Hurricane Season: Florida and Beyond

Many are still reeling from Hurricane Ian, a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic storm that recently hit Cuba and the southeast United States. It made landfall on Sept 28th in southwest Florida, causing widespread property damage (about $67 billion), massive power outages, and devastating flooding. It is the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, with sustained winds of 150 mph. It has tied with several other storms becoming the 5th-strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States.

The East Coast of the United States is enriched with fascinating history, incredible geography, and unique culture. Unfortunately, it’s also the most hurricane-prone area of the nation. While the West Coast is vulnerable to wildfires and earthquakes, disastrous storm threats loom over more than a dozen states near the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast from June 1st to November 30th. A cyclone begins when air rises and a wind vortex is created, forming a powerful tropical storm. As the high and low pressure difference increases, winds gain strength at its center, creating the “eye” (a counterclockwise swirl of wind). When the gusts reach 74 miles per hour, the storm officially becomes a hurricane.

Florida takes the lead as the most hurricane-prone state, with nearly twice as many hurricanes as the next state on the list. However, in recent years, Louisiana and Texas have suffered the most destructive tropical storm damage. According to NOAA data, every Gulf Coast and Atlantic and state has experienced a landfall hurricane. Surprisingly, Mississippi has the highest proportion of major hurricanes, in spite of being lower on the hurricane occurrences list.

Despite hurricanes becoming more frequent with stronger and more devastating impacts, there are measures that can be taken. You can help protect your home or business from oncoming storms by covering windows, securing outdoor items, trimming surrounding trees, and placing sandbags around entryways. Euro-Wall also offers impact rated door systems, available in multi slide, folding, pivot, stacking, and fixed options. Euro-Wall understands the importance of not only creating a breathtaking view, but also using materials that will ensure the safety and integrity of any structure. While maintaining elegant aesthetics, our doors are built with the highest quality materials. To learn more, check out our page on hurricane rated doors.