A wave of severe weather brought on by a deadly storm system hit northern Florida on Friday, destroying homes, causing widespread power outages and leaving at least one person dead.
Local authorities said several possible tornadoes had formed along the Florida Panhandle, including in Tallahassee, the state capital. National Weather Service crews have not yet confirmed whether tornadoes have touched down.
In Tallahassee, a woman was killed when a tree fell on her family’s home, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Across the city, local K-12 schools as well as Florida State University and Florida A&M University closed for the day. Several city, county and state offices were also closed.
This week’s storms have ravaged communities from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast. At least four people were killed in raging tornadoes and storms, and many people were injured. Intensive cleanup and recovery efforts were still underway Friday across the central and eastern United States.
Homes destroyed and Florida State University facilities damaged
Among the buildings that suffered heavy damage in Tallahassee Friday morning were two Florida State University landmarks: Dick Howser Stadium, home of the FSU baseball team, and the tent where the historic circus performs “Flying High” of the university.
“I can’t believe it,” said Kathy Bryant, a Tallahassee resident whose home was crushed by a large pine tree. Several of her neighbors helped her retrieve her family photos and her insulin from what was once her kitchen.
“Thank God my baby wasn’t there,” she told the Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network, of her granddaughter who sometimes spends the night with her.
About 200 miles west of Tallahassee, residents of northwest Florida also reported significant damage and widespread power outages. Santa Rosa County Commissioner James Calkins said he received reports of 25 to 30 homes damaged by the storm.
In Escambia County, authorities said several trees obstructed roads, but no structural damage was reported. Emergency manager Travis Tompkins said there have been several “near misses” where trees narrowly avoided hitting homes. In one incident, a tree fell in front of a mobile home and first responders had to remove it so people could get out.
Several school districts and parks in Northwest Florida also announced closures Friday due to power outages and debris caused by the storm. All facilities in the sprawling Blackwater River State Forest were closed as forest officials anticipated cleanup efforts would take several days.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke to X to thank speakers and pledge the state’s support in the recovery ahead.
“Following the severe weather that affected North Florida this morning, I have directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to work with local authorities and do everything possible to return life to normal for our residents as quickly as possible,” he wrote. More than 60,000 Tallahassee utility customers have reported outages, according to the city.
Millions of people in the South-East threatened by bad weather
Nearly two million people in northern Florida and southern Georgia are at increased risk of severe weather, with Jacksonville and Valdosta the cities facing the greatest threat, the Storm Prediction Center said. A broader area from eastern Mississippi to the Carolinas was at slight and marginal risk of severe weather.
Across the Florida Panhandle, more than 150,000 homes and businesses were without power early Friday, according to a USA TODAY power outage tracker. Tens of thousands of utility customers in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and North Carolina reported outages.
School districts in Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and other southeastern states have either delayed the start of classes or closed for the day, citing bad weather and, for Tennessee, continued efforts recovery.
Rain in Northeast and Plains regions could scramble Mother’s Day plans
Although Mother’s Day weekend is expected to be beautiful across much of the country, expected rain in the Northeast and Plains regions could spoil some outdoor plans.
Showers are expected to fall across parts of the Mid-Atlantic region and New England Saturday and Sunday, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. On Mother’s Day, an imminent threat of showers will persist across the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic, although rainy weather will likely ease during the afternoon.
A surface front over the southwest United States will bring intermittent showers and thunderstorms to the central and southern Plains and the Four Corners region through Saturday, the National Weather Service said. More severe storms are possible in parts of West Texas through Sunday evening.
The system is expected to gradually move eastward Saturday evening into Sunday, increasing the chance of rain in the central and southern Plains, the weather service said. The West Coast and Southeast – with the exception of South Florida – can largely expect a dry weekend.
Contributors: Jeff Burlew, Tallahassee Democrat William Hatfield; Jim Little, Pensacola News Journal
News Source : www.usatoday.com
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