On this date in 1992 – Between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. on this date, Hurricane Andrew struck south Florida with sustained winds of 145 mph. Some gusts of 164 to 175 mph were recorded. As Andrew made its way across the state, the wind velocity dropped to 125 mph, but soon elevated to 145 mph when the storm entered the Gulf of Mexico. Andrew exacted a heavy toll in human life (more than forty persons) and in physical damage. Up to one-quarter of a million people were left temporarily homeless in the Miami-Dade area alone. The damages inflicted by this great storm are estimated at more than $60 billion in today’s dollars. The agricultural sector sustained more than $1.05 billion in damages. Some 12.7 million cubic yards of debris was eventually cleared from the impacted areas. Homestead Air Force Base was demolished, approximately 920 vessels were destroyed, and the Turkey Point Nuclear Facility sustained damages nearing $100 million.
~Florida Historical Society
