JACKSONVILLE, FL – A Tornado Warning was issued Thursday afternoon for multiple Southeast Georgia counties after a tornado was confirmed near Alma in Bacon County.
The first warning was issued after a tornado was spotted in the Alma city limits around 3:11 p.m.
A Tornado Watch for Duval and Nassau counties in Florida, and Camden, Brantley, Glynn and Ware counties in Georgia was set to end at 9 p.m. However, it was canceled shortly after 6 p.m.
The greatest chance of severe weather containing gusty winds was across southern Georgia between Waycross and Brunswick from 4-7 p.m. There is the potential for damaging wind, hail, lightning and isolated tornadoes.
A line of rain with embedded thunderstorms also moved southward into Northeast Florida by the evening.
Rain weakened with less chance for damaging winds south of Nassau and into Duval County after 6 p.m. The tornado watch did include these counties but hopefully, the dry air over us will helped to zap some of the strength in the severe storms that are moving our way. The beneficial rain could last as late as 8-9 p.m. as it drops down toward St. Augustine this evening.
Over the greater Jacksonville area models show no significant tornado risks compared to the environment in central Georgia but there remains a risk for damaging gusts to 30-40 mph as the primary hazard with the thunderstorm bands. A tornado may also accompany any embedded stronger circulations within the line but those hazards may be confined to Suwannee Valley and southern Georgia.