Damaging tornado strikes southern Alabama as severe weather erupts in South

Locations across the South cleaning up from damaging thunderstorms over the weekend are dealing with another round of soaking rainfall and localized severe weather.

In addition to causing added stress to recovery efforts, AccuWeather meteorologists are concerned that the rain and wind can cause damage and pose a problem for tents and canopies set up for triage and testing related to COVID-19.

"A storm system that developed across the southern and central Plains on Monday will race eastward, departing the Southeast by Tuesday night," AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.

The risk for severe weather will encompass areas from southern Georgia and northern Florida to coastal South Carolina into Tuesday night.

A large tornado tracked just south of Eufaula, Alabama, just before noon, local time, on Tuesday. Major tornado damage was reported at a golf course near the town after the storm had passed, according to the Eufaula Police Department.

Several homes in the area were also damaged by the twister, and semi trucks were flipped along Highway 431, but fortunately no major injuries were reported.

Homes were damaged on Tuesday after a tornado tracked near Eufaula, Alabama. (Brett Adair/LSM)

Damage was also reported near Madison, Florida, after a severe thunderstorm and a possible tornado tracked through the area on Tuesday afternoon. Downed trees and debris caused travel disruptions along Interstate 10, according to Florida emergency managers.

Possible tornado damage near Madison, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon. (Twitter/@warrior7892)

Depending on the exact track of the storm system, the threat for severe thunderstorms could extend farther north closer to Charleston, South Carolina.

Damaging winds, hail, downpours and isolated tornadoes will be possible in the strongest thunderstorms.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

North of the areas at risk for severe weather, a swath of soaking rain will spread from west to east.

There can be an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ rainfall of 3 inches from Arkansas through South Carolina, according to Roys.

"Given how wet it has been across the area, there is a higher chance for flash flooding and rivers getting close to their banks," he added.

Motorists are urged to never drive through floodwaters as the water may be deeper than it appears and the roadway underneath could be washed away.

After the rain and thunderstorms exit the Southeast coast on Tuesday evening, an area of high pressure settling over the area during the middle and later part of the week will give the region a brief respite from the recent storminess.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.