Hurricane (Typhoon) — Coastal Dade, Florida

1998-09-25 · Coastal Dade, Florida

Event narrative

100,000 people evacuated.

Wider weather episode

Spiral bands associated with Hurricane Georges moved north over south Florida on the evening of Thursday September 24 1998. The convective activity embedded in the spiral bands was moving to the southwest near 45 knots. Hurricane Georges moved off the coast of central Cuba on the morning of Friday September 25 1998. Georges moved northwest over the Straits of Florida. The eye passed over Key West at mile marker 1 of US-1 between 1100 AM EST and 1230 PM EST. The greastest damage from wind and storm surge flooding occurred in the lower Keys from Cudjoe Key, mile marker 21, to Big Pine Key, mile marker 31. NWS personnel estimated 105-110 knot wind gusts from the south and southeast in this area with sustained winds near 90 knots. As the north side of the eye wall passed over Key West, the highest sustained winds were 58 knots with gusts to 76 knots from the east and northeast. The Key West ASOS lost power at that time. Georges continued to move northwest over the Gulf of Mexico. The southwest coast of Florida experienced widespread beach erosion from the storm surge.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5672864. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.