By Roger Jimenez
The best part of living in Florida is getting to tell others that you live in one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. However, one of the few drawbacks that comes with living in paradise is the imminent arrival of hurricanes and the potential danger they bring to our homes.
For those looking to move to the Sunshine State, questions tend to plague every potential homebuyer: How vulnerable is Orlando to hurricanes? And will my home be safe here?
Let’s look into what makes Orlando one of the safest geographical locations in Florida, and how Central Florida continues to prepare its residents.
Central Florida’s Geographical Advantage
While Northern America endure freezing blizzards and the MidWest have turbulent tornadoes, we in the Southwest deal with massive hurricanes more than any other climate disaster due to the warm waters and humid atmosphere that’s characteristic of the Sunshine State.
Florida is infamous for its track record with hurricanes and the effect they have had on the state’s landscape. From 1992’s Hurricane Andrew to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, hurricanes have become a historical part of the landscape and a driving force in law reform through time as the State acclimates.
So where in Florida should one move to in order to minimize their exposure?
Due to the nature of hurricanes, coastal towns and cities closest to the ocean are at higher risk of being exposed to the strongest parts of a storm compared to inland cities. Orlando and its surrounding cities benefit from Central Florida’s inland landscape and its distance from large bodies of water, giving the area a geographical advantage over the majority of other Florida cities.
This means that most low category hurricanes don’t even get to reach Orlando, thanks to the lack of water supply to keep the storm from traveling through the center of the state.
However, Orlando is no stranger to hurricanes, and due to the flat topography of the area, there tends to be moderate risks of flooding when a big storm does make landfall in the area.
Orlando’s Hurricane History
In 1960, just a few years after the naming system for hurricanes was introduced, Hurricane Donna became the first named storm to reach Central Florida. Initially a Category 4 hurricane, Donna weakened to a Category 1 by the time it made landfall in September. Hurricane Donna caused over 2.4 million worth of damage across Orange County. The storm lingered for less than 48 hours, but over 35,000 Orlando residents lost power for days, some for weeks at a time. Many schools and businesses were forced to close due to flooding and power outages.
Images: Orlando Sentinel
In recent history, the city of Orlando has seen less than 18 named hurricanes, a considerable difference when compared to Miami’s whopping 80+! Most of these storms brought nothing but a few days of extra downpour. But 2004 was a turbulent year for Florida as several hurricanes passed through the state, and some made their way through Central Florida. Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Jeanne struck Central Florida in quick succession, causing record rainfall.
As of 2024, Hurricane Ian from 2022 holds the record for causing the most damage in Orlando and the state of Florida. Central Florida experienced over a foot of rain, leading to unprecedented flooding and high winds, which were exacerbated by Hurricane Nicole's arrival just days later.
Images: Orlando Weekly (left) and Fox35 (right)
In March of 2023, Orange County received over $217 million in disaster relief funds from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. The severity of recent storms has highlighted faults and vulnerabilities in flood zones and has prompted local governments to take action and get a head start on setting up better prevention and hurricane preparedness, a promising initiative that will hopefully reduce flood damage and quicken the recovery process.
Future Hurricane Preparedness Plans
Osceola County is one of the proactive counties who have begun to take active measures towards building a more efficient hurricane preparedness plan. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the county was awarded $500,000 from the state in order to conduct a flood-risk study that will aid in spotting flood vulnerabilities through analyzing land topography, flood zones, and rainfall maps, and provide estimated impacts of flooding over 50 years.
The results of the study are said to help the county create a plan in place in the case of a 100 year or 500 year flood, and residents will be given the opportunity to help choose the focus areas in which to implement resiliency plans.
The county has also recently added 3 weather stations in preparation for this year's hurricane season, making a total of 14 weather stations in Osceola County that all work in tandem to create a clear and concise image of weather conditions for emergency services and response.
Overall
While Orlando is not immune to the impacts of hurricanes, its inland location provides a significant buffer against the worst of these storms compared to coastal areas. The city’s hurricane history, including notable storms like Hurricane Donna and Hurricane Ian, shows that while Orlando experiences fewer and generally less severe hurricanes, preparation and resilience are key. With recent initiatives to improve flood prevention and hurricane preparedness, Orlando continues to evolve in response to these natural challenges. When it comes to Florida cities, Central Florida offers fantastic options for potential homebuyers and investors, with Orlando standing out as a top choice. Thanks to proactive communities and enhanced safety measures, Central Florida continues to be a great place to call home.
Orlando officially started its Hurricane season this year on June 1, running until November 30, 2024. Storms can form very quickly, so be sure to start preparations now while we’re still early in the season!
The Orlando Real is sponsored by The Pozek Group. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home in Orlando, reach out and we would love to help!
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