A storm front has moved severe weather through Beaufort and Jasper counties this morning, flooding roads and prompting the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning for parts of Beaufort County, including Dale.

That warning, which also applied to Charleston and Colleton counties, had been lifted by 9 a.m. However, a tornado watch remained in effect in areas in and near Savannah. Schools in several Georgia counties canceled school today because of flooding fears.

Beaufort County School District schools remain, according to school district spokesman Jim Foster. However, water on the roadways made boarding buses and traveling slower than usual, as did additional traffic from parents who waited with their children in cars for pick-up at several bus stops.

Forecasts call for heavy rainfall and possibly severe thunderstorms Tuesday.

The rain, coupled with already saturated soils, could result in ponding of water on roadways and minor flooding of low lying or poor drainage areas, according to the National Weather Service, which has also issued a hazardous weather outlook and flood advisory for Beaufort County and surrounding areas. Flooding closed the ramp from westbound S.C. 170 to eastbound U.S. 278 this morning; the ramp from eastbound S.C. 170 -- coming from the Savannah area -- to eastbound U.S. 278 remained open.

There's a slight risk of severe thunderstorms, too. A warm front is crossing the area this morning, followed by a cold front moving through in the late morning and afternoon hours. This combination could lead to thunderstorms with damaging winds. Tornadoes also are possible.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for coastal areas from Altamaha Sound, Ga. to Fernandina Beach, Fla. until 3 p.m.

If severe weather does develop, it would most likely occur between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, according to the advisory.