History of Florida
Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 struck Homestead, just south of Miami, as a Category 5 hurricane, leaving forty people dead, 100,000 homes damaged or destroyed, more than a million people left without electricity, and damages of $20–30 billion. Much of South Florida's sensitive vegetation was severely damaged. The region had not seen a storm of such power in decades. Besides heavy property damage, the hurricane nearly destroyed the region's insurance industry.
1960 Atlantic hurricane season
Brenda was considered the worst storm to strike West Central Florida since Hurricane Easy in 1950. It brought wind gusts up to 60 mph (95 km/h) and rainfall amounts reaching at the Tampa International Airport. While no casualties are directly blamed on the storm, at least one traffic-related death took place. According to an American Red Cross Disaster Service report encompassing eight Florida counties, 11 houses sustained significant damage, while 567 suffered more minor damage. Around 590 families were affected overall. Total monetary damage in Florida is placed at nearly $5 million. Further north, other states reported strong winds and locally heavy rainfall, though no significant damage occurred.