North Perry Airport, roads closed overnight due to storm damage

Thunderstorms spread throughout South Florida from Friday afternoon into the evening, forcing closures of North Perry Airport and at least one Broward County road until Saturday morning.

All of South Florida was at marginal risk for isolated to severe storms on Friday, though National Weather Service Miami forecasters said some impacts could continue into the early morning hours.

Strong winds uprooted trees and knocked down power lines on Friday evening.

The most severe damage reported was from more than 50 mph winds lifting a Cessna off the ground and onto a fuel truck at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines.

The area around North Perry Airport saw a severe storm about 6 p.m., and “several aircraft were severely damaged,” airport spokesperson Arlene Satchell said in an email to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The airport will be closed until at least 7 a.m. Saturday for the Broward County Aviation Department to continue assessing damage, she said. Satchell did not know how many airplanes were damaged.

Reports that the damage in Pembroke Pines was from a tornado are false, NWS Miami meteorologist Sammy Hadi told the Sun Sentinel. The environment on Friday was supportive for large hail, which there were some reports of locally, and straight line winds. The damage was due to “a thunderstorm collapsing violently,” he said.

Sunshine Boulevard in Miramar will be closed in both directions, starting at the 2600 block, until at at least midnight due to downed power lines and damage from the storms, said Janice McIntosh, a spokesperson for Miramar Police.

Several electrical lines and trees were knocked down in the area of Palm Avenue and Northwest 72nd Avenue in Pembroke Pines, the police department said in a post on X urging people to drive with caution.

Various sizes of hail were reported in Palm Beach County and Broward County throughout Friday, from quarter size to 1.5 inches, about the size of a ping-pong ball, in areas of Lake Worth Beach and half-dollar size hail in Pembroke Pines, according to NWS Miami preliminary local storm reports.

Storms were continuing to move through western parts of Lake Okeechobee as of about 8:30 p.m. Friday, bringing the potential for large hail in Lakeport in Glades County and in areas to the northeast, the NWS Miami said.

Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible on Saturday afternoon and early evening due to moisture lingering, the NWS Miami’s forecast says. It might be slightly cooler in the afternoon as a result, though temperatures are still expected to reach the upper 80s to lows 90s.

Showers and thunderstorms are also possible after 8 a.m. Sunday. Memorial Day is expected to be mostly sunny, with a high of 88, and a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

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