NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A re-energized Tropical Storm Cristobal is continuing its advance toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, having spawned a tornado in Florida and brought the heavy rains that already caused flooding and mudslides in Mexico and Central America.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Cristobal’s maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 kph) as of early Sunday. It is forecast to close in on the U.S. Gulf Coast by Sunday night.

The storm already made its presence felt with a tornado that touched down near downtown Orlando, just missing a group of protesters. There appeared to be no injuries, but tree limbs were knocked down, and there were reports of power outages.

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