Made landfall near Fort Myers. $112B in damage. Catastrophic surge in Lee County.
Made landfall near Mexico Beach. Strongest Panhandle storm on record.
Crossed the entire state. Widespread damage from Keys to Jacksonville.
Devastated Homestead. One of the costliest U.S. hurricanes ever.
Know your evacuation zone — Florida has 5 zones (A through E). Zone A is highest risk.
Purchase flood insurance before May 1 — NFIP has a 30-day waiting period.
Prepare for 7+ days without power. Florida's heat makes this a medical emergency.
Have a plan for pets — not all shelters accept animals.
Secure or remove outdoor furniture, which becomes dangerous projectiles.
Florida's hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. The peak of the season is August through October, with September being the most active month statistically. Florida is the most hurricane-prone state in the U.S., with both Atlantic and Gulf Coast exposure.
All of Florida is at risk, but the Southwest Gulf Coast (Fort Myers, Naples, Tampa Bay), the Southeast Atlantic Coast (Miami, Fort Lauderdale), and the Panhandle are historically most impacted. Tampa Bay has not had a direct major hurricane hit since 1921, but its geography makes it extremely vulnerable to catastrophic storm surge.
Florida evacuation zones are determined by your county. Visit your county emergency management website or use the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Know Your Zone tool at floridadisaster.org. Zones are labeled A through E, with Zone A being the highest risk (typically barrier islands and coastal areas).
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