Overnight Storm Causes Damage, Power Outages (6:15 a.m. Wednesday)

Developing:

Tuesday night’s overnight storm caused damage and power outages throughout southwest Georgia. According to preliminary reports, there were multiple cases of high winds and possible tornado activity. Some facebook reports have claimed tornado activity in the Whigham and Dothan areas, although those are still unconfirmed (UPDATE 6.15 a.m.: WALB has confirmed the damage in Whigham was the result of a tornado).  There was a confirmed tornado that caused significant damage in Pensacola, FL.

As of 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Georgia Power’s outage map showed nearly 1500 without power in Bainbridge, with several other smaller outages around southwest Georgia.

According to WALB, Albany saw several areas of flash flooding and all of southwest Georgia was under Severe Storm Warnings, as well as Tornado Warnings overnight.  There were also reports of a downed tree on a home in Grady County.

According to the National Weather Service, here are the rainfall amounts from several southwest Georgia locations:

Albany Regional Airport: 3.48″

Dothan Regional Airport: 1.72″

Tallahassee Regional Airport: 0.55″

Fort Rucker, AL: 2.10″

Damascus, GA: 4.5″

Wednesday will see significant winds that could cause additional downed trees throughout southwest Georgia. From the National Weather Service, a Wind Advisory has been announced:

URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
354 AM EST WED FEB 24 2016

…WIND ADVISORY TODAY FOR WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH…

.A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE
OHIO VALLEY WILL PRODUCE WINDY CONDITIONS TODAY ACROSS THE
SOUTHEAST. LOCALLY…WINDS WILL GUST TO 40 MPH…THEN WEAKEN
AROUND SUNSET.
COFFEE-DALE-HENRY-GENEVA-HOUSTON-NORTH WALTON-CENTRAL WALTON-
HOLMES-WASHINGTON-JACKSON-INLAND BAY-CALHOUN-INLAND GULF-
INLAND FRANKLIN-GADSDEN-LEON-INLAND JEFFERSON-MADISON-LIBERTY-
INLAND WAKULLA-INLAND TAYLOR-LAFAYETTE-INLAND DIXIE-SOUTH WALTON-
COASTAL BAY-COASTAL GULF-COASTAL FRANKLIN-COASTAL JEFFERSON-
COASTAL WAKULLA-COASTAL TAYLOR-COASTAL DIXIE-QUITMAN-CLAY-
RANDOLPH-TERRELL-DOUGHERTY-LEE-WORTH-TURNER-TIFT-BEN HILL-IRWIN-
EARLY-MILLER-BAKER-MITCHELL-COLQUITT-COOK-BERRIEN-SEMINOLE-
DECATUR-GRADY-THOMAS-BROOKS-LOWNDES-LANIER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ENTERPRISE…OZARK…FORT RUCKER…
DALEVILLE…HEADLAND…ABBEVILLE…GENEVA…HARTFORD…SAMSON…
SLOCOMB…MALVERN…TAYLOR…ASHFORD…KINSEY…COWARTS…WEBB…
COTTONWOOD…REHOBETH…DE FUNIAK SPRINGS…INWOOD…HUDSON…
BONIFAY…CRYSTAL LAKE…CHIPLEY…FIVE POINTS…MARIANNA…
GRACEVILLE…MALONE…SNEADS…PANAMA CITY…CALLAWAY…
LYNN HAVEN…UPPER GRAND LAGOON…BLOUNTSTOWN…WHITE CITY…
PORT ST. JOE…WEWAHITCHKA…APALACHICOLA…CARRABELLE…QUINCY…
CHATTAHOOCHEE…TALLAHASSEE…SPRING HILL…MONTICELLO…
MADISON…GREENVILLE…SWEETWATER…SOPCHOPPY…ST. MARKS…
PERRY…MIDWAY…MAYO…CROSS CITY…GEORGETOWN…FORT GAINES…
CUTHBERT…SHELLMAN…ARLINGTON…MORGAN…EDISON…LEARY…
DAWSON…ALBANY…LEESBURG…SMITHVILLE…SYLVESTER…ASHBURN…
TIFTON…FITZGERALD…OCILLA…DOUGLASVILLE…BLAKELY…
COLQUITT…NEWTON…CAMILLA…PELHAM…MOULTRIE…ADEL…SPARKS…
NASHVILLE…DONALSONVILLE…BAINBRIDGE…CAIRO…THOMASVILLE…
QUITMAN…VALDOSTA…LAKELAND
354 AM EST WED FEB 24 2016 /254 AM CST WED FEB 24 2016/

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST /5 PM CST/ THIS
EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST /5 PM CST/ THIS
EVENING.

* TIMING…THROUGH SUNSET.

* WINDS…SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS 15 TO 25 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS
THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING MORE DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH
PROFILE VEHICLES. THEY CAN ALSO CAUSE SPORADIC POWER OUTAGES AND
DOWNED TREE LIMBS.