SUMMARY
- A tornado watch remains in effect until Sunday evening for portions of Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
- Damaging winds up to seventy mph and large hail are possible under the tornado watch.
- Western states face heavy mountain snow and up to six inches of rain in parts of California.
A tornado watch was issued Sunday morning for parts of the Florida Panhandle, Alabama and Georgia as severe thunderstorms moved across the Southeast, while a separate storm system prepared to bring heavy snow to the West and flooding rain to coastal California, forecasters said.
The tornado watch, issued at 9:35 a.m. Eastern by the National Weather Service, covers areas from the Florida Panhandle into southern Alabama and Georgia.
The agency warned that severe weather could intensify through late afternoon as a strong cold front pushes east across the Deep South.
The Southeast storm threat follows damaging thunderstorms Saturday from eastern Texas into southern Mississippi. No fatalities were reported, but the storms produced hail and downed trees.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, February often marks a transition period when warm Gulf air collides with lingering winter systems, increasing tornado risk across the region.
Cities including Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama, and Macon and Augusta, Georgia, are in the projected path. Orlando and Tampa, Florida, could also see severe conditions.
Parts of Florida and North Carolina, including Raleigh, may receive one to two inches of rain over the next forty eight hours, offering relief to drought stricken areas.
Bill Bunting, deputy director of the Storm Prediction Center at the National Weather Service, said the tornado watch reflects “an environment supportive of rotating storms capable of producing damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.”
Victor Gensini, professor of meteorology at Northern Illinois University, said early season outbreaks are increasingly tied to strong temperature contrasts.
“When Gulf moisture surges northward this time of year, even modest wind shear can produce severe weather,” he said.
| Region | Primary Threat | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Panhandle, south Alabama, Georgia | Damaging winds, hail, isolated tornadoes | Gusts up to 70 mph |
| Coastal California | Heavy rain | 3 to 6 inches through Friday |
| Sierra Nevada, Rockies | Heavy snow | Significant mountain accumulations |
Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said state officials were coordinating with county agencies to monitor power outages and localized flooding.
“Residents should remain weather aware and have multiple ways to receive alerts,” he said.
Maria Torres, a Tallahassee resident, said recent dry conditions have left the ground hard. “We need the rain, but we worry about sudden flooding,” she said.
Forecasters expect the tornado watch to expire by Sunday evening as the front moves offshore. In the West, a series of Pacific systems could sustain rain and snow through Friday, heightening flash flood risks near burn scars.
Authorities urged residents in affected regions to monitor updates as the tornado watch and winter storm systems underscore the volatile transition between winter and spring across the United States.
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