Severe weather tears across Florida

02:00

Powerful storms, tornadoes leaves damage across Florida, Southeast

A multiday severe weather threat continued Thursday, spawning tornadoes across portions of the Southeast.

HOSFORD, Fla. – Severe storms tore across the Sunshine State on Thursday, with at least one tornado leaving a trail of damage across one town on the Florida Panhandle.

05:12

FSU meteorology student reacts to reported tornado: The destruction was awful

Florida State University student Garrett Harvey said he had a close encounter with a radar-indicated-tornado in Hosford, Florida on Thursday. 

In Hosford, Florida, doppler radar indicated a tornado touched down, which snapped trees, damaged power lines and damaged homes.

The town is less than an hour's drive outside of Tallahassee, and PowerOutage.us reported nearly 80% of Liberty County was without electricity after the storms struck.

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Drone footage captures tornado damage in Hosford, Florida

Drone video shows the aftermath of the tornado that hit the town of Hosford, Florida. The observed tornado snapped trees and destroyed homes. (Credit: SCV/Michael Gordon)

12 YEARS AGO, 350 TORNADOES KILLED 321 PEOPLE DURING ‘SUPER OUTBREAK’ IN SOUTH

Photos from the area show blocked roadways and several homes were substantially damaged during the storm.

The local sheriff's department reported widespread damage in the rural county, and damage assessments were underway.

"It has been confirmed that a tornado has hit the Hosford area," the Liberty County Sheriff's Department stated. "All students at Hosford school are accounted for and safe. There is a large amount of debris and power lines down in the area. Please stay off the roads as emergency teams work to manage this situation."

Talquin Electric Cooperative, the area's main utility provider, said it was actively working to restore power but did not provide an estimated competition date.

ADVICE FOR DEALING WITH STORM ANXIETY WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS

As the storms pushed into the eastern part of the state, the weather caused SpaceX to scrub a planned Falcon Heavy launch of a satellite from Cape Canaveral. NASA encouraged visitors and employees to seek shelter until the severe weather moved offshore.

01:11

SpaceX forced to delay launch of Falcon Heavy rocket as lightning strikes seen near launch pad

SpaceX was forced to delay the launch of its Falcon Heavy rocket, as severe storms battered the east coast of Florida on Thursday, April 27. Video shows a lightning strike near the launchpad of the heavy-lift rocket. 

More severe weather possible in Florida on Friday

Stormy to possibly severe weather is possible once again in Florida on Friday, though the risk is lower than Thursday. 

The highest threat of severe storms is expected to return to parts of Texas on Friday, in addition to a more isolated risk of severe thunderstorms along the Southeast coast from Florida to the Carolinas.

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