Southeast Soaked by Severe Storms

Thunderstorms and at least one tornado raked the Southeast on Friday as unseasonable heat lingered in the East, but blowing and drifting snow reminded residents of the upper Midwest and Plains that winter has not bowed out yet.

Storms in the western Florida Panhandle unleashed up to 6 inches of rain in four hours and flooded a portion of Interstate 10 near Alabama up to car-bumper depth.

A tornado uprooted trees northwest of Pensacola, Fla., while high winds sweeping northern Pensacola damaged an apartment complex. Dozens of roads and streets in the area were closed or flooded.

Flooded-out roads also were reported in northwestern Georgia, the National Weather Service said. Mobile, Ala., was hit with nearly 11 inches of rain between noon Thursday and mid-Friday, while Montgomery, Ala., recorded 8 1/2 inches.

High winds made for hazardous driving in northeastern North Dakota and west-central and northwestern Minnesota, stirring up the 8 to 12 inches of snow. Gusts to 62 m.p.h. blew through Nebraska and South Dakota, and several highways in southeastern Wyoming were closed because of drifting snow.