Tropical Storm Andrea was expected to make landfall on Thursday afternoon in the Big Bend region, as tornado threats remained for much of Florida, said the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
As of 5 p.m., Andrea had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as it moved northeast at 17 mph about 35 miles north-northwest of Cedar Key and 80 miles southeast of Tallahassee.
Meanwhile, a tornado watch was extended for South Florida and other parts of the state until 10 p.m.
The National Weather Service said three tornadoes touched down in South Florida on Thursday. At 3:20 a.m. a tornado damaged powerlines in Belle Glade. At 6:45 a.m. another in the Acreage injured one person and damaged homes and powerlines. The final one at 8:10 in Broward County, northwest of State Road 27, didn't cause any damage.
A team is going to survey the aftermath of the storm in the Acreage, which caused the most damage.
The weather service said the rain in South Florida, which is at 70 percent chance of rain for the next few days, is from a rain band extending out from Andrea.
Andrea isn't expected to strengthen before its center reaches the Florida coast Thursday, the hurricane center said. An increase in forward speed and a turn toward the northeast are expected.
Andrea will reach the coast of the Florida Big Bend area, then move across southeastern Georgia, southeastern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina by Friday, the hurricane center said.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the west coast of Florida from Boca Grande to Ochlockonee River; Flagler Beach to Cape Charles Light Viriginia; Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds; Lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort.
Andrea is expected to deliver between 3 and 6 inches of rain over much of the Florida peninsula, eastern parts of the Florida Panhandle and southeastern Georgia, with up to 8 inches possible in some spots.
Andrea, which became the first named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season Wednesday, was not expected to directly impact South Florida, though scattered showers and occasional thunderstorms were possible throughout Thursday.
As the storms track northeast, the weather in South Florida will steadily improve.
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