Understanding Extreme Weather in Florida

Earlier in the month, we talked about simple steps you can take to prep for Florida’s hurricane season. With the storm season beginning, there’s plenty of talk about weather already. This is especially true since we saw the first named storm of the season just last week. And while that storm system turned out to be relatively mild, few residents have forgotten last year’s scare from Irma.

Of course, if you’re thinking about buying a property in Southwest Florida, you might have a few concerns on this topic. After all, knowing how to prep for a storm is one thing… understanding Florida’s extreme weather is another. So, today, I wanted to bring a little perspective to the conversation as your source for everything SWFL!

What are the chances of a direct hit?

This is probably one of the biggest questions I get when it comes to Florida weather. After all, if you check the news, you might have a difficult time assessing just how often any one area gets a direct hit. And obviously, those are the events to be more concerned about. Yet, the chances are fairly low, especially once you factor out areas with higher chances in the state. Still, I caution being prepared, but without panic.

What about flood and hurricane insurance?

You might also be surprised to find out that like many areas of the country, Florida has differing flood and storm zones. Now, for Southwest Florida properties, I always recommend getting flood and hurricane insurance, even if it’s optional. However, for each property, you can research how an extreme weather event might affect it.

What can be done to protect my SWFL property?

Since Hurricane Andrew many years ago, the construction industry throughout Florida has changed their approach. Today, you can find homes, even older homes, fitted with storm-proof items that protect the roof, windows, and more. In fact, it’s becoming more and more common to see homes upgrading their windows to impact-resistant ones. There are numerous steps you can take to better safeguard your property.

Do Floridians really wait until the last second to prepare?

Yes! In many cases, you’ll see property owners scramble at the very last possible second to protect what might be their biggest financial asset. But at the same time, a good chunk of residents start planning right as storm season rolls in. And of course, this is what I strongly recommend doing.

How does the community come together in the event of an extreme weather event?

This is a great question! Along with the construction industry, our community and emergency services have also upgraded in recent years. What this means is that after storms like Irma, thousands of electrical workers came from as far away as Montana and Wisconsin to restore power in areas that were affected. Road crews were out so quickly to clear trees that were blocking the highway… in many cases, returning residents never even saw them. It was truly remarkable. And locally, communities come together to help each other and lift each other up in our state, which is something amazing to see.

Terry Records