A Hurricane for the History Books—Made Worse by the Wreckage from Hurricane Helene

As Florida anxiously awaits the arrival of Hurricane Milton, many policyholders are still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The combination of uncollected debris and an intensifying storm sets the stage for a “worst-case scenario.” Residents should brace for potentially catastrophic impacts as the storm’s trajectory threatens the already fragile communities. Milton is no ordinary hurricane, and Helene’s remaining debris (which may be the biggest threat) —amplifies the potential for devastation.

The Aftermath of Helene: Debris as Dangerous Missiles

Helene swept across Florida just a few weeks ago, wreaking havoc across major parts of the Gulf Coast. This storm left mountains of debris, ranging from uprooted trees, mangled fences, and destroyed homes, scattered across neighborhoods. Despite ongoing cleanup efforts, large areas remain cluttered with potentially dangerous materials.

As Hurricane Milton strengthens, the National Hurricane Center warns these debris piles could easily become piles of deadly projectiles, posing severe risks to life and property. Milton’s intense winds and storm surges could send everything from furniture to fallen trees flying through the air.

According to USA Today, Milton has rapidly gained strength, escalating from 85 mph to a Category 5 Hurricane. The storm has strengthened from a Category 2 to a Category 5 in mere hours—creating what meteorologists call a life-threatening wall of water. “Milton is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and winds capable of devastating damage. Combined with Helene’s debris, the state is facing one of the most compounded threats in its hurricane history,” USA Today.

Volunteers and first responders are working at rapid speeds in relief efforts, hoping to do as much as they can in Florida before Hurricane Milton makes its mark. ABC News reported, “Nearly 500 truckloads of debris from the barrier islands and Pinella County have been moved to debris landfills in the last 24 hours.”

Policyholder Impacts: Increased Threats, Increased Costs

For Florida property owners, Hurricane Milton poses a compounded risk. If your property was damaged by Helene and you’re awaiting repairs, Milton could worsen the situation. Even if your property was spared in Helene, the potential for damage in Milton remains high, thanks to both the debris and the sheer force of Milton’s winds and storm surges.

One major concern is the increased potential for water damage. Many areas have drainage systems that have been compromised by debris blockages from Hurricane Helene. Communities in Tampa Bay, for instance, are bracing for more intense flooding than they experienced during Hurricane Helene. Helene’s storm surge already shattered records in multiple counties, including Pinella, where water levels surged over two feet higher than previous records. Milton is projected to follow in Helene’s destructive footprint.

If you haven’t already, reach out to your carrier for a copy of your full insurance policy. Consider having your policy reviewed by professionals to understand your coverage fully. To request a policy review from our team, you can submit a request here: Free Policy Review.

Hurricane Milton’s Path: What to Expect

Florida is now high on alerts, with the National Hurricane Center predicting a catastrophic landfall Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Governor Ron DeSantis has expanded the state of emergency to 51 of 76 counties, urging residents to finalize their hurricane preparations. To put it into perspective, this puts 76% of the state at risk. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warns, “Time is going to start running out very, very soon,” ABC News reported.

The National Hurricane Center predicts, “heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida today well ahead of Milton.” This rainfall could bring with it severe flash flooding in neighborhoods and rivers.

Hurricane Milton’s sustained winds, already approaching 160 mph, are being fueled by the deep, warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Experts predict it could make landfall as a strong Category 3 or Category 4 storm. While there’s hope the wind shear may weaken the storm before landfall, meteorologists still warn how dangerous the severity of this storm may be—making this a significant threat for all Florida property owners.

A Perfect Storm for Catastrophic Damage

With Hurricane Milton expected to intensify, policyholders should not underestimate the threat posed by lingering debris from Helene. This one-two punch of hurricanes could go down as one of the most catastrophic in Florida’s history. The key now is preparation. While Floridians are understandably exhausted, this is the time to secure homes, stay informed, and hope for the best while preparing for the worst. Our team is ready to assist in any way we can; reach out today for immediate assistance. Remember—your safety is the number one priority.

Hurricanes are among the most destructive natural disasters, bringing devastatingly high winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges that can cause widespread damage and loss of life. These powerful storms can strike coastal areas and inland regions with little warning, and leaving residents with only a short amount of time to prepare. In this blog, we’ll explore the dangers & tips for a hurricane so that you can weather the storm.

Dangers

Understanding some of the most severe dangers posed will better prepare you for anything the storm throws your way.

- Devastating Winds: A hurricane can be accompanied by strong winds up to 200 miles per hour. These winds can cause significant damage to buildings or completely destroy them. Vehicles, infrastructure, power lines, and trees are all susceptible to immense damage and can become airborne, which poses its own dangers.

- Heavy Rainfall: Alongside devastating winds, hurricanes bring flood-inducing rains potentially causing landslides. Rising sea levels have provided hurricanes with an ample supply of water to produce monstrous storm surges.

- Storm Surges: When water level rises dramatically at abnormally high levels storm surges occur and they have the ability to travel several miles inland. Storm surges wreak havoc and leave destruction for miles.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Governor DeSantis of Florida surveys the destruction that spread across Fort Myers. In an interview with BBC, DeSantis comments, “To see a house just sitting in the middle of Estero Bay, literally must have gotten picked up, flown because of the massive wind speed and the storm surge and depositing in a body of water.”

Tips

It’s clear hurricanes are forces to be reckoned with, destructive, dangerous, and downright terrifying. For your safety, it is important to properly prepare and have plans in place.

- Evacuate: If local authorities have given the order to evacuate, listen and follow the prescribed protocols. Don’t wait.
- Supplies: Stock up! The time to prepare is before the storm (previous post link). This is important whether you evacuate or stay, but it’s all the more crucial if you weather the storm. You need several days, to weeks, of supplies to be prepared.
- Secure your Property: If you haven’t read our Day 3 Post for Hurricane Preparedness Week, Review Your Policy– We discuss the importance of reviewing your policy and why it’s important to not only protect your property from potential damage, but document it.
- Stay Informed: Always have access to current weather information from your local authorities and the National Hurricane Center. FloridaDisaster.org recommends an NOAA Weather Radio that is battery operated or hand cranked. For a downloadable checklist, click here!
- Stay Indoors: The volatility of a hurricane poses too high a risk to venture outdoors once the hurricane hits. Avoid windows and doors.

Be informed and prepared to endure the devastatingly high winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges hurricanes bring. Widespread damage will be imminent. However, employing these tips and knowledge about this destructive natural disaster gives you the best chance at safety and security. For more information on the dangers & tips for a hurricane, please visit Prepare before the storm.

May 1st through the 7th is National Hurricane Preparedness Week. If you don’t live in an area prone to hurricanes, you probably haven’t given them much thought. However, if you live in Florida or the surrounding area, chances are hurricanes have impacted your life in one way or another.

How did Hurricane Preparedness Week start?

Prior to 2004, Hurricane Preparedness Week had been known as Hurricane Awareness Week. The first Hurricane Warning Service originated in Cuba and was adopted by the United States Weather Bureau during the 1870s. On June 1, 1956 the National Hurricane Center was founded in Miami, Florida.

The change from Awareness to Preparedness was an initiative to encourage communities to be prepared prior to a hurricane hitting land. Costing billions of dollars in damages every year just in the United States alone, hurricanes are considered one of Mother Nature’s most destructive events worldwide.

Outside of the United States, hurricanes are often referred to as typhoons or tropical cyclones. Other countries, such as China, experience the same destructive forces and are reported to have the most typhoons annually than any other country in the world.

With continual changes in weather patterns and rising sea levels, hurricanes will continue to be destructive storms hitting our coast. As a community, we hope we can use this week to educate our neighbors on preparing before the hurricane, how to stay safe during the storm and what to expect following a devastating hurricane.

Follow us this week as we continue to cover different topics and provide resources to prepare for this upcoming hurricane season. If you’re still battling your insurance claims from prior hurricanes, please reach out to our team members to help get you the support you need: click here.

Additional resources:

National Today Hurricane Preparedness Week,

National Weather Service Hurricane Preparedness Week

NOAA: National Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane Milton’s Looming Threat