Hurricane Andrew timeline: On this day, August 18, 1992
Andrew was only 5 1/2 days from landfall near Miami as a Category 5 hurricane.
30 years later, Bryan Norcross re-lives Hurricane Andrew that devastated South Florida with a timeline detailing what happened.
(FOX Weather)
That Tuesday afternoon 30 years ago today – August 18, 1992 – Tropical Storm Andrew was sputtering. The satellite presentation was less impressive than it was the day before as strong upper winds were affecting the circulation.
Satellite image on August 18, 1992 at 5:00 P.M. EDT showing a disorganized Tropical Storm Andrew.
(NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI)
In the 5:00 PM non-public Technical Discussion issued with the advisory, the National Hurricane Center mentioned the possibility that the storm might weaken to a tropical depression sometime in the next day or so. The thunderstorms were pulsing, which is an indication of a hostile atmospheric environment.
The first Hurricane Hunter flight to get a close-up look at Andrew was scheduled for the next morning.
Technical Discussion from the National Hurricane Center at 5:00 P.M. EDT on August 18, 1992.
(NHC)
READ YESTERDAY'S POST FOR THE HURRICANE ANDREW TIMELINE: AUGUST 17, 1992
The Public Advisory continued to estimate the top winds at 50 mph, with gradual strengthening predicted as the storm moved quickly across the Atlantic.
The forecast showed the storm tracking toward the waters north of Puerto Rico in the next three days. Although, given the uncertainty in the forecasts of the era, a potential threat to the northeastern Caribbean islands couldn’t be ruled out.
Public Advisory from the National Hurricane Center at 5:00 P.M. EDT on August 18, 1992.
(NHC)
In South Florida, we were paying only passing attention to the disorganized storm with (barely) 50 mph winds centered about 1900 miles from Miami. As it turned out, it was only 5 1/2 days from landfall near Miami as a Category 5.
Three decades ago, renowned hurricane specialist Bryan Norcross did a 23-hour marathon broadcast as Hurricane Andrew slammed into the Florida coast. His broadcast was the only one to stay on the air and many people’s only link to the outside world during the worst of the storm. He is credited with saving countless lives due to his life-saving advice. Now, 30 years later, Bryan will re-live the storm that devastated South Florida and look at the infrastructure changes that resulted. Watch The Wrath of Hurricane Andrew: Tragedy and Triumph on FOX Weather, premiering August 23rd and 24th at 10 P.M. EDT.
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FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross has a podcast, Tracking the Tropics with Bryan Norcross, available now on FOX News Audio. You can get it on your device by clicking here.