Sleet, snow and freezing rain are expected in North Florida along the Interstate 10 corridor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency ahead of this week’s hazardous winter weather that’s expected to bring snow to the Florida Panhandle.

Sleet, snow and freezing rain are expected in North Florida in the counties along the Interstate 10 corridor. Weather experts say it has the potential to be one of the worst storms in Gulf Coast history.

And state workers in 34 counties, including those in Tallahassee, will be off Wednesday.

“Hazardous driving conditions will exist Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday, especially over bridges, overpasses, and elevated surfaces, leading to possible roadway and bridge closures across North Florida,” the executive order says.

The order activates the National Guard and Florida Guard as needed to respond to the emergency and allows the governor to “suspend the effect of any statute, rule, or order that would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay any mitigation, response, or recovery action necessary to cope with this emergency.”

For the first time in seven years, winter storm warnings are in effect from Pensacola to Jacksonville and as south as Gainesville.

“Dangerously cold wind chills and prolonged freezing and sub-freezing temperatures are expected for North and North-Central Florida for the next several days,” the executive order says.

Tallahassee could see 1 to 2 inches of snow, according to the latest forecast models.

The Florida Department of Transportation has already started mobilizing snow plows, de-icing equipment and spray rigs across North Florida in anticipation of icy conditions.

“At FDOT, we prepare for everything, even the occasional Florida winter storm,” FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue posted on X.

Closures include schools, state offices

Fourteen school districts will close for a full or partial day on Tuesday, and 23 have decided to close Wednesday.

State offices will be closed in the following counties on Tuesday: Bay (11 a.m. CT), Calhoun (11 a.m. CT), Escambia, Franklin (1 p.m. ET), Gadsden (1 p.m. ET), Gulf, (11 a.m. CT), Holmes, (11 a.m. CT), Jackson (11 a.m. CT), Jefferson, 1 p.m. ET), Leon (1 p.m. ET), Liberty (11 a.m. CT), Madison (1 p.m. ET), Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor (1 p.m. ET), Wakulla (1 p.m. ET), Walton (11 a.m. CT) and Washington (11 a.m. CT).

On Wednesday, the following state offices will be closed: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This story contains previously published material. Ana Goñi-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network – Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@gannett.com. 

A Florida sheriff is combating illegal immigration by sharing a bold statement with those who are in the state illegally ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration.

“And I leave with this message: ‘Southbound and down.’ Do it yourself. You can self-deport and avoid a lot of prison sentence, but it’s time. Southbound and down,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said during a press conference on Wednesday. 

Grady was joined by Gov. Ron DeSantis and several other local and state officials during the press conference held Winter Haven to discuss actions to combat illegal immigration.

Judd said a crackdown on illegal immigration would help reduce crime.

FLORIDA PROPOSAL WOULD BAR ILLEGAL MIGRANTS IN THE US FROM ATTENDING SOME COLLEGES

“Florida needs to set the example for the other states and support the president [Trump] to get rid of these criminals who are victimizing our people,” Judd said. 

During the press conference, Judd also shared several specific examples of crimes involving illegal immigrants, including cases of murder, DUI manslaughter and organized theft rings.

DeSantis echoed Judd and said he was confident that the second Trump administration would take swift action against the outgoing Biden administration’s immigration policy.

FLORIDA SHERIFF TO CONGRESS AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS NABBED IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING PROBE: ‘SHAME ON ALL OF THEM’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed to help President-elect Trump crack down on illegal immigration. (Getty Images)

“We in Florida have a sense of urgency to accomplish this mission,” DeSantis said. “The mission is very simple: We need to end the illegal immigration crisis once and for all in these United States of America.”

Florida sued the Biden administration on several different occasions, including over its “illegal” catch-and-release policies at the southern border and, most recently, its alleged refusal to help the state purge noncitizens from voter rolls in the 2024 election. 

FLORIDA HUMAN TRAFFICKING STING NABS 157 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 25 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Then-President Trump greets Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis during a campaign rally on Oct. 31, 2018, in Estero, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

DeSantis scheduled a special session to begin the week after Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration to fund efforts to address illegal immigration, including detention and relocation. The governor has said the state must work to support Trump’s promises to tackle illegal immigration and ensure that “we don’t have any lingering incentives for people to come into our state illegally.”

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In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump thanked DeSantis for calling a special session, saying “hopefully other Governors will follow!”

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com