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Florida Prepares for Storm Impacts

Florida Realtors has resources for members before and after a storm, including our printable hurricane prep plan and the Disaster Relief Fund.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties ahead of a tropical system moving through the Gulf of Mexico that’s expected to become Hurricane Helene.

The system is expected to intensify in the coming 24 hours with possible landfall near the Panhandle and Big Bend areas on Thursday with winds up to 115 mph. DeSantis said residents throughout the state should prepare for a major storm.

“Just know that this thing's there, know that this could have broad impacts. We're anticipating impacts 100 to 200 miles outside of the eye of the storm,” DeSantis said at a Tuesday morning press conference. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty left with this so be prepared.”

DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.

Flooding poses big risk

AccuWeather said storm surge and extensive flooding could cause life-threatening conditions. In the Tampa Bay area, water could reach 6 to 10 feet above normal tide levels. In areas from near Apalachicola through Crystal River, storm surge levels may approach 15 feet. A small area northeast of Apalachicola could experience even higher water levels, with surges reaching 15-20 feet – higher than most single-story buildings, AccuWeather said.

“This can be a large hurricane with life-threatening impacts such as storm surge and flooding rain hundreds of miles away from where the storm makes landfall,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.

Florida Realtors® helps

To help associations, brokerages and agents prepare for this storm and others, Florida Realtors created a printable Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Plan. The plan, also available on the Florida Realtors website, includes helpful tips and information to protect your business. 

In addition, the Florida Realtors Hurricane Center webpage includes links to the Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund and important news about the hurricane season. 

Other useful links: 

© 2024 Florida Realtors®

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