Storms of 1992

Andrew | Danielle | Frances

On August 14, Andrew started as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa. By August 16, convection became more focused in a region of cyclonic cloud rotation and the wave transformed to a tropical depression. Between August 17 and August 20, the system moved to about 925 kilometres east-southeast of Bermuda. On August 20, satellite images showed that Andrew, in spite of an unusually high central pressure of 1015 millibars, had become a tropical storm with winds of 74 kilometres per hour (40 knots).

A weakening of a low pressure system to the east-southeast and the development of a ridge to the north of Andrew created conditions favourable for further development. On the morning of August 22, Andrew reached hurricane strength and, 36 hours later, reached the borderline between a Category 4 and 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Andrew moved west for the next two days and passed over the Bahamas on August 23 and 24. After leaving the Bahamas, Andrew moved towards southeast Florida and made landfall near Homestead, Florida at 5:30 AM on August 24 as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 232 kilometres per hour (125 knots), gusts of 278 kilometres per hour (150 knots), and a minimum pressure of 922 millibars.

Andrew crossed southern Florida in 4 hours. When it reached the Gulf of Mexico, it turned to the west-northwest crossing south-central Louisiana coast as a Category 2 hurricane. Andrew weakened rapidly shortly after landfall. The remnants of Andrew continued northward merging with a baroclinic system over the mid-Atlantic states on August 28.

Hurricane Andrew caused enormous damage in the Bahamas and Florida. Significant storm surge was created in both locations. In Florida, peak storm surge of 5.2 metres (17 feet) arrived when the tide was high. Andrew dropped significant amounts of rain on southeast Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Hammond, Louisiana reported 303 millimetres (11.92 inches) of rain.

26 people died as a direct result of Hurricane Andrew while indirect loss of life raised the death toll to 65. Good hurricane preparation and evacuation programs helped minimize this number. Andrew destroyed 25,524 homes and damaged 101,241 others. In Homestead, Florida, 99% of all mobile homes were destroyed. Damage in the United States was estimated to be near 25 billion, making Andrew the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.

Tropical Storm Danielle’s life span went from September 22 until September 26, 1992. Its maximum wind speed reached 101.9 kilometres per hour (55 knots). The storm remained off the east coast of the United States.

Danielle was responsible for the death of one man east of New Jersey when the storm battered and sunk his sail boat. Danielle also caused minor flooding and significant beach erosion along the mid-Atlantic coast.

Danielle did not have a direct impact on Canada.

Hurricane Fran formed on October 23, 1992, and remained until the October 26^th. Fran achieved maximum wind speeds of 138.9 kilometres per hour (75 knots). Its track ran from east-southeast of Bermuda to northeastward into the Atlantic.

Fran caused no damage and had no direct impact on Canada.