Hurricane Andrew Anniversary: A Look Back
Today marks 23 years since Hurricane Andrew wreaked havoc across South Florida, leaving a trail of loss and destruction. While we are happy to have over two decades between us and that devastating storm, it’s important not to forget the lessons learned. As they say, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
In honor of this anniversary, here are a few facts about this storm:
- Hurricane Andrew had humble beginnings, starting as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on Aug. 14, 1992.
- The hurricane made landfall near Homestead in the early morning hours of Aug. 24, 1992.
- Hurricane Andrew’s winds were thought to be 145 miles per hour at its height, but the data was revisited in 2002 and determined to be 165 miles per hour. This bumped the hurricane’s previous ranking from a Category 4 to a Category 5. The morning of Aug. 24, 1992, a storm tide of 4 to 6 feet was measured in Biscayne Bay. Heights as high as nearly 17 feet were measured at the waterfront Burger King International Headquarters.
- The damage from Hurricane Andrew was staggering, with about $25–26.5 billion in damages in Florida alone. The area impacted most was a swatch from Homestead and Florida City north to Kendall.
- Hurricane Andrew destroyed 25,524 homes and damaged another 101,241.
- Hurricane Andrew made the record books. It was the third strongest hurricane to hit the country in the 20th century, in company with the Florida Keys 1935 Hurricane, and Hurricane Camille in 1969.
- For the state of Florida, Andrew was the strongest hurricane to hit the state in 30 years.
Though you can’t prevent a storm, you can prepare your home. Call us at (888) 782-8342 for a free quote on impact windows and doors.*
