24 YEARS AGO: HURRICANE OPAL… Hard to believe it’s been almost a generation ago when Hurricane Opal roared ashore in northwest Florida. Opal originated near the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in early October 1995. The hurricane became a high-end, category 4 hurricane with maximum winds at peak intensity of 150 mph. Thankfully, the system weakened somewhat before landfall near Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach on October 4, 1995.
Damage was widespread across south Alabama and northwest Florida. I was a 3 year old hunkered down with my family and our next door neighbors in Brewton, AL on that long, memorable night. I don’t personally remember much, but I do have vague memories of being huddled in the hallway as the winds outside caused horrible, scary noises. Damage in Andalusia, Crestview, and many locales on the eastern side of our region was extensive and widespread. Opal remains the “benchmark” hurricane for many folks across the eastern half of our region.