First Coast schools close as severe storms approach

Schools across Northeast Florida will close Tuesday because of potentially severe weather.

Baker, Clay, Duval and Nassau schools all plan to close. Putnam County schools were already closed for a teacher planning day. St. Johns County schools plan to dismiss an hour early and cancel after-school activities.

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Forecasters are predicting strong winds, large hail and a few tornadoes as a storm system crosses Northeast Florida. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph are likely and frequent gusts between 35 and 45 mph.

Wind alerts have been issued for the Panhandle and North Florida, valid for most of the day Tuesday. Those conditions should immediately precede a squall line of dangerous thunderstorms directly along the leading edge of a cold front.

The primary hazard from the squall line thunderstorms will be straight-line wind gusts between 60 and 80 mph, according to the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network.