The National Weather Service in Tallahassee issued a Tallahassee weather severe thunderstorm warning at 11:18 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6, for Gadsden and Leon counties. The warning called for winds as strong as 60 mph and hail as large as 0.75 inches.
By 11:59 p.m. EDT, severe thunderstorms were along a line from near Midway to 10 miles northeast of Woodville, moving south at 25 mph. That track put Tallahassee, Woodville, Tallahassee State College, Florida State University, Florida A and M, Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee Memorial Hosp, and other listed locations in the warning area.
National Weather Service criteria
The National Weather Service says a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued when a storm is occurring or about to occur with winds of 58 mph or higher or hail one inch in diameter or larger. The 60 mph wind forecast fit that threshold, while the hail forecast was just under the one-inch benchmark.
The same storm line was also expected to damage roofs, siding, and trees. The warning list included Lake Bradford, Leon Sinks, Gaither Community Center, Walker Ford Community Center, Miccosukee, South City, Eight Mile Pond, Griffin Heights, Bloxham, Tallahassee Regional A/P, Governors Square Mall, Natural Bridge, and Midtown.
Gadsden and Leon coverage
Residents and institutions across Gadsden and Leon were inside the warned area until 12:30 p.m. The South City, Midtown, and Tallahassee Regional A/P corridors were among the locations named in the warning, showing how widely the storm line stretched across the Tallahassee area.
The National Weather Service also said severe storms can bring heavy rain and, in some cases, flooding or flash flooding. The standard advice still fit this warning: when thunder roars, go indoors.
For anyone in the path, the immediate task was to get inside a sturdy building and stay away from outer walls and windows until the warning expired.
