A storm system that moved through parts of Florida early Thursday left a trail of damage to cars, homes and businesses, officials said.
Clearwater Police , which is located on Florida's Gulf Coast near Tampa, said in a social media post that no injuries were reported when two possible tornadoes touched down around 2 a.m. Thursday. Photos shared by the agency showed gutters from a house piercing the windshield of a car.
The storms moved north toward Citrus County, where officials canceled public school classes for the day.
“The west side of Citrus County has experienced significant damage due to unconfirmed tornadoes that hit the area overnight,” school officials said in a statement. Facebook post shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday.
The officers were directing traffic Thursday morning due to multiple road closures caused by the storm, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office said on social media. A portion of US Highway 19, which is a major thoroughfare through the largely rural county, was closed due to storm damage.
Photos released by the sheriff's office showed debris on roads, local flooding and damage to mobile homes.
The damage was not limited to Florida's Gulf Coast. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office said a tornado was reported Thursday morning in a section of Palm Coast, which is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Jacksonville on the state's Atlantic coast.
No injuries were reported, “however, there is some significant damage in the area,” the sheriff's office said on social media without providing additional details.
"Please use caution in the area," the Flagler Sheriff's Office said.
Some tornado watches remained in effect Thursday morning in parts of central and northern Florida.
