As Morgan Academy students attempted to make their way to prom Friday night, they were confronted with a severe thunderstorm that brought with it heavy rains, brilliant lightning and damaging winds.

Although the prom went on as scheduled, the threat of inclement weather Friday forced area schools to dismiss students early, forced emergency management agencies to scramble their first responders and sent the National Weather Service and television meteorologists into full frenzy.

And the storms did not disappoint.

Even though the reports are unconfirmed, residents throughout the Valley Grande area have reported seeing a tornado in the area Friday evening and the Dallas County Emergency Management Agency officials did report downed trees and sporadic power outages.

Selma City Schools superintendent Donald Jefferson said he and other officials knew early Friday morning that there was a very good chance schools would dismiss early because of weather.

“At around 6:30 a.m., there was a possibility we would dismiss students early,” Jefferson said. “We were told that the weather would really pick up between 2-4 p.m. and we’ve been monitoring the weather and informing students and staff.”

Selma City Schools did dismiss early, letting students go at 2 p.m. Morgan Academy dismissed at 1 p.m. as did Meadowview Christian School. Ellwood dismissed their students at 2 p.m.

The severe weather throughout the evening, which brought dozens of tornado touchdown reports throughout the state, led Gov. Robert Bentley to declare a state of emergency. Damage reports from areas of the state were numerous and there was a report of one storm-related fatality had been reported in Marengo County.

A statement from the governor’s office said there have been confirmed reports of tornado touchdowns in the Alabama counties of Monroe, Greene, Marengo, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Choctaw. The governor said multiple injuries have been reported in three counties.

Bentley said that in declaring a state of emergency, the governor authorizes the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and other state agencies to assist communities and assess damage.