Tornado, Wild Weather Down Power Lines, Uproot Trees In Broward
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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMIAMI) - Severe thunderstorms and high gusty winds downed powerlines, toppled trees and damaged roof tops in Broward County Tuesday morning.
CBS4 Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer says the line was part of a bigger storm system that produced severe weather over the southern U.S. and Florida Panhandle Monday evening. This pattern of increased tornado activity is associated with strong El Nino events during the winter months in Florida.
Just before 9 a.m., Pembroke Pines police tweeted out a picture damage near 161st Avenue.
A tree and some fencing have been damaged near NW 161 Ave due to the weather. Stay indoors during storm if possible. pic.twitter.com/pT6tYy4DOD
— Pembroke Pines PD (@PPinesPD) February 16, 2016
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A bit later they said received reports of power lines down and urged residents to treat any intersection without working lights as a four way stop.
CBS4's Ted Scouten encountered more storm damage in Hollywood on 31st Court near Johnson Street where a large tree had fallen into a home.
Two trees also fell on a mobile home at 58th and Arthur Street in Hollywood.
"Out of nowhere I heard the huge crash," said Thomas Mazias.
Mazias said he heard the trees fall on his neighbor's trailer and raced over to get them out.
"The trailer is history. She was in the front, the husband must have been in the bathroom or the back, but all I know is she was screaming and crying," said Mazias.
He couldn't get the doors open so he had to break open a spot in the wall that was breached.
"Between the husband and I, we were able to push it away enough to get her out. We had to carry her out," said Mazias.
Just down the street another couple trees fell; one hit Joanie Roger's place and took the power lines down with it.
"I looked out and it just started swirling, a couple of my plants flew and it went boom, boom, like no time flat, the tree went down," said Roger.
There are also reports of a tree that fell on a car on 72nd Avenue, north of Sheridan Street. The father and his two children who were in the car were not hurt.
Slideshow: Wild Weather Leaves Path Of Damage
In Pompano Beach, CBS4's Joan Murray reports there were uprooted trees and damage at the air park where the Goodyear blimp is headquartered east of Dixie Highway and south of Copans Road.
There were uprooted trees, building damage and several trailers flipped over at the nearby Sand and Spurs Stables.
"It was like a freight train coming through," said horse owner Joe Pasuit. "All of the sudden it was just black and just everything, the wind, it blew everything, I've never seen anything like it."
Janice Sheer said her horse Elvis ended up with a gash which required stitches.
"He got thrown against the hinge on a door there and the hinge went through his left side," said horse owner Sheer.
Missy Meyer said she got to her stable just as the storm hit.
"By the time I made it into the tack room kind of all heck broke loose, it was very fast and furious probably less than 30 seconds," said Meyer.
Carlyle Miller's trailer was moved about 100 feet.
"It was incredible. I mean to pick a trailer up, that's a four horse trailer, that's easily five, six tons, pick it up like it's a match stick," said Carlyle.
"The lights on Dixie went out, I said, 'Armageddon, what's happening here?'" said Anthony Ciarroccchi.
As he made his way down a dark and rainy Dixie Highway, Ciarroccchi's dashcam captured the tornado pick up steam.
"I didn't see funnel cloud. Didn't see it until I got to work," he said.
Flying debris damaged Ciarroccchi's car.
He's been through hurricanes before but said this was something altogether different.
Teams from the National Weather Service were sent out and determined that two tornadoes touched down. One was in Pompano Beach, the other was east of Sunlife Stadium in Miami Gardens. Both tornadoes were rated F 1s with wind gusts in the 60 mph to 70 mph range.
Related: Damage In Dade County Following Severe Weather
Chopper 4 over a section of eastern Pompano Beach spotted a number of buildings with roof damage.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue sent a tweet of boats which had capsized in the Intracoastal Waterway due to the high winds at 1331 E Lake Drive. Several people who were on the boats were pulled from the water.
In Miramar, surveillance cameras at Tequesta Cove recorded wicked winds scattering trees and plants everywhere and bringing down a large coconut tree.
Barbara Ingram said that tree fell right in front of her car as she was driving to work while another tree fell directly behind.
"It was like I was a sandwich," Ingram said.
When a reporter asked her what might have happened to her she replied, "I don't want to think about it. "
A few blocks away, a homeowner's camera captured 15 seconds of intense winds. The weather carried away wooden fences and damaged more trees than anyone could count. Something burst through a window of Alex Carmona's Mercedes. But despite the damage he's thankful the cost is in dollars and not lives.
"It's just mother nature giving us a wakeup call," Carmona said.
CBS4 News asked the National Weather Service if they believe a tornado caused the damage in Miramar. They said that they do not. They think that was powerful winds around 60 to 70 miles per hour.
In Lighthouse Point, Chopper4 spotted a tree in a pool, a trampoline hanging from power lines and the top of a shed in a pool.
There are reports of numerous trees down and street flooding in low lying areas across the county.
If you have pictures of storm damage in your neighborhood, send them to pics@cbsmiami.com.
Keep up to date on the day's weather 24/7 with the CBS4 Weather App.
