Hurricane Ian spawns tornadoes in Broward; North Perry Airport damaged

At least two tornadoes caused by Hurricane Ian touched down in Broward County on Tuesday night, the National Weather Service Miami said.

The first tornado moved over Weston, Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise and Davie about 7:30 p.m., the weather service said.

“The environment will be favorable for tornado development over the next couple of hours,” the weather service said in a Tweet about 8 p.m.

The second tornado moved over a similar path through Pembroke Pines, Davie and Cooper City.

At North Perry Airport, several aircraft and hangars were damaged in a tornado in Pembroke Pines, said Arlene Satchell, spokesperson for the airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

North Perry Airport will be closed temporarily as officials assess the damage, Satchell said.

Residents reported some downed trees and damage in Cooper City.

Battalion Chief Michael Kane, a spokesperson for Broward County Fire Rescue, said crews had received calls Tuesday throughout Broward County of trees knocked down and minor flooding. He expects that Wednesday will be a busy day for fire rescue crews.

All of South Florida is under a tornado watch through at least 5 a.m. Wednesday, the weather service said.

Southeastern Palm Beach County, including Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres and Atlantis, were under a tornado warning until 9:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service, as a thunderstorm capable of spawning a tornado near Delray Beach moved north at 30 mph.

Hurricane Ian is expected to bring tropical-storm conditions to South Florida through Thursday, including heavy rains, possible tornadoes and major flooding.

There were at least eight tornado warnings Tuesday night in Broward and Collier counties, as Ian’s outer bands moved over southern Florida.

What you should do when there’s a tornado warning, according to the weather service:

• Go to a safe, interior room away from windows.
• If you are outside, quickly get to a sturdy building. Structures such as sheds, storage units, mobile homes or tents are not safe.
• If you are in a car and are unable to get to shelter, get down in your car and cover your head or abandon your car and find a low-lying area such as a ditch.
• Protect yourself from flying debris.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.