Throwback Thursday: Thanksgiving 1984, Nor’easter hits Florida coast, leaving severe damage

ORLANDO. Fla. — Here in Central Florida it has been a nice calm stretch of weather into Thanksgiving, but that’s not always the case. We are still officially in hurricane season, so from near 90 to near freezing temperatures are all fair game.

However, 36 years ago, during the Thanksgiving of 1984, a different type of storm formed right off the Florida coast.

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It was a Nor’easter. That’s a storm that forms near or off the east coast of the United States, getting its name by driving strong winds in from the Northeast.

In 1984, a Nor’easter formed just off the Florida coast kicking up gale force winds with 60mph wind gusts lasting as long as four days. In Flagler Beach waves washed out parts of A1A as well as caused pier damage and severe beach erosion.

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In Ormond Beach there was more pier damage along with flooding in Holly Hill. Roughly 30 homes were damaged in Bethune Beach.

Meanwhile, in Ponce Inlet, ‘Jetty Light’ washed out leaving the channel unidentifiable. Daytona Beach reported its highest tide in 30 years.

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Further south in Melbourne, a sewage backup led to the evacuation of 200 people from a mobile home park.

While the storm damaged the entire east coast of Florida, Indian River, Brevard and Volusia took the most damage. Strong coastal storms can hit anytime of the year.

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