‘Extremely dangerous tornado’ confirmed near Panama City as powerful storms move through

Schools are closed and the National Weather Service has been issuing regular watches and warnings overnight and Tuesday morning as severe storms move through Florida.

Several tornadoes have been reported Tuesday morning: one near De Funiak Springs and another near Panama City, and another that crossed Interstate 10 near Marianna, according to the National Weather Service.

The storms are associated with a powerful low and associated cold front which is bringing potentially damaging winds, coastal flooding, the chance of tornadoes, and heavy rainfall. The impacts began Monday night and are expected to peak Tuesday morning in the Panhandle and continue through Tuesday evening in the peninsula, according to WeatherTiger chief meteorologist Ryan Truchelut.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday activated the Florida State Guard “in response to potential severe weather anticipated across the state,” according to a news release from the governor’s office.

‘Pure chaos’: Aftermath of reported tornado shown at Lower Grand Lagoon

7:47 a.m.: “Pure chaos in Lower Grand Lagoon as a destructive tornado just ripped through,” according to Jay Lesyk on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Lower Grand Lagoon is located southeast of Panama City Beach in Florida’s Panhandle.

Holmes, Walton counties under tornado warning

7:46 a.m.: Tornado warning issued for Holmes and Walton counties untikl 7:30 a.m. CST.

‘Tornado has just crossed I-10’ southeast side of Marianna

7:37 a.m.: The National Weather Service Tallahassee reported a tornado has just crossed Interstate 10 southeast side of Marianna.

“According to radar, appears to still be on the ground.”

‘Tornado-warned storm’ moving across Okaloosa County

7:32 a.m.: “A tornado-warned storm” is moving northeast at 55 mph across southeastern Okaloosa County. Seek shelter if you are in the path of this storm, the National Weather Service in Tallahassee warned.

Escambia County no longer under tornado watch

7:26 a.m.: The National Weather Service has cleared a tornado watch for Escambia County.

Tornado warning issued for Marianna, Malone, Grand Ridge

7:22 a.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for Marianna, Malone, Grand Ridge until 7 a.m. CST, according to the National Weather Service, Tallahassee.

Jim Cantore tweets about ‘dangerous tornado’

7:15 a.m.: Jim Cantore shared radar images on X, warning residents “Still dangerous tornado heading north towards Alford and Marianna, FL.”

Tornado watch extended until 2 p.m.

7:07 a.m.: A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Florida until 2 p.m. EST.

‘Extremely dangerous tornado’ confirmed near Panama City

6:48 a.m.: The National Weather Service reported a “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” was located near Panama City. It was moving northeast at 55 mph.

A tornado warning was extended until 7 a.m. EST for southwest Jackson, Bay, northwest Calhoun and southeast Washington counties in the Florida Panhandle.

Confirmed tornado southeast of De Funiak Springs

5:55 a.m.: The National Weather Service reported a tornado has been confirmed 11 miles southeast of De Funiak Springs. It’s moving northeast at 55 mph. Quarter-size hail also has been reported.

A tornado warning is in effect until 5:515 a.m. CST for east central Walton, southwest Holmes and west central Washington counties.

Schools closed today for severe weather

5:50 a.m.: The Florida Department of Education announced school districts in the following counties will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 9, in anticipation of the storms:

Colleges/Universities

Weather alerts issued in FloridaPower outages across Florida

The Escambia Bay Bridge was closed Monday night to commercial vehicles such as semi-trucks and box trucks due to sustained high winds estimated at around 46-48 mph. The bridge will remain closed until further notice.

Tuesday will pose a more dangerous threat with “damaging to destructive winds,” when the squall line pushes through the Big Bend region, the National Weather Service said.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Live coverage Florida weather, tornadoes, storms. Radar, warnings