ATHENS  — The National Weather Service is sending a survey crew to Athens this morning to take a look at the damage from the storms that moved through the area late last night-early this morning.

The storms caused power outages in North Alabama and some damage elsewhere but the Limestone County Courthouse Square was particularly hard hit.

Just after 11:15 p.m. Saturday, the weather service expanded an earlier tornado watch to include Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan, Cullman, Madison, Marshall, Jackson, and Dekalb counties in Alabama and Lincoln, Moore, and Franklin counties in Tennessee until 4 a.m.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service Huntsville office around 10:30 p.m.

When dawn broke, public works crews had already cleaned up a lot of the damage, which also included storefronts, the Veterans Museum and park.

The square was closed this morning to allow workers to clean up damage, as well as the Pine Street-Clinton Street intersection.

The National Weather Service, Limestone County Emergency Management Agency and the city of Athens will provide updates today.