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Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” tops Billboard Hot 100 chart for first time since 1958 release
Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time since it was released in 1958. The holiday classic outperformed familiar chart-topper Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which came in at No. 2.
“Rockin'” was streamed nearly 35 million times between the Friday after Thanksgiving and Thursday, according to Billboard. The news follows last month’s release of a music video for the song, which Lee has said she knew was special when she first heard it as a child.
“I wanted to do it, and we did,” she told CMT, a division of Paramount, the parent company of CBS News. “It just came out every year and became what it was. The people were great. They went out, they bought it, they embraced it. Radio embraced it, and ‘Home Alone,’ of course, didn’t hurt it at all. And it’s just been a magical time in my life.”
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The song’s ascent to the No. 1 spot breaks a lot of records.
It’s now the single with the longest run from its release to the No. 1 spot — 65 years. It debuted on the Hot 100 in 1960, then took just under 63 years to hit the top, setting a record for the longest climb ever to No. 1.
It’s also the longest break for an artist between No. 1 hits: 63 years, one month and two weeks between “I Want To Be Wanted” and “Rockin’.”
Lee also has the longest span from her first No. 1 to her last: 63 years, four months and three weeks since “I’m Sorry” topped the chart in 1960.
Lee, at age 78, is the oldest artist to top the chart. The prior record was 62-year-old Louis Armstrong with “Hello, Dolly!” in 1964.
Lee said in a statement she was a young teenager when “Rockin'” came out, and knowing that it resonates with multiple generations is one of the best gifts she’s ever received.
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Hurricane Milton’s impact on South Florida: Squally conditions, tornadoes, flight cancellations
MIAMI – Windy conditions continued in South Florida Wednesday evening as Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 3 storm, made landfall on Florida’s west coast.
Milton was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph as it made landfall in Siesta Key near Sarasota. The storm is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds, flooding, and tornadoes as it moves across the state to the east coast.
South Florida experienced strong winds of 30 to 40 mph Wednesday, which are expected to continue through Thursday.
Milton’s impact on South Florida
Hurricane Milton spun at least two tornadoes in South Florida.
Earlier in the day, a tornado touched down along Alligator Alley in western Broward County near Collier County, though no damage was reported.
Another tornado touched down in the Wellington area of Palm Beach County, causing damage to some homes and bringing down trees.
All of South Florida had been under a tornado watch until 9 p.m. Wednesday. Several tornado warnings had also been issued for Broward County.
In recent days, South Florida has experienced a “one-two punch” of storms. A non-tropical low-pressure system brought heavy rain and flooding on Sunday and Monday, followed by Hurricane Milton’s approach on Wednesday, which was forecast to bring more rain and windy conditions through Thursday as the storm crosses the state.
The region remains under threat of flooding, with an expected rainfall of 4 to 7 inches or more.
Strong winds brought down a power line in Broward County near NE 28th Street in Wilton Manors.
Airports report delays and cancelations
Hurricane Milton continued to affect flights at South Florida airports on Wednesday.
Cancellations and delays were reported at Miami International Airport and at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International.
Nearly 2,000 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled by Wednesday night, according to the tracking service FlightAware. That includes over 380 flights canceled at Tampa International Airport.
When will conditions improve?
CBS News Miami
“By late Thursday, things will begin to wind down,” said CBS News Miami chief meteorologist Ivan Cabrera. “Conditions will improve into Friday, and we’re looking forward to a quiet and tranquil pattern setting up for the weekend and into next week.”
On Friday, there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be cloudy with a 20% chance of rain in the day and 20% at night, according to NWS.
North winds will be around 14 mph with gusts as high as 23 mph during the day, and north winds of 10 to 13 mph with gusts as high as 22 will be seen at night.
CBS News Miami
Highs are expected to be near 86 and lows around 75.
Dangerous storm surge forecast for Florida
Forecasters warned of dangerous storm surge.
“The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the south of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves,” the hurricane center said.
“Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches, with localized totals up to 18 inches, are expected across central to northern portions of the Florida Peninsula through Thursday,” the hurricane center said.
“This rainfall brings the risk of considerable flash, urban and areal flooding, along with the potential for moderate to major river flooding.”
Milton will also produce rainfall totals 2 to 4 inches across the Florida Keys through Thursday.
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