For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail, damaging wind, and continuous cloud to ground lightning are occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature`s leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EST for south central, southwestern and west central Florida.

The National Weather Service in Ruskin has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Manatee County in west central Florida... Charlotte County in southwestern Florida... DeSoto County in south central Florida... Northern Lee County in southwestern Florida... Southeastern Sarasota County in west central Florida... * Until 700 PM EST. * At 612 PM EST, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 7 miles northwest of North Port to 25 miles west of Pineland, moving east at 45 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Cape Coral, Fort Myers, North Port, Punta Gorda, Arcadia, Burnt Store Marina, Murdock, Nocatee, Harbour Heights, and Tice. HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH