Severe storms blow through Martin County with heavy rain, strong winds

Fast-moving storms caused blinding rains, strong wind gusts and hail late Monday afternoon in areas of Martin County.

TORNADO WARNING WAS ISSUED.TONIGHT - SOME ARE NOWCLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH.WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'S MEGHANMCROBERTS LOOKS AT THE DAMAGELEFT BEHIND - HOURS AFTER BEINGIN THE MIDST OF IT ALL.<< THE STORM MOVED THROUGHQUICKLY& BUT WITH A LOT OFPOWER& YOU SEE HERE& KNOCKINDOWN A 7- ELEVEN SIGN& TOSSINGBRANCHES AND DEBRIS INTOSTREETS& AND KNOCKING OUTPOWER& IN A MATTER OF MINUTES.PKG NAT THESE WERE THECONDITIONS AT THE HEIGHT OFSTORMY WEATHER MONDAYBLINDING RAIN&.

POUNDING HAIL&AND STRONG WIND GUSTS& RIPPEDTHROUGH PALM CITY.

THIS ISWHERE WE PULLED OVER FORSAFETY AT LEIGHTON PARK& NATAND THIS- THE VIEW RIGHTACROSS THE STREET FROM US IN ABUSINESS PLAZA& NATS THEINTENSE WEATHER LASTING JUSTMINUTES& BUT CAUSINGWIDESPREAD DAMAGE THROUGHOUTMARTIN COUNTY.

IMMEDIATELY&STORE OWNERS, NEIGHBORS,RESCUE CREWS WERE OUT CLEANINGUP THE MESS.

17:16:24;13“TERRIFYING” MELISSA KNOX WASDRIVING HER CAR TO PICK UP HERSON WHEN THE WEATHER KICKEDUP.

17:15:43;06“THE WEATHERJUST GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSESO I WASNKEEP DRIVING OR STOP, THEN THEHAIL GOT REALLY BIG, COULDNSEE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME,THEN THE CAR STARTED ROCKINGAND THEN THE TREE CAME OUT OFNOWHERE” A TREE CRASHING ONTOTHE BACK OF HER SUV&TEMPORARILY TRAPPING HER.17:16:04;06“THEY TOLD ME NOTTO GET OUT.

WAIT UNTIL POLICEGET THERE BECAUSE OF THE POWERLINES” FINALLY CRAWLING OUTTHE PASSENGER SIDE.

GRATEFULHER SON& WASN“USUALLY I PICK HIM UP EARLIERBUT I WAS ON A CALL TONIGHTAND GOT STUCK, SO, GOD WASWITH ME” HAIL ALSO SEEN INPARTS OF STUART- AND PORTSALERNO& PICTURES SHOWING ATLEAST QUARTER SIZED HAIL&WHILE WINDS KNOCKED DOWN MOREBRANCHES, DEBRIS, AND CAUSEDHUNDREDS OF POWER OUTAGES,TAG: POWER OUTAGE UPDATE