A Tornado Watch has been issued until 7:00AM EDT Sunday for parts of the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend as Claudette continues to weaken over the Southeast.
Bands of heavy rain, strong winds, and multiple tornado warnings associated with Tropical Storm Claudette have continued to threaten parts of the Southeast for most of Saturday. Claudette has been downgraded to a Tropical Depression as of the Saturday evening tropical advisory from the National Hurricane Center but the tornado threat is expected to last through the overnight into Sunday as strong outer bands carve through the Panhandle.
Low-level atmospheric rotation remains favorable for tornado development for most locations around the Florida Panhandle through the overnight hours into Father's Day. Weather models are suggesting relatively strong wind shear and ample amounts of moisture in place, which could produce a few tornadoes across the Panhandle, southeast Alabama, and southwest Georgia. This Tornado Watch is likely to chance and shift eastward during the overnight.
The Storm Prediction Center continues to keep a Slight Risk (hazard level 2 out of 5) from the western Florida Panhandle to the west of the Apalachicola region. A Marginal Risk (hazard level 1 out of 5) extends eastward into the Big Bend region.
Residents are encouraged to have multiple ways of receiving severe weather alerts during the overnight hours. While most of these tornadoes are expected to be brief a few could be strong and strike with little warning.
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