Looking for warmer weather and least hurricanes (snow, hot, ice)

[Lexylex83]

Hi there I am looking to move ASAP to warmer weather and I really want to live in an east coast beach city that is diverse and with great schools. We are moving from Minnesota and I really like the feel of SC/NC. I also need to be somewhere that will be ok for mixed kids. I know most places along the coast are prone to Hurricanes but I have tried looking some stuff up and it seems like every beach town is getting hammered with them. Here we have snow and ice storms and I know there is some type of weather issue no matter where you go but I don’t want to be where the is a lot of flooding and all that. Hopefully someone can help me!!

[Psychoma]

If you're snowed in, here's some reading for ya!

And welcome to CD! Yes, in fact every state in the continental US has been affected by a hurricane or remnants of one (rain) at some point in time from 1940 to present. But to your point, history shows us a pattern and there are areas less likely to be hit which may help you on your search.

Just remember (you may already know these but just in case): Hurricanes are strongest at their center/eye and weaker the further away you are from that region; rated by category which is the highest ground level wind speed anywhere in the storm with some higher wind gust; unless the center region (eyewall) hit/brushed an area then they really didn't see that level of hurricane; hurricanes are typically a few hundred miles in diameter (cloud edge to edge) so affects can be felt well away from the center (but again around the center region is generally the worst); storm surge near the coast is the most dangerous part of a hurricane followed by inland flooding from rains; hurricanes are steered by other weather systems around them; there is a 'season' for them so it's not year round; unlike most other natural disasters you typically have several days or more to see it coming so can prepare/plan; insurance is there for a reason so don't let hurricanes prevent you from moving, there are official tools out there to help you with your research and make informed decisions.

These stats only account for Hurricanes (not weaker Tropical Storms): Least likely areas to be 'hit' by a hurricane is FL West coast from about Tallahassee South to Tampa; East coast: from near Daytona Beach, FL North to just South of Charleston, SC; then most areas North of the NC/VA border (with the exception of Long Island to Cape Cod stretch). South of VA the Georgia coast is the least likely to be hit in the US. You can view these stats and tons of other info from the NHC here: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/

Part of the reason for those areas: (in general) Trade winds tend to push hurricanes more West in the tropics but can get turned North by High Pressure or passing cold fronts etc. For the US East coast when they turn they tend to ride up parallel to the coast just offshore but sometimes don't turn in time and make landfall and on a few occasions get driven straight perpendicular to the coast, so GA is tucked in just enough to be spared most of the time.

Storm surge (The rise in water above normal tide levels): The more shallow the water offshore the greater the risk for higher surge or coast line/bays that act like bowls. The highest surge recorded in the US was Katrina at 27.8ft in Mississippi. For SC the last Cat4 hit near Charleston way back in 1989 and had a 19.8ft surge north of the city. So if your elevation above sea level is about 30ft then overall should be safe from surge. GA may be safest from hurricane landfalls but is one of the most susceptible to storm surge though...very flat area. But a lot of areas on the East coast are flat so here's the official interactive storm surge map from NHC, be sure to change the storm categories from 1 to 5 to see water heights (generally higher the stronger the storm), keep in mind the maps are considered accurate down to the 'neighborhood' level so you can't zoom into a specific house you want, these may differ from FEMA maps, also keep in mind this shows risk at any neighborhood on the map and NOT the risk for the entire coast should a storm approach...just trying to say the entire East coast doesn't flood from a single storm, it's generally highest right where the eye comes near/ashore and just to the right of that point, then the surge becomes less. When an actual storm approaches specific surge maps for that storm will be issued. https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Ma...935fad&entry=1

For inland flooding the FEMA maps can help (zoom into interactive map pretty close for flood areas to start to appear): https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search#searchresultsanchor Flood insurance typically has a 30-day waiting period so you can't buy last minute, terms like 100year or 500year flood just mean your chance of flooding each year and NOT how often in years it happens (yes they are considering changing terms to prevent confusion). Keep in mind some residential laws in some states don't require the previous seller to disclose past flooding or flood insurance claims. Hurricane Florence that stalled over NC/SC coastal regions for days showed how many inland areas can flood, may want to research that as well for areas that can flood.

Living in SC I'd suggest you visit in the summer when the heat and humidity are in full swing to see if you can stand it. If you don't end up near the beach then may consider i85 corridor from Raleigh to Atlanta as well.

[annagurl333]

Psuchoma - bravo! I learned some very cool facts! Thank you!!!

OP - Since your in MN (lived in Moorhead a year myself) I think you understand how imperative it is to be prepared for weather. Without preparation life becomes harder and downright dangerous. With good planning you get by just fine. Coastal living is the same. Its all about preparation and having a game plan.

Which cities to avoid hurricanes? Coastal living comes with hurricanes. The 2 go hand in hand. Especially with weather in general becoming more extreme. There is no point in looking at statistics of various cities and their previous number of hurricanes.. they all get them eventually. I personally favor coastal NC over SC though... and if you go a bit farther north into Virginia they do statistically have less landfalls.

Things to greatly consider.

1. Just being inland a few or more miles can greatly decrease hurricane winds. You'll still be a very quick drive to the beaches.
2. If not directly on the coast, water will be your biggest concern for almost every storm, even tropical storms (aside categroy 4 - 5.. which then just be smart and evacuate and if there are elderly, sick, or kids involved evacuate for category 3). Get a house on an incline higher than the road if possible. Never buy a home without a storm drain on that street. Make sure your not buying a home in a historical "flood zone". Also consider city elevation. Lastly, check out home insurance prices before you buy a home. Some places can get shockingly high!
3. Make priorities in your house concerning hurricane safety. Dont buy a house until you can afford the hurricane-prep upkeep. Inspect and repair your roof well from a reputable company with many great reviews. Consider hurricane shutters for all east windows or have a few wooden boards ready to nail onto them. Board up all windows for major hurricanes.
4. Consider how youll get by when you lose electric for a week in 90° weather with 85% humidity. A week is not exaggerating, its happend to me probably 8+ times in the 26 years I grew up in coastal FL. You can help this by living next to a police station, hospital, or other emergency service place... as long as you share the same electric/power line. I grew up next to a police station but their electric circuits were on the other side of the street, so their side got power on in hours of the storm and we in days. If you can afford it, generators are great investments. Accept cold showers, have ice packs ready before the storm, candles/flashlights for light, battery operated fans, non-perishable food, lots of water (you cant trust tap water after a hurricane/trop storm), all phones charged before storm, portable radio, etc are all important. Oh, and some board games and a good book to pass the time because when the town is mostly without power cities put curfews in effect.
5. Do not buy a mobile home if you live in a coastal city. When you watch neighborhoods decimated on the news they are usually mobile home parks (unless it's an incrdibly strong storm). Even a category 1 hurricane can un-roof a mobile home. I think they should illegal near the coast.

[ZnGuy]

Originally Posted by Lexylex83

Hi there I am looking to move ASAP to warmer weather and I really want to live in an east coast beach city that is diverse and with great schools. We are moving from Minnesota and I really like the feel of SC/NC. I also need to be somewhere that will be ok for mixed kids. I know most places along the coast are prone to Hurricanes but I have tried looking some stuff up and it seems like every beach town is getting hammered with them. Here we have snow and ice storms and I know there is some type of weather issue no matter where you go but I don’t want to be where the is a lot of flooding and all that. Hopefully someone can help me!!

Moved from the snow belt (East side CLE) 15 yrs ago, picked Charlotte, considered Raleigh but don’t get the impact of storms, less snow dustings than East NC. Get very few cloudy days. With that being said will be buying home in HHI in next few years.

[LKJ1988]

Originally Posted by Lexylex83

Hi there I am looking to move ASAP to warmer weather and I really want to live in an east coast beach city that is diverse and with great schools. We are moving from Minnesota and I really like the feel of SC/NC. I also need to be somewhere that will be ok for mixed kids. I know most places along the coast are prone to Hurricanes but I have tried looking some stuff up and it seems like every beach town is getting hammered with them. Here we have snow and ice storms and I know there is some type of weather issue no matter where you go but I don’t want to be where the is a lot of flooding and all that. Hopefully someone can help me!!

Not one real hurricane has hit the Tampa FL area since 1921. You will get 10 long months of hot weather.