A strong band of thunderstorms moved across Vicksburg and Warren County Friday afternoon, dumping over a half inch of rain and dropping golf ball-sized hail in communities along U.S. 61 North.

Severe thunderstorm warnings remained in effect for portions of Warren County until 2:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Jackson.

While a tornado warning was issued briefly for Madison Parish during that same hour, no such warning was issued for Warren County.

No tornadoes were reported in the area and structural damage to buildings, if any, was minimal, said Warren County Emergency Management director L.W. &#8220Bump” Callaway. Wind gusts reached 30 mph at Vicksburg-Tallulah Regional Airport, but may have reached 50 mph in other parts of the county, Callaway said.

By Friday night, temperatures dipped to 38 degrees, with hail still visible along roadways in the northeastern part of the county.

&#8220The rain and hail was heaviest the further to the northwest you went,” Callaway said.

By 9 p.m. Friday, the NWS in Jackson had recorded a rainfall total in Vicksburg of about 3/4 of an inch.

At about 1:45 p.m., when the first falling hail was heard, 477 Redwood Elementary students were evacuated to a hallway.

&#8220In three years, this is the first real event,” said principal Cedric Magee.

Drills to prepare for weather events like tornadoes are done three times a year, Magee said, adding that hail is a warning sign of more severe weather.

The hail fell heavily around the school for five minutes, but students remained in drill mode for half an hour, Magee said.

One wreck was reported during the height of the storm.

At 2:09 p.m., a Redwood woman, Amanda Gill, 24, P.O. Box 287, was treated and released from River Region Medical Center after an 18-wheeler slid into her white 1999 Pontiac Grand Am on U.S. 61 North near Redwood Road, Mississippi Highway Patrolman Daniel Lewis said.

The driver of the truck, Timothy Jeffries, 5992 Summer Sun Square Apt. 1, Memphis, Tenn., was not injured.

An infant related to Gill was taken from Gill’s vehicle by two men believed to be related to her, according to paramedics at the scene.

A 90 percent chance of rain was expected overnight and into today, with a northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph gusting up to 25 mph, said the NWS.

The rain is to clear out today, but cooler temperatures are expected. Highs will reach 55 degrees, with a low of 29 tonight.