<P> Andrew began as a tropical depression over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on August 16 . After spending a week without significantly strengthening itself in the central Atlantic , it rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 hurricane while moving westward towards the Bahamas on August 23 . Though it briefly weakened to Category 4 while traversing the Bahamas , it regained its Category 5 status before making landfall in Florida on Elliott Key and Homestead on August 24 . With a barometric pressure of 922 mbar ( 27.23 inHg ) at the time of landfall in Florida , Andrew is the fourth most intense hurricane to strike the United States . Several hours later , the hurricane emerged over the Gulf of Mexico at Category 4 strength , with the Gulf Coast of the United States in its path . After turning northwestward and weakening further , Andrew moved ashore near Morgan City , Louisiana , as a low - end Category 3 storm . After moving inland , the small hurricane curved northeastward and rapidly lost its intensity , merging with a frontal system over the southern Appalachian Mountains on August 28 . </P>
<P> Andrew began as a tropical depression over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on August 16 . After spending a week without significantly strengthening itself in the central Atlantic , it rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 hurricane while moving westward towards the Bahamas on August 23 . Though it briefly weakened to Category 4 while traversing the Bahamas , it regained its Category 5 status before making landfall in Florida on Elliott Key and Homestead on August 24 . With a barometric pressure of 922 mbar ( 27.23 inHg ) at the time of landfall in Florida , Andrew is the fourth most intense hurricane to strike the United States . Several hours later , the hurricane emerged over the Gulf of Mexico at Category 4 strength , with the Gulf Coast of the United States in its path . After turning northwestward and weakening further , Andrew moved ashore near Morgan City , Louisiana , as a low - end Category 3 storm . After moving inland , the small hurricane curved northeastward and rapidly lost its intensity , merging with a frontal system over the southern Appalachian Mountains on August 28 . </P>
what was hurricane andrew when it made landfall
what was hurricane andrew when it made landfall
Category 5
Category 5