FLORIDA — A tornado watch remains in effect for parts of Florida’s Panhandle and Big Bend regions until 2 p.m. EDT Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
The watch includes 13 Florida counties: Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla, Walton and Washington counties.
Forecasters warned that conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms across the region throughout the late morning and early afternoon hours.
Cities included in the watch area include Panama City, Tallahassee, Marianna, Chipley, Bonifay, Port St. Joe, Quincy, Monticello, DeFuniak Springs and Apalachicola.
The tornado watch also includes the St. Andrews Bay waterways along the Florida Panhandle coast.
Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay weather-aware and be prepared to seek shelter quickly if tornado warnings are issued. The National Weather Service recommends monitoring local forecasts, enabling emergency alerts and having multiple ways to receive weather warnings.
The tornado watch is scheduled to remain in effect until 2 p.m. EDT Thursday.
