Hurricane Andrew Relief
| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Andrew at peak intensity over the Bahamas on August 23
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| Formed | August 16, 1992 |
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| Dissipated | August 28, 1992 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 175 mph (280 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 922 mbar (hPa); 27.23 inHg |
| Fatalities | 65 |
| Damage | $26.5 billion (1992 USD) (Fifth costliest tropical cyclone in Atlantic basin; fourth costliest in U.S. History) |
| Areas affected | The Bahamas; South Florida, Louisiana, and other areas of the Southern United States |
| Part of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season | |
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Hurricane Andrew was a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck South Florida in August 1992, and was the most destructive hurricane in Florida's history. The storm was also ranked as the costliest hurricane in United States history until being surpassed by Katrina in 2005. Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana as well, but the greatest impact was in South Florida, where it produced devastating winds with speeds as high as 165 mph (270 km/h). Passing directly through the town of Homestead, Andrew completely obliterated several blocks of houses, often stripping them of all but their concrete foundations. In the densely populated Miami-Dade County alone, the winds destroyed more than 25,500 houses and damaged more than 101,000 others. The hurricane left 65 people dead along its trail of destruction, as well as $26.5 billion (1992 USD) in damage across the battered areas.
Andrew began as a tropical depression over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on August 16. After spending a week without significant strengthening in the central Atlantic, Andrew rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 hurricane while moving westward toward the Bahamas on August 23. Though it briefly weakened to Category 4 strength while traversing the island nation, Andrew regained its Category 5 status before making landfall on Elliott Key and Homestead. With a barometric pressure of 922 mbar (27.23 inHg) at the time of landfall in Florida, Andrew is the fourth most intense hurricane to strike the United States. Several hours later, the hurricane emerged over the Gulf of Mexico at Category 4 strength, with the Gulf Coast of the United States in its path. After turning northwestward and weakening further, Andrew moved ashore near Morgan City, Louisiana, as a low-end Category 3 storm. After moving inland, the small hurricane curved northeastward and rapidly lost its intensity, merging with a frontal system over the southern Appalachian Mountains on August 28.
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