Severe storms threats have expired and the heaviest parts of the storm have passed though our area. Scattered rain remains in some areas of Central Florida.
6:35 p.m. update
A tornado warning that had been issued for Brevard County has since expired.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission warns that alligators and snakes can be observed more frequently after major storms and flooding.
Alligators & snakes may be observed more frequently after a major storm event, especially in areas with flooding. Keep them at a distance & give them space! pic.twitter.com/3dN3l6yxYf
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Winter Weather Florida A house is damaged after a storm passed the area on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024 in Panama City, Fla. A sprawling storm hit the South with tornado warnings and high winds that blew roofs off homes, flipped over campers and tossed about furniture in Florida on Tuesday. Another storm brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half a foot of snow, stranding people on highways as it headed to the Northeast. (Richmon Moore via AP) (Richmon Moore)
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Winter Weather Florida This photo provided by Bay County Sheriff's Office shows storm damage around around Panama City Beach, Fla., in Bay County, early Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. A sprawling storm has hit the South with strong thunderstorms and tornado warnings that blew roofs off homes and tossed about furniture in the Florida Panhandle and brought cities across the Midwest to a standstill with more than half of foot of snow. (Bay County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Bay County)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms They Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms They Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis /Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
Florida storms The Bay County Sheriff's Office shared images of storm destruction from the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office /Bay County Sheriff's Office)
5:15 p.m. update
A tornado warning remains in effect for Flagler County until 5:30 p.m.
A tornado warning in Volusia County has since expired.
5 p.m. update
Tornado warnings have been issued has been issued for Volusia and Flagler counties.
The warning in Volusia County is in effect until 5:15 p.m., and the warning in Flagler County is in effect until 5:30 p.m.
A line of thunderstorms are moving through Central Florida, bringing gusty winds and lightning.
Watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News as chief meteorologist Tom Terry and certified meteorologist George Waldenberger track the storms live.
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Marion County.
The warning is in effect until 4 p.m.
There is also a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for the area until 4 p.m.
3 p.m. update
Storm-related injuries were reported in Florida, but no deaths. A section of Panama City Beach showed parts of roofs blown away, furniture, fences and debris strewn about and a house that appeared tilted on side, leaning on another home.
In Panama City, about 10 miles away, police early Tuesday asked residents to stay indoors and off the roads “unless absolutely necessary” as officers checked on damage from the storms, including downed power lines and trees.
The city is in Bay County, where there had been multiple reports of tornadoes on the ground, Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a brief Facebook Live post.
“We’ve rescued people out of structures,” he said.
The department urged people to stay home, posting photos of a damaged apartment complex and marina. The Walton County sheriff’s department in the Florida Panhandle posted photos of power lines draped across a road, damage to a gas station and large pieces of building materials littering the area. About 70 miles northeast, in Jackson County, Florida, photos showing damage to a campground and RV park in Marianna were posted.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who gave his State of the State address Tuesday as tornado warnings were active outside the Capitol, issued an executive order to include 49 counties in Florida under a state of emergency from tornadoes.
“Every government building except this one is closed in Tallahassee because of the weather,” DeSantis said at the start of the speech. “We just do what we do in Florida: We respond when these things happen … We’ll handle whatever fallout is from these dangerous tornadoes.”
We’re getting a better look at the destruction left by tornadoes and other powerful storms in the Florida Panhandle. Click here to see photos of the damage.
Osceola County and the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud said they are closing their offices at 3p.m. Tuesday because of approaching severe weather.
The governments of Orange and Seminole counties will also close at 3 p.m. Tuesday, and the city of Winter Springs said it will close at 2 p.m. Tuesday because of the weather.
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Florida storms Storms left a path of destruction across the Florida Panhandle. (Bay County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
1:30 p.m. update
A tornado watch has been issued for all of Central Florida.
The watch is in effect through 6 p.m. for Marion and Flagler counties.
It is in effect for 9 p.m. for Lake, Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties.
As of 1:30 p.m., showers were popping up over western Marion County ahead of a line of thunderstorms.
Certified meteorologist George Waldenberger said the main line of severe thunderstorms are still west of Central Florida but are moving closer to the region.
Marion County joins Flagler County and the rest of NE Florida in the Tornado watch as the severe line of storms approaches. Tom Terry updates where severe storm warnings develop through 9pm live on WFTV Channel 9. pic.twitter.com/9nXMKPc4LI
Weather Alert Day: Tornado watch issued for much of Central Florida A tornado watch has been issued for Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter, Volusia, Brevard and Lake counties until 9 p.m. (Kirstin Delgado, WFTV.com/WFTV)
Earlier story:
Meteorologist Brian Shields said it will be very windy Tuesday with strong to severe storms this afternoon and evening.
Severe Weather Day: WFTV Tuesday forecast Central Florida is at risk for wind damage and isolated tornados. (WFTV staff)
Shields said the storms will arrive roughly around 2 p.m. in our western zones.
