Tallahassee storm updates: NWS confirms twin tornadoes as city hits target to power up 75%

Tallahassee is continuing to try to get back on its feet following widespread destruction from Friday’s storms, which could go down in history as the city’s worst tornado outbreak ever.

Wind gusts as high as 100 mph and as many as three different tornadoes led to untold human suffering across the city, with countless trees, power poles and lines down and numerous homes and businesses damaged or destroyed. A number of neighborhood roads, not to mention driveways, remained buried in debris, making travel difficult if not impossible.

Tragically, a woman also lost her life when a tree crashed into her home.

As of Saturday evening, about 50,000 electric customers in Tallahassee and surrounding communities were still without power. Scores of outside line workers have descended on the area to help with power restoration.

Here’s the latest:

City of Tallahassee says it hit target of reconnecting 75 percent of customers to power grid early

Late Friday evening, city administrators said they wanted to have 75% of customers back online by 8 p.m. Saturday.

Mission accomplished, they said on Facebook Saturday night, while noting they still have a long way to go.

"Electric restoration efforts remain on schedule and as of 7:40 p.m. we have reached 75% restored," the city wrote. "Crews will continue working through the night to reach 90% by Sunday night."

As of 8:30 p.m. it showed that more than 43,000 customers are still in the dark. At its peak Friday about 80,000 people were without power. A city staffer said the city utility's outage map isn't keeping pace with the progress because the database isn't updating fast enough.

According to state estimates, which include all utilities that serve the capital county, a total of 51,350 are still powerless as of 8:35 p.m.

After energizing the vast majority of residences and businesses, things can slow down once crews dig into individual neighborhoods that suffered major tree, power pole and line damage. Things can get even more complicated when addressing individual homes and businesses where trees damaged their power grid infrastructure.

City closes in on target of powering up 75% of customers, says outage map is lagging behind

The city is working toward energizing 75% of customers by 8 p.m. As of 7 p.m., they stand at 63%, city administrators said in a text update to customers. Staffers also noted that crews are working faster than the database of their own outage map can provide updates, which means it may be lagging behind.

Case in point: The city's outage map states 49,400 customers remain without power. The Florida Public Service Commission spreadsheet states that as of 6 p.m. 43,978 Tallahassee Utility customers, or 35% of the 126,309 customers, remain out of power.

Red Cross opens overnight shelter

The Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, working with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Leon County Emergency Management, opened an overnight shelter Saturday night.

The shelter is at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center, 1800 Wahnish Way in Tallahassee. "We expect the shelter to remain operational through the weekend; additional days will be assessed on a daily basis as power restoration progresses throughout the city," a press release said.

Here's more from the release on what to bring:

• Clothing and Bedding: Pack a change of clothes, comfortable bedding, and blankets to ensure your comfort during your stay.

• Medications and Medical Supplies: Remember to bring any necessary medications, medical supplies, and equipment, along with copies of prescriptions.

• Personal Hygiene Items: Bring toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, and feminine hygiene products.

• Important Documents: Keep important documents in a waterproof container or plastic bag, including insurance policies, medical records, and contact information for family and friends.

• Entertainment and Comfort Items: Consider bringing books, games, or other forms of entertainment to help pass the time and ease stress.

• Special Needs Items: If you or your family members have special needs, such as baby formula, diapers, or mobility aids, be sure to pack those as well.

More than half of Leon County Schools still in the dark

There's a long way to go before Leon County Schools are powered up and ready to take students on Monday.

Superintendent Rocky Hanna spoke with city officials Saturday and reported that more than half of the district's schools don't have power.

"The superintendent will be meeting with staff tomorrow afternoon to make final decisions on a site-by-site basis for Monday," the district said in an emailed update. "We will communicate quickly and clearly on Sunday evening in regards to individual schools being open or closed. Thank you for your patience."

At the moment, the following schools DO NOT have power:

• Lincoln

• Rickards

• Godby

• Sail

• Fairview

• Nims

• Apalachee

• Hartsfield

• Ruediger

• Sabal Palm

• Woodville

• Swift Creek

• Leon

• Lively

• Oak Ridge

• Pineview

• Sealey

• Ace

• Wesson

• Howell, Bloxham, IT, Transportation, both bus compounds.

National Weather Service confirms twin tornadoes that tore through Leon County, Tallahassee

It's now a certainty.

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee confirmed Saturday evening that two EF-2 tornadoes touched down in eastern Gadsden and western Leon County and tracked across central Leon County.

"Additionally, intense 100 mph straight-line winds accompanied the tornadoes," the forecasters said after their preliminary survey of the damage.

The determination offers further proof that Friday's twisters are likely to become the worst tornado strike in Tallahassee history. Already they can claim the distinction of packing the highest punch, recorded wind gust at 84 mph.

"Analysis of the data is ongoing and more details of the exact tracks of each tornado will be released Sunday," the National Weather Service wrote. "An additional survey will be conducted Sunday to evaluate the damage across southern southern Leon County."

An EF-2 can pack winds of 111-135 mph in 3-second gusts. According to Florida State University emergency management it is considered a significant tornado that causes "considerable damage" like tearing roofs off wood-frame houses and snapping or uprooting large trees.

Tallahassee's Railroad Square cleans up after storms, shops ask for community support

After the skies cleared Friday, Gregg Pla, owner of Talquin Trading Co. in Railroad Square, had about 50 people cleaning up his store.

He didn't know most of them. "It was crazy. That's how awesome the community is," Pla said.

Read the rest of the story here.

FAMU says power restored on campus

Power has been restored to the Florida A&M University campus, according to a Saturday afternoon news release:

"The main traffic arteries in and around the campus are clear. The University’s Central Plant is back on line, and the air conditioning in stable in most buildings ... Due to the continuing clean-up and damage assessment, President Larry Robinson ... reiterated that it’s still unsafe for non-essential faculty and staff to come to campus. They are urged to continue working remotely until further notice."

In other news, "Monday, May 13 marks the start of Summer A and C sessions. Classes will be conducted remotely May 13-17 while the campus cleanup is underway. Students are advised to contact their course instructors for more details. The add-drop period has been extended to Monday, May 20. The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health P4 Comprehensive Exam will be administered on Monday, May 13. Staff will send exam site details directly to test takers," the release said.

It went on: "FAMU Developmental Research School (DRS) administrators will announce re-opening plans on Sunday. The Educational Research Center for Child Development’s (ERCCD) roof was damaged and the facility will be closed at least Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for repairs. Meanwhile, students staying on campus this summer were scheduled to move into the Palmetto Phase III Apartments on Saturday. The Residence Dining Hall is serving brunch and light lunch this weekend.

"The early Friday storm knocked out electricity, damaged roofs, downed trees and utility lines, blocked roadways, and scattered debris across the campus. ... At least 15 buildings suffered some form of roof and water damage. Additional damage was discovered to the University Commons building. A structural engineer is assessing the missing bricks above the roof line ... Roofing contractors are sealing buildings with temporary tarps. The university is preparing requests for proposals to get permanent repairs on the way."

City: Tree-related debris requests rolling in

The city's 3:25 p.m. update: "Since the storm began, we received 290 service requests for tree-related debris within the road. Roughly 70 of these requests remain open. Mutual aid from the state is assisting. Crews from Electric also assisting due to wire entanglements to ensure everyone's safety."

Sen. Rick Scott tours Tallahassee, views tornado damage

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott met with Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil Saturday, in addition to members of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Tallahassee Police Department "following the recent tornadoes that caused widespread power outages and damage in the area," a news release said.

"I want to thank our law enforcement, first responders, linemen and emergency management professionals for the work they have done to ensure everyone is safe," he said in a statement. "It is absolutely heartbreaking what we have seen in Tallahassee today—but if there is one thing I know about Floridians, it is that we are resilient.

"Tallahassee was home to Ann and me for eight years," said Scott, who was governor 2011-19. "We still have so many friends there and our prayers are with everyone impacted by these destructive storms. I remember when Hermine hit the area in 2016, and absolutely devastated our communities. As I told Sheriff McNeil today, I am confident Tallahassee will come back from this and I will continue to make sure that the federal government is a good partner.”

The biggest blow: Friday storm earns its place in the annals of recorded history

The deadly storm system that likely spawned tornadoes is one for the record books.

The 84 mph gust recorded at a weather station at Florida A&M University is the highest recorded wind gust in Tallahassee history.

It was one mile per hour more than an 83 mph gust recorded in 1990 at the Tallahassee airport. In that storm, according to Tallahassee Democrat reports, "the long arm of havoc" tore through the city.

Several utility poles were struck by lightning and utility lines all over the city were downed by toppled trees. There were also reports of marble sized hail, and a gust tore the facade off the Long Branch Saloon on West Tennessee Street.

National Weather Service forecaster Wright Dobbs said there have likely been higher gusts, but they haven't been localized and have gone unrecorded.

City: Nearly 300 roads were blocked by debris

The 11:55 a.m. update from the city of Tallahassee says: "Tornadoes caused 286 blocked roads. Road clearing crews have worked nonstop and have cleared 178 in impacted neighborhoods. Work continues."

By 12:23 p.m., the city also posted: "Electric crews have been quadrupled with resources from five states. More than 30,000 customers have been restored. Progress continues across the community as teams work toward 75% restoration by 8 p.m. Areas in Griffin Heights, Frenchtown, Killearn, Centerville Rd., Ocala Rd., and Tram Rd. have been restored."

It added: "Due to the destruction caused by tornadoes, entire circuits are being fully rebuilt, including reconstruction of power lines and 119 large utility poles. Crews have replaced 30 poles and counting!"

Hope Bus will be at Sabal Palm Elementary

The state's Hope Navigators and their Hope Bus will be parked at Sabal Palm Elementary School, 2813 Ridgeway St., on Saturday (May 11) till 6 p.m., according to a notice from the school.

Tarps, water, snacks, wipes and additional resources are available. The Hope Bus is operated by the Department of Children and Families, in partnership with Volunteer Florida, to help those in need.

Red Cross opens reception center

The American Red Cross has opened a "reception center" at its Tallahassee headquarters, 1115 Easterwood Dr., offering air conditioning, power, information and more, according to a post on its Facebook page.

It added, "If you have you have sustained damage and need emergency assistance, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to let us know."

Leon County opens distribution centers for water, shelf-stable meals

Leon County government Saturday announced it had opened "three points of distribution with bottled water and shelf-stable meals":

• J. Lewis Sr. Woodville Park and Recreation Complex, 1492 J. Lewis Hall Sr.

• Jane G. Sauls Fort Braden Branch Library, 16327 Blountstown Highway.

• Apalachee Regional Park, 7550 Apalachee Parkway.

"All sites will be operated in coordination with the County Office of Resource Stewardship staff. Operations will be assessed daily throughout the activation and as recovery efforts continue," according to a news release.

Progress on the front lines of the Tallahassee power struggle as city administrators expect 75% restoration of customers by 8 p.m. today

City electric crews and more than 200 mutual aid personnel from 25 utilities around the state and nation are working to bring power back to Florida's capital city.

"City and mutual aid crews worked overnight, and reinforcements began work at 6 a.m," the city wrote in an early morning update. "Electric crews have restored service to 22,202 customers, and solid waste crews have resumed normal operations this morning."

In a Saturday morning video update, Mayor John Dailey said the mutual aid agreements with other utilities means the city can quadruple its workforce as it works to restore power.

City administrators say they are aiming 75% restoration of customers by 8 p.m. today, May 11 and 90% by 8 p.m. Sunday, May 12.

After energizing the vast majority of residences and businesses, things can slow down once crews dig into individual neighborhoods that suffered major tree, power pole and line damage. Things can get even more complicated when addressing individual homes and businesses where trees damaged their power grid infrastructure.

Check out our power outage tracker here to see who's out of power in the state.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story had an inaccurate headline that said 85% would be restored tonight.

Shakespeare in the Park will go on at new location

There's no keeping the Bard down.

Southern Shakespeare Company announced Friday evening that its production of "The Winter's Tale" would move to Westminster Oaks for Saturday and Sunday after storms damaged equipment at Adderley Amphitheater.

But first there will be a clean up at Cascades Park beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 11, at the Adderley Stage. Volunteers are needed. People who are able to safely travel to Cascades Park and trucks that are able to haul away debris are especially appreciated.

Read the full story here.

As day dawns about 80,000 still without power in Tallahassee area

More than 80,000 electric customers in Leon and nearby counties were still in the dark Saturday morning, a day after high winds and apparent tornadoes ripped through the area.

The city of Tallahassee, which has been updating customers about its restoration efforts via text, said Friday night that circuits serving downtown state offices, Florida A&M University, the Civic Center and FSU's Mag Lab had been repaired.

"City and mutual aid crews will continue working through the night to make repairs as total customers restored approaches 10,000," the city said. "All substations are now energized, and additional mutual aid crews will arrive (Saturday)."

Around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, the city's outage map showed 525 outage orders affecting 64,762 customers. The outages were located throughout the city.

As the work continued, residents took to Facebook inquiring about their powerless neighborhoods.

"There's no expected restoration time, but crews will be working around the clock until power is restored for all," a city official wrote on one thread. "Power will be restored in order of largest to smallest outages, but prepare to be without power through the weekend. We appreciate your patience during restoration."

Mayor John Dailey said in a video update on social media Friday evening that the storm was one of the worst to hit Tallahassee in the past decade, with wind gusts between 80 and 100 mph and as many as three tornadoes. But with extensive damage, Dailey said it will take some time to restore power.

"I'm asking for your patience," Dailey said. "We are gonna get through this together."

Talquin Electric, which serves Gadsden, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties, reported Saturday morning outages affecting 10,595 customers. Areas with the most outages included Chaires, Woodville and Lake Talquin.

The Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Madison said nearly 8,000 meters had no power after the storm cleared the area Friday. By Friday night, power had been restored to all but 2,480 meters. TCEC said there were still 1,154 meters out in Madison County, 896 in Jefferson County and 430 in Taylor County.

TCEC said its employees and more than 80 mutual aid workers would work Friday night while "it is safe to do so" and would resume repairs at sunrise Saturday.

"Our majority system restoration time of Saturday at 9:00 PM remains the same but we are working to have most restored much earlier," said Kaitlynn Culpepper, a TCEC spokeswoman.

The city of Tallahassee said early Friday evening that mutual aid crews from Ocala, Havana, Dothan, Alabama, and Thomasville and Cairo, Georgia, were on site and making repairs. Crews from Orlando, Jacksonville and Lakeland were expected to roll in "any minute," the city said.

Tallahassee electric customers can report outages and get updates on the city's restoration efforts by visiting www.talgov.com/you/outage. Outages can also be reported by calling 850-891-4968.

A brutal day gives way to collective awe as northern lights make appearance in Tallahassee skies

Nature truly revealed its best and worst side on Friday.

Tallahasseeans awoke to panic as tornado warnings blared. Scenes of widespread destruction dominated social media news feeds throughout the day.

As night fell, horror gave way to awe as resident after resident shared their photos of the Northern Lights above Florida's Capital city in the deep South.

Facebook was a stream of pink and purple with streaks in the night sky as residents went outside – often from powerless homes – to capture a clear view of an already rare phenomena that is never seen in Tallahassee.

If you missed it, there may be another chance to see it tonight. Click on the full story for details.

Official word should come today on whether a trio of tornadoes struck Tallahassee

Survey crews from the National Weather Service will fan out today across Tallahassee to confirm three radar-indicated tornadoes that left heavy damage to the city and its electric grid Friday.

Wright Dobbs, meteorologist with the Weather Service in Tallahassee, said three different radar-indicated tornadoes hit the city as a powerful squall line pushed through around sunrise. Debris signatures from all three storms were seen on radar, prompting a succession of tornado warnings.

“It’s usually a sign there was a tornado on the ground,” Dobbs said. “Not always, but in most cases it is. So ... we had three radar-confirmed tornadoes. We’ll still need to survey to ultimately confirm those survey results determined this afternoon.”

Dobbs said one of the unconfirmed tornadoes went up north of Lake Talquin and south of Interstate 10, hitting the campuses of Florida State and Florida A&M universities. A second possible twister may have started over Lake Talquin, moving south of Highway 20, across Capital Circle and into southern parts of Tallahassee.

“The second one that went through southern parts of town also got kind of close to the other one on radar,” Dobbs said.

A third possible tornado, which also may have formed over Lake Talquin, moved over the Apalachicola National Forest, with the debris signature stopping before Crawfordville Highway.

Dobbs said the Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings for gusts between 60 and 70 mph but that isolated areas may have seen gusts between 80-100 mph.

“One thing that could make (surveys) a little bit more challenging is that there were the tornadoes, but we also saw many areas of straight-line winds with the squall line that moved through. Squall lines can produce damage similar to a tornado and that’s why we’re going to be surveying these areas to see what it ultimately was.”

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Live storm updates: Power struggle after likely Tallahassee tornadoes