Times staff
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
BROOKSVILLE --
The powerful storm roared through central Hernando County late Tuesday afternoon, knocking down trees and power lines and damaging homes.
The storm, carrying hail and 60-mph gusts, cut a swath roughly along Spring Hill Drive and impacted the neighborhoods south of the major traffic artery. Emergency officials said that trees also were down along U.S. 41 in the Masaryktown area and along Powell Road near Culbreath Road.
School officials also reported that several school buses were trapped by fallen trees for roughly 25 minutes.
Earlier, school officials in Hernando County and Hillsborough County canceled all after-school and adult education programs because of the rough weather. Hernando superintendent Bryan Blavatt made the announcement about 3 p.m. as a strong line of thunderstorms marched eastward.