CONTACTS: Frank Lepore NOAA 02-107 (305) 229-4404 FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE August 21, 2002 AFTER 10 YEARS, HURRICANE ANDREW GAINS
STRENGTH In the record books, it's still one of America's
costliest hurricanes, and today National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) scientists announced Hurricane Andrew was
even stronger than originally believed when it made landfall in
south Florida 10 years ago this week. Based on new research,
scientists upgraded the storm from a Category 4, to a Category
5, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. In their
re-analysis of Hurricane Andrew's maximum sustained surface-wind
speeds, the NOAA/National Hurricane Center Best Track Committee,
a team of hurricane experts, concluded winds were 165 mph - 20
mph faster than earlier estimated B as the storm made landfall.
Herbert Saffir, a structural engineer who co-designed the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, joined the committee as an
observer and reviewed the team's results. The upgrade makes
Andrew only the third Cat