ian said, adding that level 4 risks are uncommon and should be taken seriously.
Ian said isolated supercells could develop west of Escambia County Saturday morning ahead of a main line of storms expected to move through in the afternoon, evening and into the overnight hours. He said any storms that become severe could produce large hail, 70-plus mph damaging winds and strong tornadoes.
The message included coastal hazards. Ian said a high risk of rip currents will begin Friday night and remain through Sunday night, and a high-surf warning is expected from noon Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday because of dangerously large breaking waves of 8 to 10 feet in the surf zone. Outside the severe-storm threat, gusty winds are expected throughout Saturday and a wind advisory may become necessary.
Ian urged residents and visitors to use multiple alerting devices and to know their safe places before a warning is issued. He recommended having a NOAA weather radio and enabling wireless emergency alerts (WEA) on cell phones. He also directed the public to follow Escambia County Emergency Management’s social media for updates.
No formal actions, votes or local policy changes were discussed; the recording was a public notice and weather briefing from county emergency management.
The county’s briefing did not specify any evacuation orders, shelter openings, or storm-specific response changes. Timing, exact locations of highest risk and any future advisories will depend on updates from the Storm Prediction Center and local weather services.
