Thousands Lost Power Due To Tropical Storm Gordon
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Tropical Storm Gordon brought flooding rains and gusty winds to South Florida.
The storm formed early Monday morning over the Upper Keys as it moved to the west-northwest.
Bands of rain swept South Florida as the winds picked up. Wind gusts of 48 mph were recorded in Ft. Lauderdale, 49 mph in Pembroke Pines, and 51 mph in Opa-locka.
Tree limbs that snapped in the winds have caused a number of power outages. At noon 3,153 Florida Power and Light customers were in the dark in Miami-Dade. That's down from more than 6,000. In Broward, 833 were without power compare to more than 1,300 hours earlier.
The system's gusty have also created rough surf and dangerous conditions for boaters and beachgoers. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect. There is a high risk of rip currents so swimming is not recommended.
The worst of the weather will last through the early afternoon. Late afternoon we may see a slight improvement as the center of Gordon begins to push away into the Gulf of Mexico.
Rainfall totals will range from 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher amounts.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Golden Beach to Bonita Beach and from Craig Key to Ocean Reef, including Florida Bay.
A Flood Watch is in place for South Florida until 11 p.m. due to the potential for flooding.