Severe thunderstorms and apparent tornadoes ripped across the Florida Panhandle early on Tuesday, downing power lines and trees and damaging buildings, as powerful storms swept through Georgia, Alabama and other Southern states.
Gusty winds left fences damaged and roadways impassable, according to the authorities in Panama City, Fla., where the storm moved through on Tuesday. In some areas, it brought hail about the size of baseballs.
The damage was still being assessed, officials said, but they warned residents that the threat was not yet over. The line of severe storms was expected to move across the Southeast on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said, adding that it could cause more “widespread destructive wind gusts,” with speeds of 75 miles per hour. Power outages were affecting some areas, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said on Tuesday.
Tornado warnings were in place for portions of Florida, Alabama and Georgia, and meteorologists warned people to take cover indoors away from windows and brace for flying debris.
“It’s going to take a while to clear the whole Southeast U.S.,” said Felecia Bowser, the head meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, adding that the storm was expected to move away from Florida in the evening.
The Weather Service was investigating reports of structural damage, she said.
In Bay County, Fla., the sheriff’s office urged residents to stay off the roads while emergency personnel rushed to damaged houses to investigate whether people were trapped. The authorities were working to survey storm-hit areas, including an apartment complex that was “extensively damaged.” Power lines dangled low by Highway 2301. Roads were obstructed with downed trees, debris and water, the office said.
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
Schools in Bay County, which includes Panama City, were closed on Tuesday, the school district said, adding that it was still surveying damage to structures: “We are aware of tornado damage already in our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with all of those impacted.”
Forecasters warned that a line of severe thunderstorms was moving through southern Alabama on Tuesday morning.
In Georgia, emergency management officials had warned residents to prepare for storms, saying those in Southwest Georgia faced the highest risk of tornadoes, possibly beginning even before sunrise.
By noon on Tuesday, more than 73,000 customers, mostly in central and southwestern counties, were without power, according to PowerOutage, which tracks electric service.
More than 100 schools shifted to virtual learning, were closed or had adjusted their hours in Georgia, either starting late or working under curtailed schedules, according to The Savannah Morning News.
The severe weather is part of a weather system affecting much of the eastern third of the U.S. on Tuesday, with heavy rainfall expected from the Florida Panhandle to Southern Maine.
Elsewhere, a powerful cold front in the Pacific Northwest was expected to bring heavy snow, while sections of the Northwest braced for blizzard conditions.