LOCAL

Parts of Big Bend remain under tornado watch

Jeff Burlew
Tallahassee Democrat
The National Weather Service says a radar-confirmed tornado touched down southeast of Blountstown.

10 a.m. update

Severe storms that moved through the area this morning are exiting Leon County.

A tornado warning for northern Leon County is no longer in effect. A radar-indicated tornado was seen earlier this morning in the Bradfordville area.

A tornado watch remains in effect for Dixie, Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison and Taylor Counties until 11 a.m.

MORE: Rolling storm damage reports - A storm damage reports database shows tornadoes, large hails and high winds in the U.S. during the last 24 hours.

9:15 a.m. update

Northern Leon County, including Bradfordville, is under a tornado warning until 9:45 a.m. The warning includes Thomasville, Georgia, and nearby parts of South Georgia.

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee reported a radar-indicated tornado was located at 9:10 a.m. about 10 miles north of Tallahassee. It was moving northeast at 70 mph. The storm is capable of producing penny-sized hail.

9:05 a.m. update

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for central Leon County, eastern Gadsden County and north-central Wakulla County until 9:30 a.m.

The storms are capable of producing damaging winds over 60 mph, hail and heavy downpours, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.

The line of storms was located along a line extending from near Bainbridge to northwest of Crawfordville and moving northeast at 70 mph.

The Weather Service reported a radar-confirmed tornado touched down earlier this morning southeast of Blountstown.

A tornado watch is in effect until 11 a.m. for Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties.

8:28 a.m. update

A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Gulf, Wakulla, Gadsden, Liberty, Leon and Franklin counties. 

A line of strong storms is moving into the Tallahassee area this morning.

A severe thunderstorm with radar-indicated rotation was located 11 miles north of Eastpoint and moving northeast at 80 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.

The storm was expected to remain over mostly rural areas of southeastern Gulf, northwestern Wakulla, southwestern Gadsden, southeastern Liberty, southwestern Leon and northwestern Franklin County, the Weather Service said.

7:25 a.m. update

Severe storms capable of producing damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are moving into the Tallahassee area this morning.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for northeastern Jackson County, where wind gusts of 60 mph were reported around 7:15 a.m. Eastern time 12 miles southwest of Cottonwood. The storm was capable of damaging roofs, siding and trees.

Much of the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend are under a tornado watch until 9 a.m. Eastern. The watch, which means conditions are favorable for tornadoes, includes Leon and surrounding counties.

Morning update

A storm system potentially more potent than the one that hit last weekend are forecast to sweep across the region overnight and into Friday morning, bringing chances of wind gusts as high as 80 mph and isolated tornadoes.

Severe storms possible overnight across the region.

The National Weather Service said the storms were expected to move into an area including Marianna and Apalachicola between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Eastern time and the Tallahassee area between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m.

“The highest threat would be damaging wind gusts,” said Lauren Nash, meteorologist with the Weather Service in Tallahassee. “There’s a chance we could get 70 to 80 mph wind gusts. A few tornadoes are also possible within this line.”

The same storm system produced strong thunderstorms and tornadoes on Thursday across Mississippi and Louisiana, prompting numerous schools to close. Leon County Schools will be closed because of the Good Friday holiday.

Last weekend, a powerful storm system that spun off more than a dozen tornadoes ripped across the country from Texas to New England, killing at least nine people. An EF-1 tornado touched down south of Moultrie, Georgia, on Sunday, damaging several homes.

The severe weather setup for Thursday night and Friday was similar to last weekend’s. 

“But we are expecting more widespread impacts with this line,” Nash said. “It’s a stronger system.”

Nash urged people to keep their weather radios, mobile apps and alerts on in case severe weather hits in the middle of the night. She added the area is more vulnerable because of the lingering effects of Hurricane Michael.

“For us, one of the concerns is the overnight aspect and making sure people can get the warnings and get to a safe place,” she said. “But also with some of the damage from Michael, there’s some weakened trees and compromised housing. People just need to be aware of the hazards and risks tonight.”

The storms could bring a couple of inches of rain to the area, though flooding wasn't expected. Cooler weather is expected to settle in behind the cold front, with weekend lows in the upper 40s to around 50 and highs from the upper 60s to mid-70s.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.