Which Side of Florida Gets Worse Hurricanes?
Florida's geographical location places it at the bull's eye of frequent hurricane occurrences, but not all parts of the state bear equal brunt. Understanding where in the state hurricanes impact more will help residents, tourists, and migrants prepare for the coming storm season appropriately.
Florida Vulnerable Areas
The western and eastern coasts of Florida are hit by hurricanes, just under different circumstances. That's the Atlantic coast on the east side, which feels the full wrath of storms originating in the Atlantic Ocean and coming directly from the southeast. Cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach often lie in the path of the destruction wrought by hurricanes like Hurricane Irma and Andrew.
However, because hurricanes tend to interact with the state's coastline in this way, the Gulf Coast on Florida's west side can take a beating. Hurricanes are nearly perfectly fueled by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, giving them ample opportunity to intensify. Those that form in the Gulf and move northwest often make landfall with extreme force-the case with Hurricanes Ian and Michael. These result in dirty storm surges in low-lying places, like Tampa and Fort Myers.
The Dirty Side of a Hurricane
As for the effects brought on by hurricanes, the "dirty side" of the storm is the highest priority. The right side, as it comes into the storm relative to the direction it is moving, usually has the worst damaging winds and the worst storm surge and flooding. For Florida, that would mean that there will be increased destruction because it relates to areas on the right side of the hurricane's eye. A storm coming into Florida from the Gulf is an example: such a storm would have worse impacts for cities on the Gulf Coast.
Historical Hurricane Activity
Both the east and west coasts of Florida have had historical hurricane damage, although it is more the slow-moving storms that let the water levels rise and bring the storm surges producing high-level flooding; for instance, Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle in 2018 and became one of the most powerful storms ever to make landfall in the state.
On the other hand, although Atlantic coast is not unusual to hurricanes, many storms lose strength before making landfall, so cities are saved from the worst scenario. Nevertheless, Miami and its surrounding areas have a higher chance of storms being more frequent, as Hurricane Andrew in 1992 first coast news.
Protect Your Home and Loved Ones
Planning is the key when one lives in a hurricane-prone area, and for those living in Miami, companies such as Maids of Miami help clean up after the storm and with other general house maintenance to ensure homes stay clean and secure before the hurricane season.
The Inland Areas and Safe Havens
There are probably fewer impacts for cities within the land, such as Orlando, Ocala, and Gainesville. This is because such places are further away from the coastal area and thus counteract destructive storm surges and huge winds. Take Ocala, in Central Florida, for example; compared with other coastal regions, it stands to bear less significant hurricane damage.
Conclusion
In Florida, both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts experience hurricanes but usually get worse storms on the Gulf side because of the nature in which storms develop off the Gulf of Mexico. When selecting where to live or vacation in Florida, one needs to consider how prone the area is to hurricanes. And if you live in Miami or any other coastal city, getting professional cleaning services such as Sparkly Maid Miami means your house remains clean and storm-ready. Check out more about this at www.sparklymaidmiami.com.
