East Central Florida - Thursday October 12, 2023: The Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) reports that there have been several confirmed tornado touchdowns overnight in portions of central and northern Florida.
One tornado has reportedly cause significant damage in Clearwater.
The tornado threat will continue through the late morning and afternoon but should lower after 9-10 a.m. reports FPREN meteorologists.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Melbourne is maintaining its Tornado Watch for Lake, Seminole, Orange, and Volusia Counties until 9 a.m. this morning.
NWS reports that conditions are becoming increasingly favorable for tornadoes to form in some of the storms, Strong wind gusts, torrential rainfall and cloud to ground lightning are also possible.
As of 2:15 a.m. this morning, scattered showers and lightning storms were moving onshore from the Gulf and quickly tracking to the northeast at 40 mph.
Additional showers and storms are expected to form and reach Lake County, and then spread into the I-4 corridor near greater Kissimmee, Orlando, Sanford and Daytona Beach.