Home Weather Cooler And Cloudier Today; 1993 “Storm of the Century”

Cooler And Cloudier Today; 1993 “Storm of the Century”

South Florida will be cloudier and cooler on Wednesday as a weak front affects the area.  Wednesday features clouds on the breeze, a bit of sun at times, and passing east coast showers in spots.  A high risk of dangerous rip currents is in place at the Atlantic beaches.  Highs on Wednesday will be in the low 80s at most locations and a bit warmer along the Gulf coast.

Thursday will bring more sun and fewer clouds.  Thursday’s highs will be mostly in the low 80s.

Friday will feature good sun and a few clouds.  Friday’s highs will be mostly in the low 80s.

Look for a few east coast showers, along with sun and some clouds, on Saturday.  Saturday’s highs will be mostly in the mid 80s.

Showers and clouds will be back on Sunday as another front moves in.  Highs on Sunday will be in the low 80s.

March 12th: on this date back in 1993, the “Storm of the Century” roared across the Gulf of Mexico and Florida before moving over the eastern United States during the day of the 13th.

An intense squall line with winds of 70-100 mph swept across Florida during the late night and pre-dawn hours of March 12/13, causing widespread wind damage to trees and mobile homes across South Florida. One death in South Miami-Dade County was attributed to this storm, and damage was estimated at just over $1 million in South Florida alone.

A total of 47 people died from the storm in Florida, most from a deadly storm surge of up to 12 feet along the Gulf Coast Big Bend of North Florida. This was the same storm that resulted in a historic blizzard for the Applachians of the SE United States, with record cold temperatures across most of Florida in the days that followed.

Donna Thomas has studied hurricanes for two decades. She holds a PhD in history when her experience with Hurricane Andrew ultimately led her to earn a degree in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University. Donna spent 15 years at WFOR-TV (CBS4 in Miami-Fort Lauderdale), where she worked as a weather producer with hurricane experts Bryan Norcross and David Bernard. She also produced hurricane specials and weather-related features and news coverage, as well as serving as pool TV producer at the National Hurricane Center during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Donna also served as a researcher on NOAA's Atlantic Hurricane Database Reanalysis Project. Donna specializes in Florida's hurricane history.