Hurricanes, tropical storms, and wildfires are among the most common natural disasters in Florida. In fact, Florida has experienced over 135 major disasters since 1953. Each year, more than 1,000 wildfires occur in the state. The season for wildfires starts in early Spring and lasts into the summer months.
Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian is causing flooding and power outages across Florida. Its devastating effects have caused significant damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure. The state is urging Floridians to take shelter indoors and follow local weather warnings. Whether you’re in a coastal community or an urban area, you should understand what is happening in Florida and what you can do to help your state recover from this disaster.
The deductibles for hurricane insurance are higher than standard insurance deductibles. Typically, hurricane deductibles are a certain percentage of the value of the property. Bob Rusbuldt, the CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, says that many property owners will have a difficult time finding property insurance following Hurricane Ian. Some will have to pay higher premiums and deductibles, while others may have to look for a new insurance company.
Emergency response efforts are already underway. More than a million gallons of water are being shuttled from Lakeland to Fort Myers. The State Surgeon General has also signed an Emergency Order 22-001 waiving statutory procurement requirements for health care facilities. However, the recovery process will be slow. It may take days, weeks or months to fully recover from Ian. There are a number of ways to stay safe during the recovery process.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is coordinating recovery efforts with state and local authorities. The FEMA website provides useful information for disaster recovery. The federal government also offers disaster loans to homeowners and small businesses. If you have flood insurance, you can apply for one of these loans.
Tropical Storm Debby in 2012
Debby is a tropical cyclone that formed over the central Gulf of Mexico on June 23 and slowed down to a crawl by the time it reached the Big Bend of Florida. The storm’s center made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, on June 26 at 5 p.m. EDT. Its effects were felt well beyond the storm’s center.
As a hurricane, Debby will bring heavy rain to the Florida Panhandle, with as much as 25 inches of rain possible in some areas. In addition, south Florida, southeast Georgia and coastal Alabama could receive five to ten inches of rain. Combined, these rainfall totals could increase the flooding threat along the central Gulf coast.
The visible satellite image of Debby was captured on June 25, 2012, at 11:45 a.m. EDT by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. The image shows a large cloud cover covering Florida, extending northward from the center of circulation. In the morning, Debby’s storm center was still in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, but the storm’s cloud cover extended all the way to south Georgia.
Debby was downgraded to a tropical depression when it made landfall in northern Florida. Debby lost tropical characteristics shortly afterward, at around 5 p.m. EDT on June 27. It then weakened to a trough of low pressure near the Florida panhandle. However, the National Hurricane Center reported that Debby would eventually regain tropical characteristics. At the time of writing, Debby had dumped six to ten inches of rain on Gainesville.
Hurricane Harvey in 2017
When Hurricane Harvey rolled into the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 17, it was still a tropical storm. The storm had originated from a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa. It churned through the Gulf, bringing devastating winds and extremely heavy rainfall. It was expected to reach landfall along the Texas Coast on Aug. 25.
Hurricane Harvey was one of the costliest storms to hit the U.S. in recent history, causing an estimated $125 billion in damage and death. It ranked second only to Hurricane Katrina, which had killed nearly a million people and caused a total of $160 billion in damage. Hurricane Harvey was also downgraded to a Category 1 storm before it hit Florida and Puerto Rico.
After Harvey wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast, it quickly moved westward into the Lesser Antilles. The storm weakened and was downgraded to a tropical depression (TD) by the National Hurricane Center on August 19th. By Tuesday afternoon, August 22nd, Harvey had moved into the warm Gulf of Mexico.
While most areas of Florida remained inaccessible for weeks, the Florida Keys were particularly hard hit. While the Florida Department of Transportation cleared all 42 bridges across the keys, only about 30% of residents were able to regain power. At least 300 major power lines are still down, and unofficial estimates by FEMA indicate that up to 25% of homes in the keys were destroyed.
Hurricane Irma in 2004
Hurricane Irma ravaged Florida in 2004 and was the most expensive hurricane on record. It caused $50 billion in property damage and left 6.5 million without power. The devastation was widespread and long lasting. It killed at least eight people and caused extensive damage to many communities.
As Irma made its way toward Florida, it produced strong winds and heavy rainfall. It caused storm surge flooding that affected many areas far from the center. The Jacksonville area also suffered from strong onshore winds. Although it was still far from the center of the storm, the flooding lasted for days.
Hurricanes rarely attain the category five status, but Hurricane Irma reached this level for 3 days, breaking previous records. This was the longest continuous hurricane in Atlantic history. The storm also broke the world record for the highest sustained wind speed – 185 mph. It also helped make Thursday, September 7, the most active day for hurricanes in history.
Hurricane Andrew was another deadly tropical system that hit the Florida coast. It was a Category 5 hurricane, which made landfall on the Cayo Costa island. It killed nine people directly and left a trail of destruction. Property damage from Hurricane Andrew was more than $6 billion, and its destructive winds claimed the lives of countless others.
Hurricane Harvey caused $125 billion in damage
Hurricane Harvey made landfall in the Gulf Coast in August, 2017 and caused more than $125 billion in damages throughout Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. It was the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history, and scientists say it was made worse by climate change. Warmer air holds more moisture and unleashes more precipitation, making flooding more frequent and more extreme. Harvey’s rainfall total was anywhere from 15 to 38 percent higher than it would have been in a world without climate change.
Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Irma were the worst storms to strike the U.S. since 2005. The damage from Hurricane Katrina alone cost $160 billion. Hurricane Irma, which hit Florida in September 2017, cost $50 billion. Meanwhile, Western wildfires in the sweltering heat of the Western United States caused $18 billion in damage.
In addition to Florida, hurricane Harvey affected neighboring countries like Suriname and Guyana. The village of Jawalla in Guyana was severely impacted by flooding and high winds. One young woman was killed when her house collapsed on her. According to estimates, more than $125 billion was spent on repairs and rebuilding, including $125 billion in damage.
The Gulf Coast is one of the most vulnerable areas in the U.S., with over 7 million people living in the Houston metro area. In addition, rising sea levels make Florida much more vulnerable to storm surges. In fact, the Tampa Bay area has already seen nine inches of sea level rise in the last 75 years. This has led the World Bank to put the city on the list of the most vulnerable cities for hurricane-related damage.
Wildfires are a common occurrence in Florida
Florida has experienced wildfires for decades and they can be very destructive. A single lightning strike can start a fire in dry grass or even a tree. The fires can also be caused by people lighting fires and leaving them unattended. In Florida, the fire season generally lasts six weeks.
The extent to which wildfires can affect the environment is determined by factors such as climate and management practices. The amount of vegetation in a region depends on a range of ecological and climate factors, including precipitation and temperature. Several factors contribute to fuel aridity, including higher temperatures and lower humidity.
Fires in Florida are often controlled and suppressed. Some are allowed to burn in order to protect resource values. Other fires are not suppressed unless they pose a risk to life or property. In both cases, fire suppression personnel monitor fires and ensure that they do not threaten the ecosystem.
While wildfires and prescribed fires occur at similar times, their frequency and area burns differ. Fire suppression activities tend to be greater on weekdays and lower on weekends. On average, prescribed fires are 3,400 ha a day on Tuesday through Thursday, while on Saturday and Sunday they burn only 1,000-1,500 ha a day. While this might seem like a seasonal pattern, it is not yet accounted for in past regional studies.
Prescribed fires are regulated by the Florida Forest Service. Fire managers are required to obtain open burn authorization (OBA) before starting prescribed fires in Florida. However, OBAs are not always approved. Generally, the FPS will approve OBA requests when conditions are favorable, smoke dispersion is good, and emergency response resources are available.
