Hurricane data report: Florida

Yes, it is a fact of life that sunny Florida with its extensive miles of beaches is vulnerable to hurricanes that may come up from the AtlanticOcean.

Travelers vacationing in Florida as well as other areas near the southeastern coastline must always be wary of any storm sytems in the area. Especially between June 1st and November 31st, which is the official hurricane season.

During hurricane season conditions in the Tropics are just right for generating storm systems which sometimes become hurricanes.

These days experts are pretty good at tracking hurricanes that threaten the Florida coasts. 72+ hr warnings are usually sufficient time to act if you are vacationing in a hurricane's path. Our recommendation for travelers is, if a mandatory evacuation is ordered in an area where you are vacationing, leave early!! Don't be Last!!

Do not just travel cross state either, because hurricane paths change quickly or at right angles. Predicted storm paths are not exact, therefore fringe areas may also be at risk.

Travelers may be reluctant to leave because they will lose money on hotel accomodations, etc. Keep in mind , if you are going to vacation during the hurricane season, that purchasing travel insurance may just give you the peace of mind you need and possibly help recoup some of your financial losses.

Should you get caught in a hurricane while on vacation::

-Stay Indoors. - Stay away from windows, skylights, and glass doors. -Use flashlights instead of candles or kerosene lamps. - Stay in an interior room away from glass, they are usually structurally stronger and safer. - If you are in a tall building , stay away from the top floors because the winds are the strongest up high.

Hurricanes may last days , so non perishable foods and bottled water are a must! Keep in mind that tap water may not be safe to drink due to flooding. Any use of tap water will probably require boiling and/or treating with chemicals.

Baby wipes are becoming a popular must have item during a storm for personal hygene and hand washing when water is of short supply.A portable radio will be very handy to keep up on the hurricanes progress. Remember cordless phones without power do not work. A direct line phone may the only communication that works. Cell phones may or may not work.

Remember Cash machines may not work and gasoline will be in short supply, so think ahead.

Evacuation maps are usually available at police and fire departments and other places as reported by local Emergency Operation Centers.

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:

American Red Cross Disaster assistance - 1-866-438-4636

Florida Dept. Financial Services Consumer help line 1-800-342-2762

Florida Div. of Emergency Management - 1-800-320-0519

Poison Control- 1-800-222-1222

Hurricane Help line - 1-800-227-8676

NOW, Heres the GOOD NEWS!! According to the National Weather Service/NOAA in the last 153 years there were 154 named hurricanes that hit Florida. Less than one third of them were major storms. ( Cat.3-5 ) So, although we are not weather experts it would seem that according to the National Weather Services chart shown below there should only be a very small chance that your vacation will be interupted because of a hurricane. As with any vacation, a little planning can go a long way.

The following chart was compiled from information gathered directly from the National Weather Service/NOAA website: We have extracted the Florida information, other areas and states are part of the same chart on their site.

Shown below are Hurricane direct hits on the coastline for the state of Florida -1851-2004 by Saffir/Simpson category.

The following List explains Hurricane Parameters:

CATEGORY 1 - Winds 75-95 mph -flood zone A -5-7ft. elev.

CATEGORY 2 - Winds 96-110 mph - flood zone B -7-12ft. elev.

CATEGORY 3 - Winds 111-130mph - flood zone C -12-15ft. elev.

CATEGORY 4 -Winds 131-155mph - flood zone D -15-20ft. elev.

CATEGORY 5 - Winds 156mph & up- flood zone E -20-24ft.elev.

For more weather information we have provided the following link for your convenience.http://www.nws.noaa.gov

For Florida weather forecasts: Awesome Traveler weather page

Be Smart and Travel Safe -Awesome Traveler-