Storm surges typically cause the most damage in hurricanes, but in Andrew's case, it was winds reaching up to 177 m.p.h. that wreaked the most havoc. Thousands of homes lost their roofs and whole neighborhoods were flattened across southern Florida. The devastation led to calls for more resilient constructions and stringent enforcement of building codes.
Damages from the category 5 storm totaled $44.8 billion with 61 fatalities. Fortunately, hurricane forecasting has improved since Andrew, thanks to faster computers and more accurate tracking equipment. At the time, hurricane forecasts were issued three days in advance. Now meteorologists can make useful predictions five or more days in advance.
