Powerful storms slam parts of Florida, North Carolina, other states as cleanup from earlier tornadoes continues

Powerful storms with damaging high winds threatened several states in the Southeast early Friday, as residents elsewhere in the U.S. cleared debris from deadly severe weather that produced twisters in Michigan, Tennessee and other states.

Storms rolled into Tallahassee, Florida, where numerous trees were toppled around the state's capital city, authorities said Friday. Wind gusts of 71 mph were recorded by a weather station near the State Capitol Complex, the National Weather Service reported. Florida State University announced its campuses in Tallahassee were closed Friday due to the severe weather. Nonessential personnel, students and visitors should avoid campuses in Tallahassee until further notice, the school said in a social media post.

The city of Tallahassee said on social media platform X that "possible tornadic activity" caused the widespread damage in the Florida capital, especially to electric lines and numerous downed trees. The city said more than 66,000 customers are without electric service, and 11 substations were damaged by the storm.