Florida
Storm cleanup underway as South Florida prepares for another round of severe weather:
From Sunday through Monday, South Florida is under a NEXT Weather Alert because of showers and storms moving throughout the region both afternoons.
Numerous severe thunderstorms were reported between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, before the skies began to quiet down for the rest of the night. However, storms are expected to develop again by midday Monday.
Storm impact in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties
In one video obtained by CBS News Miami, rain is shown falling hard on Sunday afternoon on Florida’s Turnpike near Kendall and Sunset Drive, while another video shows rain turning a parking lot of a Pompano Beach strip mall into a pond.
Sunday’s rain slowed down big events across South Florida, such as the Miami Grand Prix’s all-female F1 Academy racing series. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels had to shorten their demonstration at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show as well because of the inclement weather.
The University of Miami had to cancel Sunday’s series finale against North Carolina State due to the weather and campus police issued an emergency message to students and staff about seeking shelter during Sunday’s severe thunderstorms.
Miami Beach city officials urged its residents to report any flooding in their neighborhoods by calling the MB Control Room at (305) 673-7625 or by sending photos to flooding@miamibeachfl.gov. Additionally, Miami Beach said its residents can park in the municipal parking garages from 2 p.m. Sunday until 9 a.m. Monday and will not be charged with proof of residency.
Large trees uprooted by strong winds in South Miami neighborhood
Across South Florida, some people saw damage from Sunday’s storms.
In South Miami, a large tree fell down on a traffic circle near Southwest 74th Street and 63rd Avenue (Manor Lane), temporarily closing the roads for all vehicular traffic.
Crews had been out the for several hours, chopping down the tree. Sunday’s winds were so strong that they uprooted it.
Jorge Padial, who lived nearby where the tree fell, told CBS News Miami that it had been there for nearly 100 years.
“I’m surprised because we never expected this,” he said.
The massive tree uprooted and toppled over, knocking down power lines and blocking the road for parts of Sunday afternoon.
“We had massive storms [Sunday],” said Ron Von-Paulus of Big Ron Tree Service. “The flooding — have you ever stood on the beach and the waves wash your feet and you watch for a second, there the sand is no longer solid, it’s liquid? And we had so much flooding here that it happened to a massive tree. The roots 40 to 50 mile-per-hour gusts just blew the tree over.”
Florida Power & Light crews worked with heavy equipment to chop down the huge branches caught in Mother Nature’s wrath.
Just a few blocks away, a similar situation unfolded. Keyvon Antonio Heydari was home when the storm hit around 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
“I go outside, and I start to film, and I see hail, and] I see the tree went down,” he told CBS News Miami. “I see kind of like an abnormal storm, you know, and then there were winds.”
Winds were so strong that it yanked another tree from its roots near Southwest 72nd Street and 75th Avenue.
Jeanette Perez told CBS News Miami she was getting home just minutes after it happened.
“I saw the street completely blocked, so I had to continue going around,” Perez said. “Obviously, I saw the tree blocking the street, and when you drove in and you saw this.
When CBS News Miami asked for her reaction, Perez said: “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what are we gonna do?’ It looked like a hurricane.”
Other neighbors, walking out after the storm, described what they heard and saw on Sunday.
“The wind went sideways, and it was just the darkness, [the] skies, all hell broke loose,” said resident Teresita DeBlank. “And the lightning was beyond description. My poor dog didn’t know where to hide.”
“Oh my God, well, like something happened, something went down, and the electricity went down, and then you walk outside and you see this,” added Isolina Alonso, another resident. “Yeah, it’s incredible. It’s a first for me to see something like this in my street.”
Close to a dozen FPL crews arrived to the scene and secured the downed power lines tangled up in the trees.
Officials told CBS News Miami that they plan to reopen the roads by midnight Monday. Meanwhile, they’re asking residents who have large trees to trim them before hurricane season begins.
One of the homeowners was also told by city officials that she has to check with her insurance and the City of South Miami because the tree was on her property.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Strong thunderstorms continue to push across Central Florida Thursday evening, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall and isolated damage before activity gradually winds down later tonight.
The strongest storms are expected through about 10 p.m., with most of the activity weakening and moving offshore by around 11 p.m. Storms are being fueled by sea breeze collisions and abundant moisture across the state. In addition to strong wind gusts, torrential downpours could lead to ponding of water on roads and minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.
While storms remain the immediate concern this evening, another round of impactful weather is expected Friday.
The News 6 Weather Team has designated Friday as a Weather Aware Day due to the combination of dangerous heat and the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms.
Before storms develop, temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s Friday afternoon. Combined with high humidity, it will feel more like 102 to 107 degrees across much of Central Florida. Some locations could once again approach or exceed Heat Advisory criteria.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The atmosphere will be loaded with tropical moisture, allowing storms to produce frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts, and torrential rainfall.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Central Florida under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather Friday. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few storms could become strong enough to produce damaging winds.
In addition, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted portions of Central Florida for a Level 1 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy rain in a short amount of time, which could lead to localized flooding.
The unsettled pattern continues into the weekend. Storm coverage is expected to increase Saturday, and some locations could see multiple rounds of heavy rain. While a few stronger storms remain possible, the flooding threat may become a greater concern by Saturday afternoon and evening.
Looking ahead to next week, rain chances are expected to gradually decrease, but the heat is not going anywhere. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-90s, with heat index values frequently climbing above 100 degrees. Forecast guidance suggests a higher heat risk could develop once again across Central Florida as we head deeper into next week.
At the beaches, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard if you’re heading to the beach.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is trailing Democratic candidate David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor, according to a new poll from Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm.
The survey could be an encouraging sign for Florida Democrats, who have not won a statewide election since 2018 and have struggled as the state shifted steadily toward Republicans in recent election cycles.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026, won a second term by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, while Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage and maintained control of every statewide elected office.
Still, some recent polling has suggested the push to replace DeSantis could be a bit more competitive than many have expected.
President Donald Trump last month again vocalized his support for Donalds, saying in part, “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” The president added, “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump won the Sunshine State by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and no Democrat has won the Florida governorship in more than 20 years.
When reached for comment regarding the new poll, Donalds’ campaign referred Newsweek to the X post of Gates McGavick, the team’s communications director. McGavick said in reaction to the poll, “I hear Change Research also sells tremendous ocean front property in Arizona.”
The campaign also referred Newsweek to Ryan Smith’s post on X, while saying he is also affiliated with the campaign. Smith said, “This is a push poll by Democrats for Democrats. The truth is, Florida Democrats will be crying in their kombucha on November 3 when @ByronDonalds is elected governor.”
What To Know
The Change Research survey found Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and entered the race as a Democrat, leading Donalds in a hypothetical general-election matchup.
Jolly has centered his campaign on affordability issues surrounding insurance costs, housing and healthcare, while Donalds has campaigned as a conservative successor who will attempt to enact Trump’s agenda and fight illegal immigration.
According to the poll, Jolly leads Donalds 47 percent to 42 percent and has a slightly larger margin among likely voters with 49 percent compared to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,273 registered voters of which 1,015 said they will likely vote in the 2026 midterm election. The survey’s margin of error is 2.8 percent.
Also in the poll, Jolly garners 94 percent support from Democrats compared to Donalds’ 77 percent among Republicans.
What Other Polls Show
Another recent Change Research poll shows Jolly leading Donalds 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll was taken from May 13 to May 16 among 2,070 registered voters, of whom 1,593 say they will likely vote in the midterm election. The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.
In a survey at the end of March by Emerson College Polling, Donalds landed 44 percent of the vote compared to Jolly’s 39 percent. The poll shows that 17 percent are undecided. It was taken from March 29 to March 31 among 1,125 likely voters and has a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
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