UPDATE 10:50 p.m. – MTSU has notified students saying the alert has been cancelled:
MTSU ALERT: Tornado Warning CANCELED for MTSU campus & TN Miller Coliseum areas. Resume normal activity. Report damage and injuries to Campus Police or dial 911.
Posted by Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) on Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Areas throughout Middle Tennessee are currently under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service.
Rutherford County is one of 15 counties currently under the watch set to expire at 11 p.m. Other affected counties include: Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Giles, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Marshall, Maury, Smith, Trousdale, Wayne, Williamson and Wilson.
Rutherford, Williamson, Maury and Marshall were also under a second alert until 9:45 p.m., as a storm with half-inch hail and 40+ mph winds hit the area. More alerts may be issued as the storm system continues through the Southeast. Those whose properties have been affected or damaged in the storm may have a cleanup job on their hands in the aftermath. It may be worth visiting a company, like this dumpster rental Cedar Rapids IA provides, that can remove any large objects that the storm may have brought onto private property. High winds can carry debris from tree branches to cars for miles which can be dangerous even after the storm has passed if they are not removed professionally. For debris on your home’s roof collecting in the guttering, the services of Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning Nashville might be of use when it comes to removing an unsightly build-up whilst also protecting against future damage it may cause if left unaddressed. Furthermore, if there are extreme hail and winds then your roof may also get severely damaged and if this happens it is essential to get in touch with a roofing company in your area for example if you lived in Minneapolis you would look for something like Minneapolis Roofing to get the problem solved quickly. To help protect your home someway against damage, you may want to consider upping the maintenance of the trees in your yard as keeping them trimmed and neat means there’s less material to be sent flying at your home. Better yet, if you have a dead or dying tree, removing it altogether using the services of arborists (like these – https://www.treeserviceremoval.com/) will further mitigate the risk of a huge tree crashing through your home.
MTSU students were notified of the tornado warning with a safety alert at 9:09 p.m., advising students in the area to seek shelter.
MTSU ALERT: TORNADO WARNING ISSUED for MTSU Campus and TN Miller Coliseum areas. Take shelter immediately. Stay in your buildings as secured as possible.
Posted by Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) on Wednesday, December 23, 2015
This system is part of the widespread severe weather hitting the Southeast all evening. Damages from tornado, hail and high speed winds have been reported across West Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama. Some counties, such as Perry County in Tennessee, have declared a state of emergency.
Follow John Connor Coulston on Twitter at @JCCoulston.
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