EF-0 tornado with winds of 85 mph struck Palm Beach Gardens, according to National Weather Service

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — The National Weather Service confirmed that a short-lived but high-end EF-0 tornado hit Palm Beach Gardens on Wednesday afternoon, packing winds of 85 mph.

Crews were busy Thursday morning cleaning up debris left from the storm that blew through the area at about 5:30 p.m.

City officials said the Burns Road Community Center sustained some damage, including to some fencing after the storm blew through the area Wednesday.

WATCH: NWS confirms tornado hit Palm Beach Gardens

Larry Kelly, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami, said during an afternoon news conference that they found intensive damage at the community center and near Palm Beach Gardens Community High School and Holly Drive.

The NWS said a wind gust of 78 mph was reported at Palm Beach Gardens High School.

"We believe (the tornado) touched down right here at the Burns Community Center, moved south, southeast down Military Trail, past the high school, then lifted just south of Holly [Drive] and the [Catholic diocese] church down on Military [Trail]," Kelly said.

He said most of the damage was from downed trees, but there were some metal light posts that were blown down, including a newly installed awning that was lifted and tossed into the trees.

"As you got further down, closer to the high school, there was some siding blown off some housing as well," Kelly said. "The school itself was mainly tree damage and field equipment damage. ... We did have a light pole fall down on Military Trail."

The NWS released the full report on the storm just after 2 p.m. and stated the tornado's width was 100 yards with a half-mile track.

WPTV

"A funnel cloud persisted for a while across the Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach communities before eventually producing a short-lived EF-0 tornado centered between Military Trail and Interstate 95, just south of PGA Boulevard," the NWS report states. "The tornado then lifted, and the storm eventually went on to produce a waterspout over the Intracoastal Waterway near West Palm Beach."

Lightning from the storm also sparked a few small brush fires in the vicinity of PGA Boulevard, which were quickly extinguished by fire rescue crews.

About 100 children and their families were evacuated from the pool area at the Burns Road Community Center when the storm hit the area.

The pool at the recreation center will be closed indefinitely. The playground at the center is back open.

No injuries were reported.