Florida Gov. DeSantis activates State Guard as severe weather threatens state

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday activated the Florida State Guard ahead of a dangerous Gulf low and severe weather expected to menace Florida this weekend.

The Florida State Guard, which is separate from the Florida National Guard, is an all-volunteer force spearheaded by DeSantis last year to assist National Guard members during natural disasters and other emergencies.

“The Florida State Guard plays an essential role in Florida’s preparation for and swift response to severe weather,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We thank them for their willingness to mobilize on short notice as we prepare for potential severe weather impacts this weekend.”

DeSantis also said he directed the Division of Emergency Management "to prepare flood response and prevention equipment and instructed Floridians to plan for flooding, strong wind gusts, and isolated tornadoes."

The governor revived the state guard in 2022 after decades of dormancy. It was activated "for the first time in more than 75 years in response to Hurricane Idalia," he said.

Read more: Near tropical storm winds, heavy rain to drench Florida Saturday, forecasters say

What impacts can Florida can expect from the severe weather

"Severe thunderstorms are expected to get underway across Florida on Saturday with very heavy rainfall, locally damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes," according to an AccuWeather report Friday evening.

"These storms should begin to take shape in the late morning and quickly intensify in the afternoon as they cross the state. Destructive storms will continue overnight Saturday into the early morning hours Sunday."

Florida is among 23 other states with a state guard, according to the Governor's Office. Florida also ranks among the most disaster-prone states in the nation. The Florida State Guard, which is funded solely by the state, originated as a World War II-era paramilitary force, though it was disbanded in the late 1940s.

"AccuWeather meteorologists have been raising alarm bells about this dangerous situation for days in Florida, ahead of other sources – and our concern is now elevated due to the increased risks for damaging thunderstorm winds, flash flooding, and tornadoes in the overnight hours on Saturday," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said in a prepared statement.

Accuweather forecasters said they were particularly worried that tornadoes "may be somewhat stronger, or perhaps more concentrated" in the heavily populated areas from Hollywood to West Palm Beach and the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas.

Previous coverage: Florida State Guard opens its doors for first time in decades. Democrats slam DeSantis plan

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis activates Florida State Guard with severe weather expected