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Friday, October 2, 10:40 a.m. - Santa Rosa County may experience heavy rainfall resulting in flash flooding, as multiple rounds of showers and storms are expected to impact the area through the weekend. According to the U.S. National Weather Service Mobile Office, our area is under a marginal risk for flash flooding today, Friday, Oct. 2, and a slight risk for flash flooding Saturday and Sunday, October 3 and 4.
Key messages:
- Multiple rounds of heavy rain will impact the area today through the weekend.
- Heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding, especially in urban areas or where storms repeatedly move over the same locations.
- Most likely rainfall totals through Monday is 4-6 inches, highest along the coast. A few locations near the coastline could receive up to 7-10 inches of rain.
- A high rip current risk is in effect for Navarre Beach through Monday afternoon. Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. Always swim near a lifeguard.
- Turn around, don't drown! Never cross a flooded roadway because you can't see whether the road has been damaged.
- Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to quickly move to higher ground if warnings are issued.
- Heavy rain can cause flooding of low-lying spots, underpasses, and poor drainage areas.
Due to the potential flash flood threat, the county's public works department has sand available on a first-come, first-served basis at the following locations:
- The corner of Leisure Street and Citrus Drive in Navarre
- Tiger Point Park in Gulf Breeze (1370 Tiger Park Lane)
- Pace Fire-Rescue in Pace (4773 Pace Patriot Boulevard)
- The corner of Pine Forest Road and Carroll Road in Milton
Residents must provide their own sandbags and shovel. Bags can be purchased at many local hardware stores. For information on how to make and use sandbags, visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (www.flash.org). While sandbags can help mitigate to some extent, buying flood insurance is the best protection against flood loss.
Floods are the nation's most common and costly natural disaster and cause millions of dollars in damage every year. And get it sooner rather than later - flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
Be prepared. Make sure all family members know the plan.
- Prevent localized flooding by clearing gutters and storm drains.
- Have multiple ways of receiving alerts.
- Every home should have a NOAA weather radio, the first line of defense before relying on alerts through a smartphone.
- Smartphone weather apps are also an excellent delivery source of severe weather information and other disaster updates - especially during overnight hours. Santa Rosa County's alert app - AlertSantaRosa.com - provides updates on emergency incidents (hazardous materials and severe weather) in the county at addresses of your choice (work, school, home, etc).
- Be sure that you have not disabled your alerts on your phone and that it is fully charged and within reach. If you use the "Do Not Disturb" feature on your phone at night, turn it off so that any emergency calls may come through.
For current weather events, visit www.weather.gov/mob. For information on preparing for disasters, visit www.santarosa.fl.gov/974/Emergency-Management.
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www.santarosa.fl.gov
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