Knock on wood, Florida has been unscathed this hurricane season. There are 19 days left of hurricane season in 2013 and Florida will hopefully remain out of the path of destruction. In the past, November has seen formation of seven major hurricanes since 1851. Only three of these seven struck the US since 1851. That gives us pretty good odds – as odds of having a storm occur get lower as we get closer to November 30th.
If we look back at history, a total of 53 hurricanes have struck the US since 1851 in the month of October. Sixteen of these have been a Category 3 or higher. In 1985, Hurricane Kate was the latest of the season to make landfall in the U.S. to date. It came onshore a week before Thanksgiving. The latest major category 3 or higher hurricane that made a U.S. landfall was the 1921 Tampa hurricane on October 25th. A little closer in time was Hurricane Wilma, which was the second-latest major hurricane to make landfall on October 24, 2005. Interestingly enough, South Florida has experienced more direct hurricane hits in October than any other month.
This year, we have experienced 11 named storms, two of which have been hurricanes and none of which have been major hurricanes. 2013 so far ranks as the 7th quietest season in the past 70 years. That measure uses an index known as Accumulated Cyclone Energy, which incorporates how many storms formed, how long they lasted, and how strong they became. If no additional storms were to form before the end of the season, 2013 would be the 4th quietest.
Even though this year’s hurricane season has been mild it’s important to make sure we are prepared in the event that we aren’t so fortunate next year. I know many of our customers feel safe and protected knowing that they have People’s Trust Insurance and the Rapid Response Team in the event the unfortunate happens. When you go to renew your homeowners insurance policy make sure you check your hurricane deductibles and that you are comfortable with the coverage that you have. Speak to a representative if you have questions no matter who you are insured with. And remember, it’s never too early to start preparing for next year’s season – if you weren’t able to invest in hurricane shutters this year, save up for them this year so you will be prepared come June 1st.
This year, we all have something to be extra thankful for on Thanksgiving – and that’s that Florida didn’t experience a hurricane. May 2014 bring us all the same good fortune.
Photo source: Hurricane Andrew on August 23 at approximately 1231 UTC. This image was produced from data from NOAA-12, provided by NOAA.
