Thomas St. Myer, and Kevin Robinson

Pensacola News Journal

A tornado ripped a 2-mile path through Pensacola on Tuesday night, destroying apartments, town homes, vehicles and trees in its path from Northpointe Boulevard to Scenic Highway.

The Moorings apartment complex appeared to suffer the brunt of the damage, but isolated incidents were reported elsewhere along the tornado’s path. At the apartment, 24 units were destroyed, the top floors demolished by heavy winds, with six more apartments damaged.

There were no major injuries reported at press time, but search and rescue efforts were planned to continue throughout the night.

People of all ages walked somberly from The Moorings complex unsure where they would stay the night, let alone the next few weeks or months. They were dressed in nightgowns, T-shirts and shorts and wrapped in blankets as the wind gusted in their faces and drizzling rain fell down on them.

SEND US YOUR STORM VIDEOS, PHOTOS: Do you have video or photos from Tuesday night's storm that rocked the Pensacola area? Send them to online@pnj.com to include in our gallery and storm coverage round up.

Their lives changed dramatically in a matter of seconds as a tornado ripped through the apartment complex.

Some of the apartment residents huddled together in the rain, waiting for a bus to come and transport them to shelter.

They watched as emergency crews taped off the scene and searched the destroyed sections of the complex.

Joanne Grzesiak, 35, stood outside the apartment complex just before 10 p.m. Tuesday waiting for a bus to come and take her to a shelter.

“My roof is gone. Less than 20 feet away the entire building is demolished,” Grzesiak said as she burst into tears. “I was running toward the bathroom to take cover because I heard the tornado, but it was over before I could even get there.

“Two building were completely destroyed and the rest have no roofs, so we’re evacuating four buildings.”

Buses were taking residents to a shelter at Cokesbury United Methodist Church on Summit Boulevard, which was opened by the American Red Cross a few hours earlier.

Local first responders were on the ready

Many of the residents who were transported, like D’Assia Lewis, a resident of Apartment 20B, lost everything in the tornado.

“My apartment’s caved in. I heard something at first before I ran for the bathroom,” Lewis said. “I just laid down and called my mom and she called help for me. I’m trying to find where to go. I lost everything. I have nothing.”

Clarence Wells Jr., who lives in 17D, suffered a gash on the left side of his forehead after a tree crashed through the doorway.

“I heard a noise and it just came through. It’s way destroyed,” Wells said of the apartment. “I was right by the door. We were in the living room and boom. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Dozens of other Moorings residents waited in a dark gas station parking lot across from the apartment complex.

Emergency crews told the evacuated residents they had no timetable of when people would be allowed back into their homes, so citizens climbed into the buses that were trucking people out of the area, waited for friends and relatives to pick them up or stood around and exchanged tales of survival.

"Buildings B and D had their roofs ripped off," said resident Milan Smith. "The upstairs walls were ripped off and you could see right into the kitchens...I was walking around there marveling."

Schools on regularly scheduled times Wednesday

Michael Hazelitt said he left his cellphone inside his apartment when he was evacuated and hadn't been able to check on his girlfriend who lived nearby.

"I'm just hoping I hear from her," he said.

Neither Hazelitt nor Smith had damage to their homes, but Smith said he would never forget the storm.

"I could hear it coming," he said. "The door was heaving. I ran into the bathroom and I kept hearing tree limbs beating on the door."

Katie Jones lives in apartment building Q. She said she heard a whispering sound as the tornado hit the complex. Her apartment survived without any significant damage, but some of her friends live in the damaged units. She walked over to check on them and said she was shaken by the scene.

“I was at a loss for words. My heart goes out to the people who live over there,” Jones said.

Residents are saying that even in undamaged apartments they are being told they could be without power for weeks. Not all residents are being forced to evacuate.

Hours after the reported tornado, Florida Highway Patrol closed Interstate 10 from mile marker 17 to mile marker 43 due to damage, downed trees and at least one damaged vehicle.

Multiple trees were also reported down from Scenic Highway to U.S. 90 and residents were asked to stay out of the area. County officials also received reports of damage in the Northpointe and Yacht Harbour subdivisions.

At press time, there were multiple road closures for site security and public safety:

Old Spanish Trail at Olive Road

Harbor Square at Olive Road

Squire at Olive Road

Holgate at Olive Road

Northpointe at Olive Road

Scenic Highway at Olive Road

Northpointe Boulevard and LaBorde Lane

Olive Road and Ninth Avenue

Officials said they will reopen roads when power lines and debris are cleared.

"We'll be out first light with assessment teams," County Administrator Jack Brown said. "We've had law enforcement and firefighters going through looking for injured personnel casualties and earliest reports so far are that there have been no serious casualties.

"It's encouraging, it looks like right now it's more property destruction than loss of life. You don't want to lose either, but certainly property can be rebuilt."

The National Weather Service in Mobile will send out a team to Escambia County Wednesday morning to perform tornado damage surveys.

News Journal reporter Will Isern contributed to this story.

UPDATE 11:22 p.m.:

Normal business operations will resume Wednesday for the following:

All Escambia County offices

The Escambia County Health Department

The University of West Florida will reopen at 8 a.m.

The Citizen Information Center will reopen at 7 a.m.

UPDATE 10:34 p.m.:

Malcolm Thomas has posted that Escambia County schools will be open tomorrow.

Escambia County also reports about 15 people at the Red Cross Shelter in Century

Also here are the road closures from Escambia County:

Road closures for security and public safety:

Old Spanish Trail at Olive,

Harbor Square at Olive,

Squire at Olive,

Holgate at Olive

Northpointe at Olive,

Scenic at Olive Road,

Northpointe and Lavorde,

Olive and 9th

Also ... From Escambia County:

Severe Weather Update

There are currently 15 citizens at the Red Cross Shelter in Century

Moorings Apartments

Units were on scene within five minutes of the first call

Preliminary estimates are that 24 units are destroyed and approximately 6 have minor damage

All residents have been evacuated, however search and rescue operations continue on site

Updated reports show now reported injuries to date from the Moorings

Road Closures

FHP closing I-10 from mile marker 17 to mile marker 43 due to a possible tornado. Stay home and off the roads.

Road closures for site security and public safety: Old Spanish Trail at Olive Road Harbor Square at Olive Road Squire at Olive Road Holgate at Olive Road Northpointe at Olive Road Scenic at Olive Road Northpointe and LaBorde Olive Road and 9th Avenue

Roads will open when power lines and debris are cleared. Residents will get priority access to the area.

Damage Information

9th and Olive: Several reports of damage; crews on scene

Multiple trees down: Scenic Hwy to Highway 90. Please stay out of the area.

Traffic on I-10 is stopped both ways in Santa Rosa County due to a traffic accident in the eastbound lane

Moorings Apartments 3 buildings with heavy damage Crews on scene performing search and rescue as needed Reports of Yacht Harbour Subdivision damage

Preliminary path estimate is 2 miles long from Northpointe Boulevard to Scenic Highway

Essential Information

The Escambia County Citizen Information Center is open for questions from residents at (850) 471-6600.

Any road closures will be announced as they occur.

Storm Information as Forecasted by the National Weather Service

There is a significant risk of severe weather for our area until midnight.

Tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail are all likely.

Strong, long tracked tornadoes are possible.

Winds will be gusty (30-40 mph) outside of thunderstorms.

High surf along the coast (5-8 ft. surf heights through Wednesday).

Shelters

The American Red Cross has opened a shelter at Cokesbury United Methodist Church (3300 Summit Boulevard) Buses are transporting residents from the Moorings Apartment

At 5 p.m. the American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at the Pensacola State College Century Center located at 440 E. Hecker Road in Century for residents who do not feel safe in their homes. Shelters are opened to ensure your safety. Please remember shelters can be crowded and uncomfortable.

the American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at the Pensacola State College Century Center located at 440 E. Hecker Road in Century for residents who do not feel safe in their homes. Shelters are opened to ensure your safety. Please remember shelters can be crowded and uncomfortable. The Salvation Army Headquarters (1310 North S Street) is available as a shelter as necessary.

If you go to a public evacuation shelter, you will need to take the following items: Personal identification and any important papers. A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes. Toiletries and personal items. Blankets or sleeping bags. Games or toys for children; books for adults. Special items for infants or elderly family members. Any special dietary needs and nonperishable foods for snacks. Battery operated radio, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries. Prescription medications or any over-the-counter medications you normally take. Those with special needs must come with their own caregiver.



Military Installations

Pensacola NAS, Saufley Field and Corry Field closed at 4 p.m. to all but mission-critical personnel

Escambia County Board of County Commission Actions

All Escambia County Board of County Commissioner offices closed at 3 p.m.

All BOCC related evening meetings are cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Local state of emergency is enacted until Monday, Feb. 29.

Public works crews and the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office are on standby to respond as needed.

Other Closures

All offices of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller

All Escambia County Property Appraiser offices

All Escambia County Supervisor of Elections offices

All Tax Collector offices

All West Florida Public Library locations (bookmobile included)

The MC Blanchard Judicial Center and Juvenile Justice Center

City Hall and all City of Pensacola administrative offices

All Pensacola State College classes, events, campus activities, online classes, evening classes and the PSC Board of Trustees meeting were cancelled as of 4 p.m.

All UWF classes, events, campus activities and online courses were cancelled as of 4 p.m.

ECUA offices closed at 4 p.m. They will reopen at normal business hours tomorrow morning. Customer service will be open at 8 a.m.

Fort Pickens is closed until further notice.

Escambia County School District

All after school extra-curricular activities (indoor and outdoor) have been canceled

All George Stone Technical Center classes are canceled and will close at 5 p.m.

Dismissal for all elementary, middle, and high schools will occur at the regular times

ECAT Service

ECAT and Community Transportation will continue to offer service unless the weather intensifies to a point that it is no longer considered safe. Announcements regarding service will be made when available.

Power Outages

Please do not call 9-1-1 to report power outages. Power outages should be reported to Gulf Power at 1-800-GU-Power (1-800-487-6937) or Escambia River Cooperative, Inc. at 1-877-688-3732.

An outage map is available at www.MyGulfPower.com

Never touch a fallen power line and assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged.

Escambia River Electric Cooperative is not experiencing any outages as a result of this evening's storms.

General Safety

For more information, visit www.MyEscambia.com or follow us on twitter @MyEscambia

Please monitor your home weather radio and local media outlets for the most up-to-date information.

Your best defense in any disaster is a NOAA Weather radio.

In times of an emergency, the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management can notify participating residents via text message, email or phone call. When signing up for Alert Escambia, residents can choose their preferred method of notification. Sign up here.

UPDATE 10:07 p.m.

Joanne Grzesiak, 35, stood outside The Moorings apartment complex just before 10 p.m. tonight waiting for a bus to come and take her to a shelter.

"My roof is gone. Less than 20 feet away the entire building is demolished,” Grzesiak said as she burst into tears. "I was running toward the bathroom to take cover because I heard the tornado, but it was over before I could even get there.

"Two building were completely destroyed and the rest have no roofs, so we’re evacuating four buildings.”

D'Assia Lewis, a resident of Apartment 20B, lost everything in the tornado.

SEND US YOUR STORM VIDEOS, PHOTOS: Do you have video or photos from Tuesday night's storm that rocked the Pensacola area? Send them to online@pnj.com to include in our gallery and storm coverage round up.

"My apartment's caved in. I heard something at first before I ran for the bathroom," Lewis said. "I just laid down and called my mom and she called help for me."

"I'm trying to find where to go. I lost everything. I have nothing," Lewis said.

Clarence Wells Jr. lives in 17D. He suffered a gash on the left side of his forehead after a tree crashed through the doorway.

"I heard a noise and it just came through. It's way destroyed," Wells said of the apartment. "I was right by the door. We were in the living room and boom."

Residents are saying that even in undamaged apartments they are being told they could be without power for weeks.

UPDATE 10:02 p.m.:

Severe Weather Update

FHP closing I-10 from mile marker 17 to mile marker 43 due to a possible tornado. Stay home and off the roads.

9th and Olive: Several reports of damage; crews on scene

Multiple trees down: Scenic Hwy to Highway 90. Please stay out of the area.

Traffic on I-10 is stopped both ways in Santa Rosa County due to a traffic accident in the eastbound lane

Moorings Apartments 3 buildings with heavy damage Reports of six injuries (extent of injuries unknown) Law enforcement has transported three people to the hospital; no EMS transports yet Crews on scene performing search and rescue as needed Reports of Yacht Harbour Subdivision damage



Essential Information

The Escambia County Citizen Information Center is open for questions from residents at (850) 471-6600.

Any road closures will be announced as they occur.

Storm Information as Forecasted by the National Weather Service

There is a significant risk of severe weather for our area until midnight.

Tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail are all likely.

Strong, long tracked tornadoes are possible.

Winds will be gusty (30-40 mph) outside of thunderstorms.

High surf along the coast (5-8 ft. surf heights through Wednesday).

Shelters

At 5 p.m. the American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at the Pensacola State College Century Center located at 440 E. Hecker Road in Century for residents who do not feel safe in their homes. Shelters are opened to ensure your safety. Please remember shelters can be crowded and uncomfortable.

the American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at the Pensacola State College Century Center located at 440 E. Hecker Road in Century for residents who do not feel safe in their homes. Shelters are opened to ensure your safety. Please remember shelters can be crowded and uncomfortable. The Salvation Army Headquarters (1310 North S Street) is available as a shelter as necessary.

If you go to a public evacuation shelter, you will need to take the following items: Personal identification and any important papers. A change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes. Toiletries and personal items. Blankets or sleeping bags. Games or toys for children; books for adults. Special items for infants or elderly family members. Any special dietary needs and nonperishable foods for snacks. Battery operated radio, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries. Prescription medications or any over-the-counter medications you normally take. Those with special needs must come with their own caregiver.



Military Installations

Pensacola NAS, Saufley Field and Corry Field closed at 4 p.m. to all but mission-critical personnel

Escambia County Board of County Commission Actions

All Escambia County Board of County Commissioner offices closed at 3 p.m.

All BOCC related evening meetings are cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Local state of emergency is enacted until Monday, Feb. 29.

Public works crews and the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office are on standby to respond as needed.

Other Closures

All offices of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller

All Escambia County Property Appraiser offices

All Escambia County Supervisor of Elections offices

All Tax Collector offices

All West Florida Public Library locations (bookmobile included)

The MC Blanchard Judicial Center and Juvenile Justice Center

City Hall and all City of Pensacola administrative offices

All Pensacola State College classes, events, campus activities, online classes, evening classes and the PSC Board of Trustees meeting were cancelled as of 4 p.m.

All UWF classes, events, campus activities and online courses were cancelled as of 4 p.m.

ECUA offices closed at 4 p.m. They will reopen at normal business hours tomorrow morning. Customer service will be open at 8 a.m.

Fort Pickens is closed until further notice.

Escambia County School District

All after school extra-curricular activities (indoor and outdoor) have been canceled

All George Stone Technical Center classes are canceled and will close at 5 p.m.

Dismissal for all elementary, middle, and high schools will occur at the regular times

ECAT Service

ECAT and Community Transportation will continue to offer service unless the weather intensifies to a point that it is no longer considered safe. Announcements regarding service will be made when available.

Power Outages

Please do not call 9-1-1 to report power outages. Power outages should be reported to Gulf Power at 1-800-GU-Power (1-800-487-6937) or Escambia River Cooperative, Inc. at 1-877-688-3732.

An outage map is available at www.MyGulfPower.com

Never touch a fallen power line and assume all wires on the ground are electrically charged.

General Safety

For more information, visit www.MyEscambia.com or follow us on twitter @MyEscambia

Please monitor your home weather radio and local media outlets for the most up-to-date information.

Your best defense in any disaster is a NOAA Weather radio.

In times of an emergency, the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management can notify participating residents via text message, email or phone call. When signing up for Alert Escambia, residents can choose their preferred method of notification. Sign up here.

UPDATE 10 p.m.:

Santa Rosa County officials say that the driver of a semi truck that overturned on 1-10 bridge was transported with injuries

UPDATE 9:45:

Gas leak at Tradewinds apartments.

Also ... Traffic being detoured on WB I-10 at Mm 22 and mm 26 to US 90 due to overturned semi.

UPDATE 9:37 p.m.:

Madeline Santiago & Lee Sheffield were in Apt. 43D at The Moorings when the apparent tornado hit.



"We were watching TV and the lights blinked three times," Santiago said. "We heard a train noise and a bunch of hollering. We didn't know it was coming."



The top floor of their apartment building is rubble, and downstairs is severely damaged, but Santiago said she and the neighbors she knows made it out safe. But the couple is now homeless.



"I don't have nowhere to go," Santiago said, weeping. I don't have my apartment anymore."

UPDATE 9:20 p.m.:

Officials have confirmed three buildings at The Moore Apartments on Old Spanish Road have suffered damage. Six people have reported injuries and crews on scene are performing search and rescue as needed.

There also is reports of damage at Yacht Harbour Subdivision.

Also, in Santa Rosa ... From the Florida Department of Transportation: Westbound I-10 closed at Mile Marker 20 due to an overturned semi. Use alternate routes.

Update 9:30 p.m.:

Santa Rosa County personnel are responding to reports of damage in the Avalon Beach area near San Miguel Street and 14th Avenue. The area is currently blocked, but there are no reports of injuries.

County personnel also transported a truck driver whose semi-overturned on Interstate 10.

Santa Rosa County personnel are providing mutual aid to hard-hit areas of Escambia County.

UPDATE 9:15 p.m.

About a dozen emergency vehicles are staged outside The Moorings apartments on Old Spanish Trail Road where the top floor of an apartment complex is destroyed. The bottom floor is still standing. Neighbors report a heavy smell of gas.

Update: 8:52 p.m.:

Escambia County is confirming tornado activity near 9th Avenue and Scenic. There are multiple reports of damage, and the county has resources on the scene.

Neighbors report extensive damage at the Northpoint subdivision at Ninth and Olive including trailers smashed, metal power poles down and light poles ripped apart. Emergency crews are staging at the shopping center at Ninth Avenue and Olive Road. Initial reports indicate multiple homes have been damaged.

Emergency crews are also responding to reports of a confirmed entrapment near Scenic Highway.

Lots of tree damage on sceneic north of the interstate to U.S. 90.

Update: 8:44 p.m.:

A car is blown of the interstate one mile west of Ynestra on 1-10, trees are blocking one lane of highway.

Trees are blocking lane of highway.

Update: 8:36 p.m.

Tornado warning still in effect for Santa Rosa until 8:45 p.m.

Reports of touchdown in Pace and moving to Milton.

More than 1,000 people without power north of I-10, including Olive Road and Johnson Ave. Also parts of Scenic Highway north of the Escambia River Bridge, more than 1,000 without power.

Update 8:26 p.m.:

The Scenic Highway is closed at Interstate 10 because of flooding.

Update 8:21 p.m.:

Residents reporting large debris in Ferry Pass area. More than 1,000 without power.

Update 8:14 p.m.:

Large and extremely dangerous tornado located over Ferry Pass moving northeast at 50 mile per hour, according to the National Weather Service. There is 1-inch hail over Ferry Pass.

Tornado warning extended for Escambia County until 8:45 p.m.

Update 8:06 p.m.:

The National Weather Service in Mobile issued a tornado warning for Southeastern Santa Rosa County, including Eglin Air Force Base, and Okaloosa County until 8:30 p.m.

Update 8:05 p.m.:

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warns to beware of flooding, not just tornadoes. Flooding has already been reported in Gulf Breeze and Midway.

Update 8:01 p.m.:

About 600 people are without power in the Pensacola area and about 12-15 are without power in the Gulf Breeze area.

Most areas in Pensacola are expected to be back up by 9:30 p.m.

Update 7:55 p.m.:

The National Weather Service reports rotation near Perdido Bay.

Update 7:50 p.m.:

Police report on scanner minor flooding in Gulf Breeze.

Update 7:45 p.m.:

The Associated Press reports at least seven tornadoes hit Louisiana and Mississippi and killed at least three people.

Update 7:15 p.m.:

The National Weather Service in Mobile issued a tornado warning until 8:15 p.m. for South Central Escambia County and Southeastern Baldwin County in Ala. Take cover in the area away from windows.

NWS estimated the tornado will be near West Pensacola, Bellview, Brent, Goulding, Ensley, Ferry Pass and Pensacola International Airport by 8:15 p.m.

Police radio stated there is no reason to evacuate the airport at this time, but they are monitoring the situation.

Update 6:45 p.m.:

Brandi Whitehurst, Santa Rosa County public information officer, said National Weather Service officials advised the county to be prepared for a series of isolated storms throughout the night.

"With that thinking, we've kept the entire county in mind," she said.

There are no shelters open in the county. Whitehurst advised residents to track the weather on the following link: http://santarosagis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=be654dbbd0f242b89d5382e9a45fa307

Update 6:15 p.m.:

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a tornado watch until 10 p.m. for the area.

Update 4:50 p.m.:

A dangerous storm with the potential to form tornadoes and pelt the area with hail is heading toward Northwest Florida.

"It is a particularly dangerous situation," said Steve Miller, National Weather Service forecaster in Mobile. "We are looking at the possibility of long-track tornadoes and several tornadoes. We feel there will be tornadoes around the area."

Miller said the forecast indicates the severe weather will move into Northwest Florida after 6 p.m. and last into the early overnight hours. He said the possibility exists for isolated storms before the more significant storms move into the area.

Miller recommended residents seek shelter and follow weather updates on multiple platforms.

"At this point just get to a place of safety and keep your eyes and ears to multiple sources of information," Miller said.

Jason Beaman, warning coordination meteorologist for NWS in Mobile, said there is a possibility for 60 to 80 mile per hour winds and golf ball size hail.”

Beaman advised everyone to be prepared to take action immediately.

“This will be happening at night and will be very fast moving,” he said. “… You should seek shelter in a sturdy building. Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible.”

Beaman recommended anyone living in a mobile home to seek shelter in a sturdier structure if a watch or warning is issued.

Update 4:50 p.m.

The Santa Rosa County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will activate to Level 2 staffing at 6 p.m. This is a partial activation of the EOC. Weather conditions will continue to be monitored by staff throughout the evening. For more information, call 983-5360.

Update 4:15 p.m.:

Escambia County reminds residents to report power outages to Gulf Power at 1-800-GU-Power (1-800-487-6937) or Escambia River Cooperative, Inc. at 1-877-688-3732. Gulf Power provides an outage map at www.MyGulfPower.com. Never touch a fallen power line and assume all wires on ground are electrically charges. In times of an emergency, the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management can notify participating residents via text message, email or phone call. When signing up for Alert Escambia, residents can choose their preferred method of notification.

The Escambia County Citizen Information Center is open for questions from residents at 471-6600.

The American Red Cross is opening an evacuation shelter at 5 p.m. at the Pensacola State College building/old Century Middle School, 520 E. Hecker Road in Century for residents who do not feel safe in their homes. Shelters are opened to ensure your safety.

The Salvation Army Headquarters, 1501 N. Q St., is available as a shelter as necessary.

Please remember shelters can be crowded and uncomfortable. Anyone heading to a shelter should take the following items: personal identification and any important papers; a change of clothing, rain gear and sturdy shoes; toiletries and personal items; blankets or sleeping bags; games or toys for children; books for adults; special items for infants or elderly family members; any special dietary needs and nonperishable foods for snacks; battery operated radio, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries; prescription medications or any over-the-counter medications you normally take; those with special needs must come with their own caregiver.

Update 4 p.m.

Pensacola NAS, Saufley Field and Corry Field closed at 4 p.m. to all but mission-critical personnel

Update 2:10 p.m.:

ECAT and Community Transportation will continue to offer service unless the weather intensifies to a point that it is no longer considered safe. Announcements regarding service will be made when available.

Update 2 p.m.:

All Pensacola State College classes, events, campus activities, online classes, evening classes and the PSC Board of Trustees meeting are cancelled as of 4 p.m. due to projected severe weather.

Normal operations will resume at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday unless conditions change, in which case PSC will notify all students, faculty and staff. Check in with the PSC website, Facebook, twitter and PSC Alert system for any updates.

Update 1:25 p.m.:

Pensacola City Councilwoman Sherri Myers postponed a town hall meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Cokesbury United Methodist Church due to the threat of inclement weather. Myers rescheduled the town hall for the same time and same location March 8. The town hall is for District 2 residents to discuss priorities for how the city should allocate local option sales tax funding.

Update 1:05 p.m.

City Hall and all City of Pensacola administrative offices will close at 3 p.m. This applies to all meetings and events scheduled for this evening. Police, Fire and other emergency services essential for public safety and health will remain open.

Update 12:55 p.m.:

The University of West Florida and Escambia County have announced additional closures.

All UWF classes, events, campus activities and online courses are cancelled as of 4 p.m., today, Feb. 23, 2016, due to the projected severe weather. The Nautilus Market will remain open until 9 p.m. The trolleys will run until weather conditions require otherwise, in which case the campus community will be notified.

Normal University operations will resume at 8 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2016, unless conditions change, in which case, University officials will notify all students, faculty and staff.

Residential students should remain within residence halls and limit outside trips to necessary activities. Please contact on-call residential staff if you have any questions.

All essential personnel are asked to report to work as assigned. If you are essential personnel, your supervisor will notify you.

Weather information is available by tuning into WUWF at 88.1FM or online at wuwf.org. Visit bereadyescambia.com or http://uwf.im/severeweatherpreparedness for storm preparation tips and resources.

The University will continue to communicate with students, faculty and staff via email, facebook.com/westfl and twitter.com/uwf.

In the event of an emergency, please contact the UWF Police Department at 850.474.2415.

In addition, all offices of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller will be closed at today at 3 p.m.

The MC Blanchard Judicial Center and the Juvenile Justice Center will be closing at 3 p.m. today in anticipation of the significant threat of bad weather this afternoon and into this evening.

Based on information from the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center and the National Weather Service in Mobile, severe weather is expected in our area this evening, Malcolm Thomas, Superintendent of the Escambia County School District (Escambia County, Fla.) announced that all after school extra-curricular activities (indoor and outdoor) have been canceled for tonight.

Update 12:35 p.m.

Santa Rosa County Emergency Management officials warn residents to stay alert and be prepared for a severe weather outbreak. The National Weather Service in Mobile issued a weather briefing at 10:30 a.m. For Santa Rosa County, the timing of the greatest coverage and intensity of storms will be during the evening and overnight hours from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. This weather event is a significant threat with risk for individual, rapidly moving super cells, with possible strong and long-tracked tornadoes, a likeliness of large hail, gusty winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour and high surf along the coast. Emergency Management Director Brad Baker advised residents to pay attention to local media, weather radio, government alerts and weather apps on cell phones for tornado watches and warnings.

Update 12:30 p.m.

Escambia County School District cancelled all after-school extra-curricular activities (indoor and outdoor) for today. All George Stone Technical Center classes are also canceled. George Stone will close at 5 p.m. Dismissal for all elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools will occur at their regular times.

Update 12:20 p.m.:

All after-school activities for Santa Rosa County District Schools will be completed by 6 p.m. as a precautionary measure.

"We just want everybody home and safe," Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick said. "We have several band concerts this evening, several athletic activities on slate. We'll reschedule both the band activities and athletic activities."

Update 12:15 p.m.:

The National Weather Service in New Orleans reported spotting of a tornado approaching Mandeville area. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Baton Rouge through 12:15 p.m., and the area is under a tornado watch until 5 p.m.

Update 11:45 a.m.:

Gulf Islands National Seashore is clearing out the Fort Pickens area. Superintendent Dan Brown said everyone from the staff to visitors are to evacuate the area by noon. Fort Pickens will be closed until Thursday morning at the earliest.

"We'll just see how it unfolds," Brown said. "They're predicting 10- to 12-foot seas, 25 to 30 knot winds. That's a recipe typically for a lot of water and sand on the road. We could end up with a few inches of sand or a few feet."

Brown said one positive is the weather is supposed to sweep through the area in a hurry and that will permit the National Seashore to assess the damage Thursday morning.

Fort Barrancas and Naval Live Oaks will close at 3:30 p.m. That is the time the National Seashore is releasing all Florida District staff.

Update 11:20 a.m.:

Due to the threat for severe weather this afternoon and evening, the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center will activate at a level 1, or full scale activation where all primary support agencies under the county’s emergency plan are notified, in preparation for any needed response. All Escambia County Board of County offices will close at 3 p.m. All BOCC related evening meetings are cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date. The Santa Rosa Island Authority facility will be closed at 3 p.m., as well. More information about additional closures will be announced as they become available.

Update 11 a.m.

The Coast Guard advises mariners to prepare for severe weather conditions forecast by the National Weather Service, impacting Mississippi, Alabama and the Pensacola area by this afternoon.

Winds are expected to increase to small craft advisory levels with frequent gusts to gale force winds through early Wednesday. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop and move across the Gulf Coast.

The Coast Guard reminds mariners that high winds can cause vessels to break free from moorings if not properly secured and urges those who plan to get underway in impacted areas to heed warnings issued by the National Weather Service and plan accordingly.

The Coast Guard encourages all vessel owners to ensure boats are properly marked and well secured, to avoid hazardous and unnecessary searches caused by unmanned, adrift vessels. This includes personal watercraft as well as beached kayaks and canoes. Life jackets, pool floats and other debris that could lead rescuers to initiate searches should be securely stowed as well.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile will broadcast safety information for recreational and commercial mariners via VHF FM marine radio.

Update 8:20 a.m.:

Scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms are expected to develop across the region Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile, Alabama.

Tornadoes – some potentially strong and long tracked – are the main threat, however damaging winds of 60-80 mph and hail up to the size of golf balls are also a danger.

The timing of the squall line’s approach is in question because the weather system is still forming, but available data suggests the most severe storms will hit Northwest Florida around midnight.

This afternoon, super cells are expected to start developing over southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama. Strong surface winds will develop by this afternoon and continue through the night with gusts around 30-35 mph.

By evening, the activity will shift into South Central Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle.

High surf and a high risk of rip currents are expected today and tonight.

Monday's story:

There is a risk that over the next day or so, our area could see a repeat of last week's tornadoes and damaging winds.

Isolated tornadoes and large hail will be possible as a strong storm system moves east across the region Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning. According to the National Weather Service, portions of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will have an elevated threat of severe weather from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, and a "significant" severe weather threat from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 4 a.m. Wednesday.

The storm may produce strong tornadoes with long tracks, winds in excess of 70 mph and hail the size of golf balls.

"This is a dangerous weather system," said Joe Maniscalco, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Mobile, Alabama. "We just want folks to have a heightened sense of preparedness."

According to the National Weather Service, the area under enhanced threat spans from Tallahassee to Central Louisiana east to west, and stretches almost to Montgomery, Alabama, in the north. The Weather Channel has rated the region — along with much of Texas — a 6 on its TOR:CON Index, meaning there's a 60 percent chance of a tornado within 50 miles of any location in the indicated area.

Locally, Century residents are still trying to get back on their feet following a strong EF2/weak EF3 tornado Feb. 15 that destroyed 41 structures and damaged about 120 buildings total. Maniscalco said there was no indication Century was in anymore danger than anywhere else, but said that a second tornado strike in the area was not outside the realm of possibility.

"There is that potential, we cannot rule it out, but this environment is affecting the entire area along the Gulf Coast, not just the areas that were affected last week," he said.

Still, the possibility of another brewing tragedy is a chilling notion for Century citizens who are literally still picking up the pieces of their shattered homes.

"We can cope with it," 32-year-old Brandy Gafford said. "We just don't know about our children being traumatized and another storm striking a week later."

Legal aid available for tornado victims

Officials said the best thing citizens can do to brace for the inclement weather is to have a plan.

Joy Tsubooka, Escambia County community and media relations manager, advised citizens to take the time today to purchase weather radios, test their batteries, charge their cellphones and download smartphone applications — such as the American Red Cross tornado warning app — that can alert them in the event of a tornado.

"It's always concerning when severe weather occurs while people are sleeping and aren't necessarily aware of all the latest updates," Tsubooka said. "We want them to have something that is going to wake them up."

Tsubooka also recommended that all citizens enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on their mobile devices and spend some time getting ready for the storm.

"If you have any property you need to protect, take action today to ensure that anything that might get wet is covered and anything that might get blown away in strong winds is secured," said Tsubooka. "If you don't feel safe in your home, makes plans to stay with family and friends where you feel more secure."

The latest on Century aid