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Well, I'm going to try for a teaching position in Jacksonville for the next school year. My family and I visited last spring break and we loved the area. We spent a few days with our kids at North Topsail Beach.
My question is: how bad are hurricanes in Jacksonville or Snead's Ferry? I know they just got hit by a big one, but how often are they a big issue?
One person, who used to live there, told me they are a minor annoyance.
We have never lived near a beach, nor have we lived as southern as North Carolina. We are in Ohio now.
Any info on how hurricanes regularly affect the area would be great.
We want some kind of idea what to expect if I get a job and we move there. Do they hit yearly? Do you have to leave the area? How is insurance affected?
Your questions regarding future impacts are basically unanswerable. Hurricanes are not predictable events, so no one knows what the future may hold. Some years may have 1 or 2 hurricanes/tropical storms that affect the area; some years may have none. Unless its a very strong storm, flooding is the biggest issue, so selecting a house with that in mind is an important issue.
In general, hurricanes are not a reason to not move to Jacksonville.
So sorry that I failed to meet your expectations. Hopefully someone else is up to the task. In my defense you did say :"We want some kind of idea what to expect if I get a job and we move there." That sounds like you are asking what the future holds.
In any event, I think I provided some good information regarding past hurricanes, but I'll try to fill in the gaps. Hurricane Florence was this year. It was bad, lots of flooding, some wind damage. Matthew was 2 years ago. Lots of flooding in areas west of Jacksonville, but not too bad in J'ville. Before that, there had been several years without a hurricane. There have also been stretches when there were bad storms every year, even multiple ones a year. So on average, there is one every 2 years or so.
NC hasn't had a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) make landfall since 1996, but even a Cat. 1 can cause horrific flooding, property damage, downed trees, road washed out, etc.
Evacuation is usually a good idea, depending on the exact strength of the storm and its projected path. As mentioned, flooding is the biggest issue, along with loss of power/water for several days. I live a little south of J'ville, and evacuated for Florence (for a week) but didn't evacuate for Matthew. Power had just been restored when I came back after Florence, and many roads were closed due to flooding. Schools were closed for weeks after Florence.
Whether all that constitutes a minor annoyance or a reason to not move to J'ville is something only you can decide. For me, its a minor annoyance. Just make sure you understand how flooding might affect your specific house, and make sure you have appropriate insurance coverage.
Thanks, BC. I wasn't trying to be rude. Yes, that info helps a lot. I think we'd be fine if insurance covered any damage and if we could always get away to a hotel in advance of any big ones coming.
Thanks, BC. I wasn't trying to be rude. Yes, that info helps a lot. I think we'd be fine if insurance covered any damage and if we could always get away to a hotel in advance of any big ones coming.
One tip...make sure your homeowners insurance covers hotel expense in the event of evacuation. I collected almost $600 from mine for Florence. And be aware that flood insurance can be expensive, depending on the exact situation. Don't be tempted to skip it if there is a chance you'll need it. Regular homeowners insurance will not cover flood damage.
I agree, Hurricanes would not be a reason to rule out Jacksonville. I would be much more concerned about the perils of teaching in NC. (Plenty of posts on that)
I also agree that unless you are well away from water, get flood insurance. A friend of mine lives on a coastal creek down that way. His entire downstairs was flooded.
We’ve lived in Brunswick County, not that far from Jacksonville, for 13 years. 3 hurricanes (one may have been a tropical storm) in that time. Mostly the storms aren’t terrible. Florence, in September, was more than a minor annoyance. Power out, flooding, roads closed, boil order for water for a few weeks and while our house was fine, our yard was wrecked. Major inconvenience.
I think it’s safe to predict that storm seasons will worsen, considering the extreme weather events everyone is experiencing. We evacuated for 10 days and the hardest part was finding a route to get home because so many roads were flooded or damaged.
Even if you’re not in a designated flood plain, consider getting flood insurance. Many people and businesses were hurt by flooding and regular insurance won’t pay for flood damage.
Hi all.
Well, I'm going to try for a teaching position in Jacksonville for the next school year. My family and I visited last spring break and we loved the area. We spent a few days with our kids at North Topsail Beach.
My question is: how bad are hurricanes in Jacksonville or Snead's Ferry? I know they just got hit by a big one, but how often are they a big issue?
We have been affected by hurricanes twice in the 7 years we have lived in Sneads Ferry. We had minor damage to trees, but I know people whose homes were flooded. My advice is don't live anywhere near a stream, pond or river. Plan to be prepared with a generator, extra food and water, maybe storm shutters, etc. In my opinion, you should not count on living on North Topsail Beach, as it will be washed away by erosion in 20 years.
As a teacher, you should know that schools were closed for as much as two months after Florence hit. The problems were mostly water and mold damage. Teachers will have to crunch the curriculum into the remaining time. You should ask your prospective colleagues how well that is working, and what their morale is like.
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