MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- The combination of searing heat and ample moisture led to the rapid, scattered development of strong and severe thunderstorms Wednesday.
Midday temperatures were already near the mid and upper 90s across several interior sections of north Florida and south Georgia. This intense heat allowed clouds to form, with the warm, moist air lifting upward into a cooler, drier mid and upper level of the atmosphere.
This created quickly developing storms that produced frequent lightning and downpours, which in turn helped trigger gusty winds that flowed out of many of the thunderstorms.
Several individual storms clashed and combined into one larger, massive storm, which intensified the chances for damaging winds and hail.
At least fourteen separate severe thunderstorm warnings were issued by the Tallahassee branch of the National Weather Service across north Florida, south Georgia, and southeast Alabama.
Nearly three-dozen reports of wind-related damage were tabulated as the storms marched across affected counties. Most occurrences of wind damage were related to down trees and snapped power lines.
Additional strong thunderstorms may develop again Thursday in the significant heat forecast for the region.
