17 Years Ago...South Florida

[DanKellFla]

what is amazing is how much forecasting has advanced during that time

It is a totally different world now. 5 day track forecasts still amaze me. You can see the forecasts improve as computing power increased and price decresed.

I was in Boca Raton at that time living in the dorms at FAU. My parents and brother lived in Plantation. I went to my girlfriends apartment and started to prepare. It was a rental unit, so I couldn't do much. I think the biggest impact I had was when I moved my car into the middle of the grass as far away from trees as I could. Within 30 seconds, I had people surrounding me asking me what I was doing. So, I explained about falling trees and then they parked around my car. Other than getting water, we didn't do much. Maybe we cooked some food for the next day. Then, I started watching TV. I switched between Norcross and the weather channel until 3:30 AM. At that point, I saw where the eye was, and that I still had electricity and figured it was going to be OK. It wasn't until the next day that I heard about the real devastation. My brothers job had him drive down there a few weeks later. He said is was like a bomb went off. Things went from fallen trees to destroyed buildings very quick. With what I know now, if I was reading those warnings and seeing those pressures, I would have been much more worried.

[Aslkahuna]

While South Florida was awaiting Andrew, the first outer squall bands of Tropical Storm Lester were passing over SE Arizona.

Steve

[Hybridstorm_November2001]

Andrew, the name alone still sends shivers up my spine. I was visting family in South Florida at the time, I was only 12. The week that followed landfall was hell, almost as bad as the hurricane itself. Infrastructure of the area was nearly totally destroyed, my parents for a few days didn't know if we were alive or dead couldn't call with no phone or power. I'll never forget it, that is for sure.

[jinftl]

Some of the residential areas that got Andrew's worst....still shocking to see such images, even after the storm seasons we have had in 2004 and 2005. Storm shutters will only go so far....nothing can stand up to Cat 5 winds. Just focusing on the damage caused by the wind of a hurricane, no other storm can touch Andrew. This was essentially a 30 mile strong tornado that left 250,000 people homeless in just a few hours.

[jinftl]

HURRICANE ANDREW ADVISORY NUMBER 31
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
11 PM EDT SUN AUG 23 1992

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE ANDREW BEARING DOWN ON SOUTHEAST
FLORIDA...

HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST
BAHAMAS...THE FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM VERO BEACH SOUTHWARD THROUGH
THE FLORIDA KEYS TO THE DRY TORTUGAS INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY...THE
FLORIDA WEST COAST SOUTH OF VENICE...AND FOR LAKE OKEECHOBEE. A
HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE
FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM VERO BEACH NORTHWARD TO TITUSVILLE...AND ON
THE FLORIDA WEST COAST NORTH OF VENICE TO BAYPORT.

AT 11 PM EDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF ANDREW WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 25.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.1 WEST OR ABOUT 135 MILES
...220 KM...EAST OF MIAMI.

ANDREW IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/HR... AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY. ON THIS PATH THE
CENTER OF ANDREW WILL CROSS THE COAST NEAR MIAMI FLORIDA AROUND
DAYBREAK MONDAY MORNING.

ALL PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD NOW BE
COMPLETED. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS
PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 140 MPH...225 KM/HR...AND
SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY PRIOR TO LANDFALL.
NASSAU...BAHAMAS...REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 85 MPH...WITH GUSTS
TO 105 MPH NEAR 830 PM EDT...0030Z.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES... 45 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 105 MILES...165 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 937 MB...27.67 INCHES.

STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 10 TO 14 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDES ARE
POSSIBLE FOR SOME LOCATIONS ON THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...WITH UP TO 18
FEET POSSIBLE FOR THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF ELEUTHERA ISLAND. STORM
SURGES OF 7 TO 10 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDES ARE POSSIBLE FOR THE
FLORIDA EAST COAST AND KEYS NEAR TO WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL
IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA...WITH POSSIBLE HEIGHTS OF 9 TO 13 FEET IN
BISCAYNE BAY. STORM SURGES OF 7 TO 11 FEET ARE POSSIBLE ON THE
FLORIDA WEST COAST NEAR AND TO THE SOUTH OF THE CENTER AFTER THE
PASSAGE OF THE HURRICANE.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE PATH OF THE
HURRICANE.

A FEW ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL FLORIDA
TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.

REPEATING THE 11 PM EDT POSITION...25.4 N... 78.1 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD
...WEST NEAR 16 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...140 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 937 MB.

INTERMEDIATE ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 1 AM EDT AND 3 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT
COMPLETE ADVISORY ISSUANCE AT 5 AM EDT...MONDAY.

RAPPAPORT/GERRISH/PASCH



HURRICANE ANDREW DISCUSSION NUMBER 31
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
11 PM EDT SUN AUG 23 1992


...CORRECTED TO SHOW NEWER RECON PRESSURE OF 937 MB...


THERE ARE NO SIGNIFIGANT CHANGES TO REPORT IN EITHER THE TRACK OR
INTENSITY OF ANDREW. HOWEVER...MINOR STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION IS
UNDERWAY IN THE CORE REGION WITH RECON CONTINUING TO REPORT A
CONCENTRIC EYEWALL STRUCTURE. THIS DEVELOPMENT COINCIDES WITH A
SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE STRENGTH OF THE INTERIOR EYEWALL...AND SO THE
INTENSITY HAS BEEN LOWERED A LITTLE...TO 120 KT. THIS IS ALSO
CONSISTENT WITH THE LAST RECON FIX OF 937 MB. NEVERTHELESS...THE
HURRICANE WILL BE PASSING SOON OVER THE WARM GULF STREAM WATERS SO
NOT MUCH ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED...AND SOME RESTRENGHTENING
REMAINS POSSIBLE AS WELL.

THE TRACK FORECAST IS NEARLY IDENTICAL TO THE PREVIOUS COURSE.
LANDFALL IN THE MIAMI AREA AS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE AROUND 1200 UTC
IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY LIKELY. THE HURRICANE IS STILL EXPECTED TO
WEAKEN A LITTLE IN ITS TRANSIT OVER THE FLORIDA PENINSULA. THE 72
HOUR POSITION IS THE SAME AS BEFORE.

NASSAU IN THE BAHAMAS REPORTED SUSTAINED 85 MPH WINDS WITH GUST TO
105 MPH NEAR 0030 UTC.

IN COORDINATION WITH NSSFC...A STATEMENT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR
ISOLATED TORNADOES HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE ADVISORIES.

LAND BASED RADAR FIXES SHOW THE EYE NOW...SO SUBSEQUENT ADVISORIES
WILL BE ISSUED EVERY 2 HOURS.

RAPPAPORT/GERRISH/PASCH

FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS

INITIAL 24/0300Z 25.4N 78.1W 120 KTS
12HR VT 24/1200Z 25.4N 80.3W 120 KTS
24HR VT 25/0000Z 25.8N 83.2W 105 KTS
36HR VT 25/1200Z 26.4N 85.7W 105 KTS
48HR VT 26/0000Z 27.1N 88.2W 110 KTS
72HR VT 27/0000Z 29.0N 93.0W 110 KTS

[Aric Dunn]

the morning after landfall .. is when i was struck by lightning and my interest in weather followed.. lol

[HurricaneJoe22]

You were struck by lightning?! 1.21 gigawatts!

[Aric Dunn]

You were struck by lightning?! 1.21 gigawatts!

well not the direct bolt.. lol

one of the fingers from the main bolt that struck about 20 yards away..

it hit my umbrella and knocked me on my rear end... and melted the plastic handle on my hand it hurt extremely bad left me shaking for a day or so ...

i was in Melbourne at the time and it was one of Andrews feeder bands

[HurricaneJoe22]

wow, dude, you cheated death...like in the movie Final Destination....I'm refering to the one about 10 years ago, not the new one coming out

[Aric Dunn]

wow, dude, you cheated death...like in the movie Final Destination....I'm refering to the one about 10 years ago, not the new one coming out

hehe.. i figure it this way.. i have been struck by lightning and bit by a shark which by the way are the most unlikely things to happen to someone .. besides getting hit by a meteorite.. lol

so when it comes to karma or bad things happening to people .. i think i took care of the odds for the rest of my life and can live at peace ..lol
now hopefully i get the flip side of all that and get some really good things happening like winning the lottery.. lol

[Sanibel]

I wish someone had a concrete dome in the worst tornadic strip to show their value vs the surrounding homes.

[Jinkers]

I'll never forget it, I was right in the middle of it, and I hope I never see anything like that ever again, I still can't talk about it, even 17 years later.

[CrazyC83]

damage would be far more than 50 billion for a direct miami strike. The 1926 hurricane is estimated to cost 150 billion if it strikes today

If not more...a Katrina-sized Cat 5 hitting just south of Miami would put all of South Florida in the eyewall - $200 billion or more easily. And if it continued on holding most of its strength to New Orleans, add close to $100 billion for a total well over a quarter trillion!!!

[Normandy]

I think the most impressive thing about andrew were the wind obs. Multiple readings of 100kts or greater in all quadrants of the storm, and most outside of the eyewall. Its pretty rare to see obs like that outside of the eyewalls of major hurricanes. A testament to the intensity of a true Category 5 hurricane. It takes a lot of wind to pick up Uhaul trucks and throw them.

[Frank2]

HurricaneJoe22 wrote:

You were struck by lightning?! 1.21 gigawatts!

well not the direct bolt.. lol

one of the fingers from the main bolt that struck about 20 yards away..

it hit my umbrella and knocked me on my rear end... and melted the plastic handle on my hand it hurt extremely bad left me shaking for a day or so ...

i was in Melbourne at the time and it was one of Andrews feeder bands

Wow - a miracle that you're here to write about it!

"Happy 17th Anniversary Hurricane Andrew Day"

Frank

[Sanibel]

Andrew wasn't the only monster hurricane to hit the Miami area. 1926 category 4 Miami direct hit:

[DanKellFla]

I was visiting a relative a year after Andrew when he asked me about Andrew. He was positive that the media was exagerating the after effect. He actually said, "How bad could it be? Just some rain, some wind." When he wouldn't belive me about the tens of thousands of destroyed homes I just gave up. He was so stubborn about it. Then, his sister was visiting me durring Frances. Once he got her account of Frances, he had a whole new respect for storms.

100 mph winds don't kill. It's the brick going 100 mph that kills.

[Frank2]

Denial is a terrible thing, isn't it?

That sounds similar to a relative of mine, who doesn't believe the Apollo 11 moon landing really happened...

But, even more terrible were old friends of mine [who still live in Pinecrest], and the wife's statement that she and her husband drove down to Homestead not longer after Andrew, and determined that "It wasn't as bad as we thought it would be..." - perhaps because they are millionaires and weren't living in an Army tent, that they decided that the entire issue "...wasn't as bad..."

We know what the Bible says about people like that - they better invest in pitch forks!!!

And, similar to those from Broward County, co-workers of mine, who insisted, on the other end of the scale, that "Thousands were killed and Washington [was] hiding the "truth"".

As we used to say in the months after Andrew, "Spoken like a [dumb] person who's from Broward County!"...

I'm tempted to say it's sad to hear all of these statements, but my anger at them makes it very hard for me to pity these people...

Frank

[jinftl]

Agree...the confirmed wind reports are unprecedented for a storm over land...

The NHC office...not in the eyewall...reported the following (and if it is the NHC making the observation, I tend to believe it!!!)

AT ABOUT 5 AM EDT...0900Z...THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MEASURED A PEAK WIND
GUST OF 164 MPH.

The NHC office was in Coral Gables at the time....north of the worst area of winds. No doubt there were 200 mph gusts to the south.

*The reading of 164 mph was the final reading....before the instrument failed. The actual wind could have gone higher.

The following were the peak gusts before the instruments all failed:
NHC Office, Coral Gables - 164 mph (sustained winds of 115 mph)
Fowey Rocks - 169 mph (sustained winds of 142 mph)
Perrine - 177 mph
Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant - 175 mph (sustained winds of 145 mph) - data terminated prior to worst conditions


HURDAT analysis showed peak sustained winds of 153 kts, or 175 mph....found 11 NE of eye...on the surface (i.e., on land). In the short distance (20 miles) from downtown Miami to the core of worst winds, conditions went from Cat 1/2 downtown to Cat 5. We will never know....hopefully....what the multitude of skyscrapers in downtown Miami would have looked like with 200 mph winds. The change in damage from Cat 1/2 to Cat 5 is many many magnitudes.

Insurance researchers have shown that only a doomsday storm in NYC would cause more damage than a direct Cat 5 hit on Miami. From the standpoint of which is more probable (an NYC doomsday or a Miami Cat 5), it is quite likely that a Miami hurricane will reclaim the infamous distinction of the costliest storm in U.S. history from Katrina one day.....and beat the damage in $ from Katrina by 2 or 3 magnitudes.

I think the most impressive thing about andrew were the wind obs. Multiple readings of 100kts or greater in all quadrants of the storm, and most outside of the eyewall. Its pretty rare to see obs like that outside of the eyewalls of major hurricanes. A testament to the intensity of a true Category 5 hurricane. It takes a lot of wind to pick up Uhaul trucks and throw them.

[KatDaddy]

To see photos of cars flipped upside downtown in a garage say it all. Can you imagine winds so intense that at the same time it peels the roof off the suction flips the cars! Now just imagine the roar of the wind. As many have posted, it was a 30 mile wide tornado. Truely amazing.