JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A cold front moving over an unseasonably warm Southeast on Friday brought snow to New Orleans, spawned tornadoes in Alabama and Georgia, and severe weather that damaged several communities in WJXT's viewing area.

Three homes in the Baker County town of Margaretta were destroyed when the storm blew off their roofs, but spared the people inside.

"He was on the sofa and I just grabbed him. By the time I pulled him off, the big top of it landed right on the sofa," Alemetra Ruise said of her son. "It probably would have killed him if I wouldn't have been there."

Other residents said glass and debris were flying and people were running to try to take cover.

"One of my sisters, she was going in the house and it had her up in the air," Erica Thomas said.

People who lived through the storm called it a tornado, but a National Weather Service meteorologist visited the area and said the damage was caused by a downburst of straight-line winds.

Channel 4 also received viewer reports of funnel clouds or tornadoes on the ground along Beach Boulevard, in southern Putnam County and in St. Marys, Ga. Several motorists crossing the Buckman Bridge about 10:30 a.m. saw waterspouts.

There were also reports of wind damage in Blackshear, Ga., and utility poles down in Waycross.

A wall collapsed at a high school in Tallapoosa, Ga., where there were reports of a small tornado Thursday morning.

Wind gusts of 50 mph were recorded Thursday morning at Jacksonville International Airport and 41 mph at Cecil Field.

All counties in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia were under a tornado watch until noon. There were blue skies by mid-afternoon, followed by a line of lighter showers.

Channel 4 senior meteorologist John Gaughan said that when the front passed Thursday evening, temperatures will drop, with Friday's high temperature 20 degrees lower than Wednesday's.

Rainfall amounts of 3 to 4 inches were common over much of the Southeast and many areas reported flash flooding.

Large hail and wind damaged occurred as well, with numerous trees and power lines down across the Southeast.

The wintry weather behind the front brought a mix of snow and sleet to much of southern Louisiana, prompting the closure of some schools and created some hazardous conditions for drivers.

Two highway bridges over the Mississippi River in Baton Route were closed due to slick conditions.