Info on Hurrican Andrew, the last Cat. 5 hurricane to hit the US

[AlGore-08.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Andrew

Hurricane Andrew was the most destructive hurricane ever to hit the United States of America, raging from August 16 to August 28, 1992. This tropical cyclone affected the northwestern Bahamas, then southern Florida in the greater Miami area, doing much damage, crossing the Florida peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico before again making landfall in south-central Louisiana where it caused further damage. It was the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States, and produced more than 700,000 insurance claims.

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Total damages (in USD): $36 billion (2005 dollars) (Costliest Atlantic hurricane on record in terms of total cost)
Total fatalities: 26 direct, 39 indirect

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Reports from private barometers helped establish that Andrew's central pressure at landfall in Homestead, Florida, was 27.23 inches (92.21 kPa), which makes it the third most intense hurricane on record to hit the United States. Andrew's peak winds in south Florida were not directly measured due to destruction of the measuring instruments. An automated station at Fowey Rocks reported 142 mph (228 km/h) sustained winds with gusts to 200 mph (321 km/h) (measured 144 ft (43.9 m) above the ground), and higher values may have occurred after the station was damaged and stopped reporting. The National Hurricane Center had a peak gust of 164 mph (272 km/h) (measured 130 ft (39.6 m) above the ground), while a 177 mph (285 km/h) gust was measured at a private home. In 2002, as part of an ongoing review of historical hurricane records, National Hurricane Center experts concluded that Andrew briefly had sustained winds of 165 mph (265 km/h) at landfall (Andrew had originally been classified as a Category Four storm at landfall). Additionally, Berwick, Louisiana, reported 96 mph (154 km/h) sustained winds with gusts to 120 mph (193 km/h).

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[bobbieinok]

1. FEMA's inept response helped cost BushI the presidency

[question everything]

2. We lived on the West Coast of Florida, then

and were not affected. I think that it crossed the state and went to sea and then north.

I do remember the shock of the aerial views, when whole houses were reduced to piles of matchsticks.

At first it was predicted to hit the ritzy cities of Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, but instead it hit the poor areas of Miami and Homestead. It was then that spouse concluded that god was a Republican...

[FloridaPat]

3. I defied all the hurricane laws too. It ripped accross Florida and

caused severe damage at least 50-100 miles inland. People stayed in their bathrooms only to find that the only room left when they peered out the next day. One house would be OK and the one nextdoor destroyed. No trees left standing. It was weeks before anyone saw cops. Looters everywhere. People slept in their ruined house with guns without water or electricity just to keep what little they had left.

[SofaKingLiberal]

4. I just heard on MSNBC that damages could

be around 60 - 100 billion.

[Skink]

6. Andrew packed sustained 200 +mile winds....

I was living on the Beach back then and road out the storm in an old deco building that was surrounded by other art Deco structures. These building are made with foot thick concrete so I thought pretty safe eh, and I didn't have a car either so eveacuating never entered my mind. Anyhow university studies were done after the fact and there were places that got sustained winds approaching 250. If it had been downtown Miami instead of Homestead you'd have seen what NO is about to experience.

[geomon666]

5. I remember it well

It's hard waking up the next day. You get out of the pile of rubble that used to be your home and you don't know where you are anymore. Everything is gone. Trees, signs, whole buildings have blown away in a matter of hours. It's disorienting. The landmarks you're used to aren't there. It's like waking up on another planet. It's basically hell on earth.

[wli]

7. Katrina will likely send Bushler's poll numbers through the floor n/t