Tornado touched down in northwest Miami-Dade Tuesday afternoon, NWS says

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that a brief tornado touched down in northwest Miami-Dade on Tuesday afternoon as thunderstorms moved across parts of South Florida.

Neighbors tell CBS News Miami about the intensity of the tornado

By Wednesday, homeowners were assessing the damage left behind—downed fences, fallen trees, and scattered debris across several properties.

Many residents told CBS News Miami the storm felt far more intense than typical South Florida weather.

"It felt like a hurricane," neighbors said, adding that the confirmation of a tornado helped explain what they experienced.

Bobby Suarez captured the moment on surveillance video, where his family can be heard reacting in panic as strong winds tore through the area.

"Oh my God… all of our furniture is flying!" voices shouted in the footage.

Suarez said heavy outdoor items—including umbrellas and patio chairs—were pushed across his yard.

"It looked like we were on the ocean, with white caps on top," he said. "People's debris were flying into the lake."

The National Weather Service assessed the area and determined that an 85 mph tornado did touch down

The NWS sent a storm survey team to the Palm Springs North community near Miami Lakes on Wednesday morning to tour the damage left behind and later determined that a tornado did indeed touch down.

According to the NWS, the EF-0 tornado had winds estimated to be about 85 mph when it touched down around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday afternoon northwest of Miami Lakes.

The tornado was on the ground for less than a minute and for just over about a half-mile, the NWS said.

Neighbors say when they saw the destruction, they knew it was a tornado 

Erick Delgado, another resident, said he immediately suspected a tornado when he returned home and saw the destruction.

"I found my fence on the floor and figured it was a tornado," Delgado said.

Delgado, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, said some homes nearby suffered more significant damage, including roof losses and damaged vehicles.

In another case, a large tree fell onto a car parked outside Jose Gamba's parents' home.

"It's not actually that bad—it's fixable," Gamba said, remaining optimistic despite the damage.

He added that several trees on the property were knocked down, but the home itself was not seriously affected.

Gamba's father, Carlos Gamba, described the moment in Spanish, saying he noticed debris flying everywhere as the storm moved through.

"I saw things flying all over… fortunately nothing happened to the house," he said. "But I will miss my tree."

Some residents whose fences were destroyed said they are now considering rebuilding with stronger materials, such as concrete.

Despite the damage, most neighbors say they plan to stay, with only one resident indicating they may leave the area following the storm.

The tornado uprooted trees and caused damage to some homes and cars, but luckily no injuries were reported.