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| - Hurricane Andrew was, at the time of its occurrence in August 1992, the costliest hurricane in United States history. The fourth tropical cyclone and the first hurricane of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, Andrew originated from a tropical wave over the central Atlantic. Initially, strong wind shear prevented much intensification, though increasingly favorable conditions allowed the system to become a tropical storm on August 17 and a minimal hurricane six days later. After turning westward, Andrew entered a stage of rapid intensification, strengthening into a destructive Category 5 hurricane near the Bahamas on August 23. It briefly weakened to a Category 4 hurricane over the island nation, but regained Category 5 intensity on August 24 before making landfall on Elliott Key and later i
- Hurricane Andrew is the second most powerful, and the last of three Category 5 hurricanes that made U.S. landfall during the 20th century, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew caused 65 deaths. The first named storm of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, Andrew struck the northwestern Bahamas, southern Florida at Homestead (south of Miami), and southwest Louisiana around Morgan City in August. Andrew caused $26.5 billion in damage ($38.1 billion in 2006 US dollars), with most of that damage cost in south Florida. Its central pressure ranks as fourth-lowest in U.S. landfall records and Andrew was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history until surpassed by Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 season. It was also the first of two Category 4 or higher stor
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| abstract
| - Hurricane Andrew was, at the time of its occurrence in August 1992, the costliest hurricane in United States history. The fourth tropical cyclone and the first hurricane of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, Andrew originated from a tropical wave over the central Atlantic. Initially, strong wind shear prevented much intensification, though increasingly favorable conditions allowed the system to become a tropical storm on August 17 and a minimal hurricane six days later. After turning westward, Andrew entered a stage of rapid intensification, strengthening into a destructive Category 5 hurricane near the Bahamas on August 23. It briefly weakened to a Category 4 hurricane over the island nation, but regained Category 5 intensity on August 24 before making landfall on Elliott Key and later in Homestead. Several hours later, the hurricane emerged into the Gulf of Mexico at Category 4 strength as it curved toward the Gulf Coast of the United States. After weakening to a low-end Category 3 hurricane, Andrew moved ashore near Morgan City, Louisiana. Interaction with land hastened the weakening process, and the Andrew was downgraded to a tropical depression by August 27 while crossing Mississippi. The next day, the storm merged with a frontal system over the southern Appalachian Mountains. In the Bahamas, Andrew brought high tides, hurricane force winds, and tornadoes, which caused considerable damage in the archipelago, especially on Cat Cays. At least 800 houses were destroyed and there was substantial damage to the transport, communications, water, sanitation, agriculture, and fishing sectors. Overall, Andrew caused four deaths and $250 million (1992 USD) in damage in the Bahamas. Throughout the southern portions of Florida, Andrew brought very high winds; a wind gust of 177 mph (282 km/h) was reported at a house in Perrine. High winds caused catastrophic damage in Florida, especially in Miami-Dade County. In Miami-Dade County alone, damage was estimated at $25 billion (1992 USD) and 40 fatalities were reported. In the Everglades, 70,000 acres (280 km2) of trees were knocked down. Additionally, rainfall in Florida was substantial, peaking at 13.98 in (355 mm) in western Miami-Dade County. Considerable damage to oil platforms was reported, with one company reporting 13 platforms lost, 104 structures damaged, and five drilling wells blown off course. Total losses to oil companies reached approximately $500 million. In Louisiana, Andrew produced hurricane force winds along its path, which left about 152,000 without electricity, downed 80% of trees in the Atchafalaya River Basin, and caused significant agricultural damage. Also in the Atchafalaya River Basin and Bayou Lafourche, about 187 million freshwater fish were killed. An F3 tornado in St. John the Baptist Parish damaged or destroyed 163 structures. Seventeen deaths were reported in Louisiana, six of which were drowning victims offshore. With 23,000 homes damaged, and 985 homes and 1,951 mobile homes destroyed, property losses in the state exceeded $1.5 billion. Elsewhere, the storm spawned at least 28 tornadoes, especially in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Overall, Andrew caused 65 fatalities and $26 billion in damage, and it is currently the fourth costliest hurricane in U.S. history, behind only Hurricanes Katrina in 2005, Ike in 2008, and Sandy in 2012. Other sources state that damage from Andrew reached as a high as $32 billion. Due to the destruction, the name was retired in the spring of 1993.
- Hurricane Andrew is the second most powerful, and the last of three Category 5 hurricanes that made U.S. landfall during the 20th century, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew caused 65 deaths. The first named storm of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, Andrew struck the northwestern Bahamas, southern Florida at Homestead (south of Miami), and southwest Louisiana around Morgan City in August. Andrew caused $26.5 billion in damage ($38.1 billion in 2006 US dollars), with most of that damage cost in south Florida. Its central pressure ranks as fourth-lowest in U.S. landfall records and Andrew was the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history until surpassed by Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 season. It was also the first of two Category 4 or higher storms to strike the United States that year (Hurricane Iniki in the Central Pacific struck Hawaii a couple of weeks later).
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