About Those Florida Hurricanes…
When people think about Florida, the most common concerns are alligators and hurricanes. I am ending my second hurricane season in Florida and, so far, we’ve had two potential hits but none have happened to us. I did some research, however, and learned some interesting facts about the hurricanes in Florida.
Hurricane season goes from June 1 to November 30th, with September typically being the ‘busiest’ month. Historically, the busiest hurricane decades were the 1880s, with 11 hurricanes making landfall, and the 1940s, with 10. The lowest decades were the 1970s and the 1980s, each with 3 hurricanes. Odd fact: hurricanes are more prevalent in even-numbered years, historically. Who knew? Apparently the people that track these things, since I saw that fact in several places! Whew. We are nearing the end of 2020, something we are all eager to see! If you are interested in the details on this type of data, go to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Lab. Lots of interesting information there. Including the fact that Florida does, indeed, suffer more than twice as many hurricanes as the next-most-hit state, Texas.
So, which parts of Florida are the highest risk?
The Northwest, otherwise known as the Panhandle. That isn’t much of a surprise, especially this year, when we’ve watched hurricanes head straight for that area more than once. Why? The warm Gulf of Mexico waters are apparently to blame. My research stated 65 hurricanes hit here.
Southwest Florida. Yes, the Gulf of Mexico also affects this area, 49 times, in fact. The ‘tip’ of Florida, however, gets hit on both sides…
Southeast Florida. Think about Miami. Those are vulnerable areas, historically, with 49. The Keys, also, are out there, vulnerable.
Which areas are least likely to be impacted?
Northeast, which had only 26 according to the article I reviewed (but it wasn’t dated, so the numbers may be off a little); and
Inland. This is not a surprise. So although Orlando and the Villages don’t have beachside bragging rights, they do have this other advantage.
One of the issues with hurricanes, as most people are likely aware, is damage from storm surge. Storm surge issues threaten beachside properties or those on an inlet or other body of water impacted from rising tides. When thinking about buying a house or condo in Florida, that is a factor to consider.
Inland homes, however, still suffer from wind and flood damage potentially. Wind can obviously happen anywhere, but flooding can be predicted with greater certainty. If looking for a home, you want to find out if it’s in a Flood Zone. Here in Brevard County, as a coastal area, we are vulnerable to flooding, especially along the coast. Inland parts of the county, however, may see hurricanes but typically suffer less impact. I looked up my own home, out of curiosity, and it is not in a flood zone. Yeah! I didn’t know how to check that when I bought my house, or even that it was a ‘thing’. I’m sure my insurance company knew, though.
FEMA has identified Flood Zones, and this is information you should pursue. Fortunately, it is readily available, you don’t need to rely on your agent or insurance representative to provide you with that. Go to FEMA.gov and look for their Flood Map Service Center. From there you can type in an address and see the details. And be aware that Evacuation Zones are not the same thing as Flood Zones, just so you know. You could be in one but not the other.
When buying a home in a hurricane-prone area, and particularly in Florida, you will want to take a number of steps to reduce your likelihood of buying a higher-risk home.
As already mentioned, know your Flood Zone status. In addition, ask questions about the home’s history of flooding, water damage, etc. A seller may not be eager to offer that informaton, but as a buyer you want to know.
Inspections are key. Here in Florida, you will want to get a Wind Mitigation inspection, which is for you but also for insurance purposes. This inspection will look at the roof, windows and doors, etc., to evaluate the wind mitigation factors in place. The other inspection, a 4-point inspection, is not specifically related to hurricanes but looks at plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and the roof. Both of those are necessary for insurance, but also give you good information. These do not replace a buyer’s inspection, by the way. Flooding can affect electrical, drainage, and other aspects of your home that may not be obvious, so inspections are your friend.
The age of the home is relevant, as building standards change over time. Find out about any updates to an older home.
The cost and coverage of insurance, which is related to all of the above, is something to start looking at as soon as possible. Keep in mind, flood insurance is not a part of most policies, it is separate. Wind damage in included, but may not be sufficient to cover all hurricane damage, depending on the amount and cause of structural damage. Find out if you have a ‘hurricane deductible’ and what is covered. A hurricane deductible can range from 1-5% of the home’s value.
Some of the features of the home can be verified when you are looking, as well. Does it have storm shutters? What type of doors and windows? Is the property elevated? In my neighborhood most (if not all) houses are built on an elevated lot to protect against flooding. Is there a river or other body of water nearby that could flood? What about a generator? I was lucky to have a built-in generator, and it was a big selling point for me. Also, many of the houses here are built out of cinder blocks or concrete. That’s definitely a good thing. These are things you can look for yourself as you evaluate potential homes. You want to be aware of these types of issues as much as possible before you fall in love with a home and then get an inspection report that disappoints…
The good news is that Florida does have some of the strictest building codes, so there is some peace of mind to be had in knowing that. The other thing to know, or that you will learn if you move here, is that the hurricanes are often predicted but almost as often don’t materialize where they are expected or don’t maintain their strength. Not to say a hurricane cannot be a serious event, Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Irma in 2017, among many others over the years, proved how devastating hurricanes can be, and anyone who has been in the path of a powerful hurricane can testify to that fact. But around here you are warned of potential hurricanes much more often than you are actually hit by one.
If you haven’t lived in a hurricane-prone area, (which I had not), here are my lessons learned so far:
If it isn’t expected to be at least a Category 3, don’t sweat it (if you are in a solid home, of course). Pick up your lawn furniture and other loose items, stow your garbage cans, like any wind storm. This is not what ‘officials’ say, it’s what old timers say. I’m not prone to panicking, so I like that approach, but it’s whatever you’re comfortable with.
Keep your home stocked, though, just in case. As we’ve learned in 2020, it never hurts to have that extra toilet paper or bottled water on hand! There are lots of sites where you can get hurricane preparation advice, but I would recommend just thinking about it like you would a nasty blizzard forecast if you’re from up north: make sure you won’t run out of medications, food, drinks, and don’t forget the pets. And it’s better to stay prepared rather than hit Home Depot looking for plywood the day before!
Consider a generator if you don’t have one. I felt very safe here in my concrete house with my generator, new roof, and a full pantry. If you can’t afford a generator, think about how you will cook, keep your phone charged, light your house, etc. When we were new to Florida, and waiting to see if Dorian would hit us, our only source of news was the phone. Our movers hadn’t brought our furniture, we had no television or internet yet. So although we didn’t lose power, we did go through the experience of having no television or internet and a hurricane coming. News is important at a time like that, plus the ability to call for help or check on family.
Have a plan, just in case. If evacuated, where would you go? Do you have family living inland or up north? Just keep in mind the storm can change course. You may pack up to go from east to west, then the storm changes direction and you get caught in it. And don’t forget your pets in the plan. Shelters may not take pets. And don’t forget the chickens! Sorry, I know most people don’t have chickens. But if you do, it’s an issue! :-)
If you’re a person who is really fearful about hurricanes but interested in all that Florida has to offer, my best advice is to consider a home inland. Remember, in Florida you are never that far from a beach, so there is no ‘bad’ place to live (just my opinion)! In my experience, so far, the reputation and fear about hurricanes exceeds the reality, but when a bad one hits, I am not in any way minimizing the impact of that event. It is a risk. If you love the warm weather and reasonable cost of living, however, you may decide it is well worth it, especially if you do your homework. Just watch out for those gators!