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25 Years Later, Meteorologist Who Talked Florida Through Hurricane Andrew Reflects on Storm

Image: Public Domain via Wikimedia Creative Commons / Bryan Norcross
Infrared satellite image of Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992.

Twenty-five years ago, on Aug. 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew unleashed devastation across South Florida. Flooding and winds gusting well over 100 mph wind destroyed neighborhoods, knocked out power for days, and leaving many without access to food, water, or supplies. A new book by The Weather Channelmeteorologist Bryan Norcross recounts his marathon 23 hours on the air covering the storm.

The center of the hurricane hit roughly 20 miles south of downtown Miami, but the damage spread for miles. Emergency responders were working around the clock to keep tabs on the storm. So were meteorologists and weather forecasters. Norcross recalls working through the storm even as the radar on the building's "crashed down on the roof of the 12-story building." It was just one of countless moments that defined the storm while Norcross was talking about it on live TV.

Norcross joins Gulf Coast Live to talk about Hurricane Andrew, how his job as a stormwatcher has changed in the decades since 1992's monster storm, and how the shadow of Andrew has changed things in South Florida even today. We'll also talk about the storm his work today, tracking the devastation currently unfolding in Texas amid Hurricane Harvey.

Matthew Smith is a reporter and producer of WGCU’s Gulf Coast Live.
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