Bad weather dominates Florida and South Georgia today
Forecasters say powerful thunderstorms are possible across parts of the South, bringing the threat of tornadoes to north and central Florida as well as south Georgia. This is part of a weather front that has been pounding Texas and the plains states.
Early Wednesday, The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch that covers a large part of Florida, including the cities of Tallahassee, Jacksonville; Gainesville, Orlando and the as far south as the Tampa Bay area.
According to the Weather Channel, from the Tampa Bay area north, today’s forecast called for a 100 percent chance for heavy rain. Windy with heavy thunderstorms this afternoon with a chance that a few of the storms being severe. High 86 degrees and the winds will be a major factor coming from the southwest at 25 to 35 mph
Going north up the Gulf Coast of Florida from Tampa to Tallahassee the chance of severe weather increases the closer you get to the panhandle. Rain totals could reach as high as three to four inches in the Tallahassee area, to around two inches in some areas in the northern parts of Pinellas and Pasco counties.
Tornado warnings and watches are at the highest levels in the panhandle but that does not mean that the Bay Area is out of the woods. The combination of rain, high winds and warm temperatures will keep the area in the possible range for tornado action.
The severe weather warning also went into effect for parts of south Georgia, including Valdosta, also were under a tornado watch. The storms were expected to bring the threat of flash flooding. Flash flood watches Wednesday covered large parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.
In North Carolina, a state of emergency is in effect in a small town of Autryville in the eastern part of the state after a tornado damaged a fire station and several mobile homes late Tuesday afternoon. No serious injuries were reported.
