Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Southeast Alabama, Florida Panhandle, and Southwest Georgia

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for portions of southeastern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and southwestern Georgia. This alert is based on radar-indicated severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds and hail.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following regions:

• Alabama: Houston County.
• Florida: Bay, Jackson, Washington, Northwestern Calhoun, Southeastern Walton, and Central Holmes counties.
• Georgia: Western Miller, Southern Early, and Northwestern Seminole counties.

Specific locations impacted include Panama City, Lynn Haven, Panama City Beach, Callaway, Cottonwood, Vernon, Santa Rosa Beach, Bonifay, Marianna, Chipley, Graceville, Dothan, Donalsonville, Springfield, Taylor, Ashford, Cowarts, Webb, Columbia, and Hiland Park.

What You Should Do

For your protection, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Residents should remain alert for possible tornado development, as tornadoes can form quickly during severe thunderstorms. If a tornado is spotted, move immediately to a basement or a small central room in a sturdy structure.

Expected Conditions

• Wind: Gusts up to 60 mph are expected, which may cause damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
• Hail: Penny-sized hail (0.75 inches) is possible.
• Storm Movement: As of 7:28 AM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Cottonwood to 10 miles southeast of Santa Rosa Beach, moving northeast at 50 mph.

Timeline

The Severe Thunderstorm Warning is effective immediately and is scheduled to expire at 9:00 AM EDT (8:00 AM CDT) on March 16, 2026. Additionally, a Tornado Watch remains in effect for the broader region until 10:00 AM EDT (9:00 AM CDT).