With a flash flood watch in effect until late Friday, Santa Rosa County’s public works department is making sand available at four locations on a first-come, first-served basis as the effects of Tropical Storm Arthur head our way.

Forecasters from the National Weather Service office in Mobile, Alabama, say that tropical moisture from the western Gulf could bring up to four inches of rain and flooding over the next three days.

The prolonged dry spell settling over the Florida Panhandle may feel unprecedented to residents, but a National Weather Service meteorologist said drought conditions like these are a well-documented feature of the region’s spring climate.

Santa Rosa County has announced that they will open its cold weather shelter in Milton for two nights this week as overnight temperatures are expected to drop below 40 degrees.

Due to another round of cold weather that is forecasted to affect our area, Santa Rosa County officials have announced that Ferris Hill Baptist Church will be open on Feb. 22 and 23 for those in need.