Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency as the Panhandle and other parts of North Florida get hit with frigid weather and face the possibility of snow and ice.
DeSantis issued an executive order that said “all modes of hazardous winter weather will be likely, including snow, sleet, and freezing rain.” The order said 1 to 3 inches of snow are forecast for the Panhandle and that icy conditions could develop east to the Suwannee River Valley.
The order said “ice accumulation from freezing rain is the most impactful winter hazard, and significant impacts to roadways, bridges, trees, and power lines are possible.”
The order, in part, gave authority to Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie to take steps to direct the emergency response and ordered the activation of the Florida National Guard “as needed” to respond.
Earlier Monday, House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, canceled planned legislative committee meetings this week because of the expected weather conditions in Tallahassee