[MaryLou2007]

The info is in. Not just FL is #4 in the USA with most tornadoes, we also have the highest # of tornadoes per square mile. Yikes!

This means you have more chances to getting killed/hurt/lose everything in a tornado in Florida than anywhere else in the USA!! Even more than OK, KS, and MO!! Shocking.



Oh, South Florida folks, don't think there are no tornadoes there! The last I can remmeber was in 2003 outside Miami.



srh.noaa.gov/mfl/newpage/libertytornado/libertytornado.html

One more thing... even if you have an NOAA radio like I do, WHERE can you hide at if you like in a mobile home or trailer? Even if regular houses, a F1 tornado can tear it up bad!!

Moderator cut: copyright issues
But again, if you don't have a NOAA radio that alerts you when a tornado is about to go hit, then you will die sleeping. Or get stuck under rubble.

[bmurphy]

I would think Northern Florida is safer from both hurricanes and tornadoes, such as Jacksonville. Is this a bad assumption? It just seems they get the least natural disasters up there, compared to the rest of Florida.

[rogercobb]

It's easy to get carried away with the tornado threat here in Fla. after the devastating storms a couple days ago. I just looked at the map and read a post that said Fla. is #1 in tornados per suare mile. This really does not surprise me since almost all of Fla's twisters occur during tropical storms/hurricanes or from waterspouts that come onshore during the summer. What we had in the Villages and up in DeLand is quite unusual for Florida when you consider the tornados were F3 strength with approx 160 mph winds. We haven't had that severity since 1998. The reason strong tornados are rare in Florida is that we don't have the upper level wind shear or sharp temp/humidity contrasts that are typical in the Plains and Upper Midwest. Florida's real threat will always be hurricanes and the lightning which far exceeds any other state in the U.S. And you want a real scare? How about all the crappy drivers in this state. That should be the real concern.

[MaryLou2007]

You are right to say most FL torndadoes are under an F-3. But we get a ton of F-2s and F-1s... too often if you ask me.

The tornado density in FL is creepy, specially if you consider how much damage an F-2 can do to a regular house. The density just means you have more chances to get hurt in a torndaod here than in Kansas or OK!! Anyone like to play Russian Rullette witha tornadoes?

As to the other post, many hurricanes that missed central Fla in 2005 went up to Jax and the Panhandle of FL. So don't assume northern FL to be safe, unless you are far enough inland. If you are in the coast, not even NYC is safe, they has hurricanes go all the way up there in the late 1940s!

[firemed]

I just got back today from ground-0. Two of the storms were at least F-3s or strong two's. It was a mess. Block homes did not do well even with the new codes. Very sad but the death toll could have been much worse.

[ellie]

No one has even mentioned wildfire. That's yet another one of Florida's natural phenomena.

Wasn't there a series of fires a few years back that burned a number of homes in Central Florida? The fires are often naturally occurring - both the lightening and the native vegetation's tendency to burn.

What people tend to forget is that they are the ones who choose to live in places where fire, flood, storms, and wind are likely to happen regularly.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by ellie

No one has even mentioned wildfire. That's yet another one of Florida's natural phenomena.

Wasn't there a series of fires a few years back that burned a number of homes in Central Florida? The fires are often naturally occurring - both the lightening and the native vegetation's tendency to burn.

What people tend to forget is that they are the ones who choose to live in places where fire, flood, storms, and wind are likely to happen regularly.

[firemed]

Yes, and the wildfire season is just starting

[Florida Impressions]

I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to check "All of the Above", and I'm pretty sure I had experienced all of those before I was 10 years old.

Historically, Florida has been a downright difficult place to live. It's been written about in journals, articles, scientific documents and probably even scratched into the side of a pine tree somewhere for hundreds of years.

For an interesting read, pick a copy of Jonathan Dickenson's journal: God's Protecting Providence Man's Surest Help and Defence in the times of the greatest difficulty and most Imminent danger Evidenced in the Remarkable Deliverance of divers Persons, from the devouring Waves of the Sea, amongst which they Suffered Shipwrack. And also from the more cruelly devouring jawes of the inhumane Canibals of Florida. Faithfully related by one of the persons concerned therein, Jonathan Dickenson

It's amazing how much sunnier my days became after reading that book.

[MaryLou2007]

Oh no!! WHY did you have to remind me of wildfires!! Ugh, that is awful, my eyes were burning up everyday as I drove to and from work (and I have an A/C in my car with a premium filtration system).

FL Impressions, I honestly feel bad for you experiencing ALL of this bad weather by the age you were 10!! Wow, that sucks!

Hey, maybe it's time you move.... you know look for greener pastures?