The storm came as expected Sunday with winds strong enough to bend treetops and rattle windows across Palm Beach County. But despite heavy gusts and a tornado warning, the storm brought precious little rain and no relief from the severe drought conditions plaguing the region this spring.

By evening, the National Weather Service had recorded only a half-inch of rain in the area east of Lake Okeechobee. Less than a quarter inch of rain fell throughout most of Palm Beach and Broward counties.

The water restrictions imposed by the South Florida Water Management District on Friday remain in effect throughout Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, limiting how and when residents can water their lawns and wash vehicles.



There was no shortage of wind on Sunday. Weather officials reported wind gusts as high as 50 mph in the afternoon and had all three South Florida counties under a tornado watch until 5 p.m. The storm and threatening skies disrupted two outdoor jazz concerts. Riviera officials shut down their popular Jazz & Blues Festival until 6 p.m., while performances at Wellington's Palm Beach Jazz Festival were delayed until 5 p.m. Earlier in the day, volunteers sought refuge from the heavy wind inside large white tents, waiting for the two-day festival to resume.

"We were a little disappointed with the weather we had in the afternoon," said Manuel Bornia, CEO of the Cultural Trust of the Palm Beaches, which organized the event. "We were excited to get everything going again."

The winds caused scattered power outages across the region, including about 4,000 residents in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, said Sharon Bennett, a spokeswoman for Florida Power & Light Co. Although most roads remained clear, rain and slick conditions contributed to a three-car collision about 3 p.m. at the Lantana toll stop on Florida's Turnpike. Injuries were minor, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

While no tornadoes were reported in South Florida, one touched down near a mobile home park in Central Florida's Polk County, said Brad Diehl, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service's Miami office. The twister caused some damage but no injuries, Diehl said.

Severe weather throughout much of the East Coast on Sunday delayed and canceled some flights departing from Palm Beach International Airport.

The National Weather Service forecast blue skies to return today, but the wind is expected to continue until the cold front has passed.