[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by ComposerRyan

Just curious, but I understand that hurricanes can do some serious destruction just from watching news stories. I live here in Indiana and plan on moving to Florida hopefully very soon.

With that said, I'm interested in living from the shoreline...to be exact, I would like to be 30 minutes away from the shoreline.

However, being 30 minutes away from the shoreline, is that a safe "buffer" from the rising waters and dangerous winds of a hurricane or do you have to be more inland (like an hour or two) to be away from the strongest parts of the storm?

Thanks!

Ryan

Actually if you move 2 hours inland that would put you an hour from the other coast almost anywhere in the peninsula of Florida. Winds will go down as you get to the center of the state, but if a Cat 3 like Charley or Jeanne hit, the winds in the center will still be hurricane force winds. Charley came in way South of Tampa and left the state as still a hurricane when it exited near Daytona. We don't have the mountains like a lot of the islands have to reduce the winds closer to the shore. Most of Central Florida was called Blue Tarp city during 2004. It was really scary to face Jeanne with windows already out and blue tarps on our roofs. BTW if ever on the coast- if you see a lot of green shingles on homes, we call those hurricane Jeanne roofs. The first people who got their roofs replaced had a hard time buying shingle because the stores ran out. The green was what was left and that is what a good share of home got back then even if they didn't match the house. LOL .

[Kevin from Tampa]

If you're more than half a mile from the beach or a major body of water connected to the ocean/gulf, you're 100% safe from storm surge. Actually, even a quarter mile is probably 98% safe.

Those two statements do not hold true for barrier islands.

But there's nowhere that's 100% safe from wind. Even in the northern part of the state near the Georgia border south of Valdosta could theoretically see strong enough winds to cause house damage.

But seriously...don't worry about hurricanes...I've lived in Florida almost my whole life and have never been seriously affected by one. The worst experience I've ever had was with David when I was a kid...we had to board up and then lost power for a few days. Also, the 2005 season was a PIA and we lost power a few days there too...but that's it. They're not a big deal, really.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

If you're more than half a mile from the beach or a major body of water connected to the ocean/gulf, you're 100% safe from storm surge. Actually, even a quarter mile is probably 98% safe.

Those two statements do not hold true for barrier islands.

But there's nowhere that's 100% safe from wind. Even in the northern part of the state near the Georgia border south of Valdosta could theoretically see strong enough winds to cause house damage.

But seriously...don't worry about hurricanes...I've lived in Florida almost my whole life and have never been seriously affected by one. The worst experience I've ever had was with David when I was a kid...we had to board up and then lost power for a few days. Also, the 2005 season was a PIA and we lost power a few days there too...but that's it. They're not a big deal, really.

They are if the area actually gets a hit. LOL Tampa has been fortunate not to be in direct path for years and years. The last time Tampa was really majorly effected by a hurricane that did a lot of damage and flooding was way back in 1960. Donna came into Naples area as a cat 4, came up the coast, and exited through Daytona jsimilar to Charley. It flooded every where it touched basically. Did a lot of damage. Here on the East coast my neighbors said the water was up past their window sills and they sat inside watching the snakes swim by after the storm.(lived on a street 2 blocks from Indian River)
Tampa will probably experience a hurricane again someday, since they have lucked out for so many years. I used to have a cavalier attitude about them, too until Jeanne and now I pay attention. LOL

[jdoty]

Hurricanes may hit Florida regularly, but it's a big state and it's rare that any one area gets hit. And unlike those tornadoes you get up in Indiana, you can see the hurricane coming!

As long as you're not on a barrier island, storm surge won't be a concern. Hurricane winds can stretch very far inland, but houses built to modern building codes are built like bunkers. They're not going anywhere.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by debidibly

Orlando got hit pretty hard back in 2005 by Charley. A storm the size of Katrina would encompass the entire state of Florida. As for rising waters, Florida has many rivers, lakes, etc. Simply moving further inland may protect you from storm surge but you could still be at risk from flooding caused by the rivers, lakes, retention basins, etc. which can't hold the deluge of water that comes with the rains from these storms.

Actually even lakes can get storm surge in a hurricane. I think it was 1928 when a hurricane went over Lake Okeechobee and caused a 6+ft storm surge that killed over 2000 people.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

Um, sorry, but thats erroneous info.
We had roofs ripped off and homes destroyed 60 miles inland during the 04 hurricanes. Most of the homes here are new construction.

Guess they were poorly built homes. Older homes 20s-40s tend to do the best since they are built of concrete. But new homes should withstand just about anything short of a cat 4 or 5. If they dont it was poorly built I do not know about all of Florida but after Andrew South Florida has some of the toughest building codes in the US after Earthquake areas.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Guess they were poorly built homes. Older homes 20s-40s tend to do the best since they are built of concrete. But new homes should withstand just about anything short of a cat 4 or 5. If they dont it was poorly built I do not know about all of Florida but after Andrew South Florida has some of the toughest building codes in the US after Earthquake areas.

Yes, those homes were built within the last 10 years, when there was a huge boom going on, lots of shoddy construction.
Supers and inspectors were looking the other way.

[Fingerprint_me]

I drove 20 mins inland and rode out a cat 3.. was perfectly fine..honestly its so rare to get hit over and over and over one right after the other in one season that hurricanes aren't much to worry about until ur local news says worry.. even then those of us who have been here long enough are liable to wait till the day before to either put up our shutters or decide if maybe we should leave. I won't even leave for anything less than a cat 3 and that sucker better be a direct hit.. waste of time for me really otherwise. Plus there was a time when you couldn't get back into freakin town if u left if there was too much damage. Eh.. I go with the flow, storm surge and anything else that flies by my window

[theshotof]

me and my wife i think it was 05 we went threw every hurricane that hit south fl we where living in jupiter fl .. in a cbc house only lost 5 shingles very very scary

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by theshotof

me and my wife i think it was 05 we went threw every hurricane that hit south fl we where living in jupiter fl .. in a cbc house only lost 5 shingles very very scary

Florida's 4 hurricane year was 2004-Charley, Francis, Jeanne, and Ivan.

2005 Wilma hit South Florida.