IMPACT OF HURRICANE-ANDREW ON THE NEAR-SURFACE MARINE-ENVIRONMENT IN THE BAHAMAS AND THE GULF-OF-MEXICO

Hurricane Andrew was a relatively small but intense hurricane that pas sed through the Bahamas, across the Florida Peninsula, and across the Gulf of Mexico between 23 and 26 August 1992. The characteristics of t his hurricane primarily beyond its core are summarized using 1) marine observations from three National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoys and th ree Coastal-Marine Automated Network stations close to the storm track ; 2) water levels and storm surge at 15 locations in the Bahamas, arou nd the coast of Florida, and along the northern coast of the Gulf of M exico; 3) currents, temperatures, and salinities at a depth of 11 m in the northern Gulf; and 4) spatial analyses of sea surface temperature (SST) before and after the passage of Andrew. Sea level pressure, win d direction, wind speed, wind gust, air temperature, and the surface w ave field were strongly influenced at locations generally within 100 k m of the hurricane track, Maximum sustained winds of 75 m s(-1) occurr ed just north of the storm track near Miami (Fowey Rocks). Significant wave height increased from 1 to 6.4 m at one NDBC buoy in the Gulf of Mexico (25.9 degrees N, 85.9 degrees N). A record high water level oc curred at North Miami Beach. Decreases in water level occurred along t he west coast of Florida with a maximum negative surge of - 1.2 m at N aples. Increases in water level occurred along the Gulf coast between the Florida panhandle and Louisiana where a storm surge of +1.2 m was observed at Bay Waveland, Mississippi. Current speeds at one shallow w ater location along the hurricane track in the northern Gulf (28.4 deg rees N, 90.5 degrees W) increased from similar to 15 to almost 140 cm s(-1) at a depth of 11 m during passage of the storm. Finally, SSTs de creased by up to 3 degrees C at various locations along the hurricane track.