Thunderstorm Wind in Marion County, Florida

Pine tree snapped at the base of the trunk and fell onto a fence causing damage in Silver Springs Shores. Time was estimated by radar.

A strong cold front moved through the southeast US as a deep mid/upper level trough shifted eastward from the lower Mississippi valley into the deep south. Ahead of the front, there was ample instability, low level helicity, and shear with cool temperatures aloft. A tornado watch was in effect for much of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia on March 16, 2026. Early morning convection and persistent cloud cover in southeast Georgia limited the severe threat due to a lack of diurnal instability. Pre-frontal convection developed in northeast Florida around 12 PM then strengthened and converged into a line as it moved eastward toward the northeast Florida coast between 1-2:45 PM. Then, a squall line along the cold front swept across northeast Florida bringing damaging straight line winds ranging from 45 to 70 mph between 1:30 - 4:30 PM. Convection shifted off the coast by 5 PM.