'Hurricane equivalent' winds and torrential rains leave more than 120,000 without power in Florida as more than 7million are under flood watch

About 120,000 homes in Florida were without power Thursday morning after 'hurricane' level winds and torrential rain hit the state overnight. 

The Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach area were hit with hurricane-force winds and rain that left seven million people under flood watch.

The National Weather Service called the wind speeds recorded in some of these areas 'hurricane equivalent', as they topped 74mph.

'Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are expected,' they said.

Forecasters predicted five to eight inches of rain across Miami and the Fort Lauderdale areas of South Florida today, with up to 12 inches in some area, according to Fox Weather. 

The National Hurricane Center has also outlined the possibility that the storm could develop, though it is a low chance of just ten percent. 

A flood watch has been brought in for Palm Beach County which will end at 1pm later today, and one for the Treasure Coast region which will end at 7pm. 

Schools and offices in Broward County School District were forced to close Thursday due to the wild weather. 

The latest outlook from the National Hurricane Center said: 'A non-tropical area of low pressure between southern Florida and the northwestern Bahamas is associated with a frontal boundary.

'Development of this system into a tropical cyclone appears unlikely.

'However, gusty winds and heavy rains are still possible across portions of the east coast of Florida and the Bahamas during the next day or so while the low moves quickly northeastward over the southwestern Atlantic.'

Forecasters said conditions would start to improve for the Sunshine State as low pressure pulls away from the area on Friday. 

According to Power Outage, there are currently just over 118,000 homes without power in the state. 

Videos have also emerged on social media of precarious drivers driving through high flood waters in the state. 

Images have also been shared showing the devastation caused by the storm in Miami Beach, with downed trees and branches lining one street.

In the short clip, a large tree has collapsed onto a vehicle parked on the street - smashing the windscreen in the process. 

On Wednesday night, Miami was drenched in just over six inches of rain, while Hollywood received five inches, and Fort Lauderdale recorded four inches of rain. 

The high rainfall rates and accumulation totals through the rest of Thursday will lead to a 'high probability of flash flooding concerns within the urban corridor down into the Florida Keys', according to the Weather Prediction Center.  

As well as the winds and rain, the National Weather Service has warned that high tides will produce dangerous conditions at beaches in the state also. 

The torrential rain comes just months after Fort Lauderdale recorded their rainiest day on record, when 22.5 inches fell on April 12. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had to declare a state of emergency as storms caused mass flooding, after they dumped two feet of rain in a matter of hours.