There have been at least 105 reported tornadoes across the country since Monday, as severe weather continued Friday in parts of the South.
There were at least five reported tornadoes Thursday across Iowa, Missouri, Georgia and Mississippi. Elsewhere, hail up to 5 inches in diameter was reported west of Austin, Texas — greater than the size of a softball — and winds up to 76 mph produced damage in Alabama.
The highest threat for tornadoes on Friday, May 10, 2024, will be in northern Florida.
ABC News
On Friday, severe thunderstorms moved through parts of Georgia and Florida. A tornado warning was issued in Tallahassee in Leon County on Friday morning, with “multiple circulations and radar-confirmed tornadoes,” according to the National Weather Service.
A woman died in Tallahassee after a tree fell on her family’s home Friday, according to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.
Residents of an apartment complex try to clear Old St. Augustine Road of trees and debris in Tallahassee, Fla., May 10, 2024.
Phil Sears/AP
A chimney and siding, blown off a roof by extreme winds, rests in a stairwell at an apartment complex in Tallahassee, Fla., May 10, 2024.
Phil Sears/AP
The NWS said it received “a lot of damage reports” in the Tallahassee area.
“It is too soon to determine whether winds or a tornado are responsible. There should be more clarity as the day progresses, but for now we still have to focus on active weather,” the NWS said on X.
Initial reports indicated up to three tornadoes formed in Gadsden Friday morning, according to Leon County Emergency Management, which said it is working with the NWS to confirm tornado touchdowns in the area.
The storm system brought “severe weather to all of Leon County,” and crews are responding to downed trees and assessing buildings, Leon County Emergency Management said in a statement.
The Florida State University campuses in Tallahassee closed Friday due to the severe weather. University crews are assessing and cleaning up the damage, the school said.
Nearly 150,000 customers were without power in Florida Friday afternoon, all in the Panhandle and northern parts of the state.
A huge tree on Old St. Augustine Road rests on downed power lines in Tallahassee, Fla.,May 10, 2024.
Phil Sears/AP
Meanwhile, a new line of storms could form in the Carolinas and Georgia Friday afternoon. A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of the Carolinas through 9 p.m. ET. The main threat with these storms will be damaging winds, hail and frequent lightning — tornado threat is quite low but can’t be ruled out.
The severe weather threat will be lower through the weekend.
A new storm system developing later this weekend into early next week could bring very heavy rain to the Gulf Coast, from Texas to Georgia, with flash flooding possible. Locally, some areas along the Gulf Coast could see more than half a foot of rain over the next several days.
