Straight-Line Winds Damage 45 Clay County, Florida Homes

Severe thunderstorms early Tuesday evening left a trail of damage and debris across the Clay County area, including 45 damaged homes, emergency operations center officials said. Weather Authority Chief Meteorologist John Gaughan at first thought a "spin-up" tornado had developed, but the damage appears to be too widespread -- suggesting that the damage was associated with straight-line winds impacting the area from Kingsley Avenue to south of the Orange Park Mall and east to U.S. 17. According to Clay County Emergency Management, the straight-line winds knocked down trees onto roadways, power lines and homes.