Hurricane Opal (1995)
| Landfall | Oct. 4, 1995 |
|---|---|
| Where | Pensacola Beach, Florida |
| Strength at landfall | Category 3, about 115 mph sustained winds |
Opal was briefly a Category 4 over the Gulf before weakening at landfall, but its surge was devastating for the Panhandle beaches.
What happened
- Storm surge destroyed many homes on Navarre Beach and Okaloosa Island.
- Huge evacuation traffic jams clogged Panhandle roads.
- Much of Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Destin lost power.
Lessons for the next storm
Storm surge and flooding rain, not just wind, cause most of the damage and deaths in storms like Opal. Know your evacuation zone before the season, and leave when officials tell you to. See our hurricane prep guide and what the categories really mean.
Live trackers for towns in its path
- Pensacola, FL hurricane tracker
- Navarre, FL hurricane tracker
- Milton, FL hurricane tracker
- Orange Beach, AL hurricane tracker
- Fort Walton Beach, FL hurricane tracker
- Gulf Shores, AL hurricane tracker
- Destin, FL hurricane tracker
- Niceville, FL hurricane tracker
- Crestview, FL hurricane tracker
- Santa Rosa Beach, FL hurricane tracker
- Dauphin Island, AL hurricane tracker
- Mobile, AL hurricane tracker
- Panama City Beach, FL hurricane tracker
- Pascagoula, MS hurricane tracker
- Panama City, FL hurricane tracker
More hurricane history
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Local storm-prep businessesGeneral information, not an official forecast. Always follow the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather Service and your local emergency management.