PANAMA CITY — The Panhandle is not being spared from the cold temperatures that have gripped much of the nation.
Overnight lows Friday night dipped below freezing in most areas, dropping to 30 degrees at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and 28 degrees in Chipley and Marianna, the National Weather Service said. A steady wind made it seem even colder, with a wind chill of 19 degrees in Panama City Friday morning, 17 in Marianna and 21 on St. Joe Beach.
A freeze warning is in effect for much of North Florida through 10 a.m. Saturday.
After a slight respite this weekend — highs in the 50s and 60s and lows in the mid-30s and 40s — a second cold snap is expected to show up Monday night in even more brutal fashion, with a forecast low of 21 inland and 22 along the coast, the NWS said.
With public schools reopening Monday after the winter break, Bay District Schools officials issued a statement Friday saying students are urged to attend classes Monday and Tuesday, but that parents who have health and safety concerns about the cold should call the school to excuse an absence.
“Of particular concern are students who ride buses and will be at bus stops in the early morning hours when temperatures are the lowest,” the statement said.
