EF-2 tornado in South Florida damaged homes, flipped cars

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – A powerful tornado cut a nearly 3-mile path through part of Palm Beach Gardens Saturday as severe weather dumped heavy rain, wind and hail across the state.

The National Weather Service confirms an EF-2 tornado touched down in the southeast Florida community Saturday afternoon, with estimated winds of 130 mph.

For 10 minutes the tornado damaged homes and buildings, cracked trees and power poles and flipped cars onto each other, the NWS said. The tornado started just east of Interstate 95 and crossed A1A, passing south of the Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, then moved through the Sanctuary Cove community before dissipating near Juno Beach.

At least one mobile home was destroyed, as was a dry cleaners business. There was also some damage to roofs and windows in the Sanctuary Cove community.

There were no major injuries or fatalities, according to Palm Beach Gardens police.

The storm that spawned the tornado was the same one that hit Brevard County with hail earlier in the day.

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