Florida hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity from mid-August through October. The single biggest cause of hurricane deaths in the US isn't wind — it's water. Storm surge, inland flooding, and rip currents kill more people than every other hurricane hazard combined. So if you live anywhere in Florida, your prep needs to start with flooding.
1. Know your flood zone before the storm forms
Pull up the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov) and search your address. If you're in Zone AE, A, or VE, you're inside a Special Flood Hazard Area — meaning a 1% annual chance of flooding, every year. Coastal counties like Monroe (the Keys) are over 90% SFHA. Even "Zone X" properties flood — about 25% of all NFIP claims come from outside high-risk zones.
2. Build your supply kit (72-hour minimum)
- 1 gallon of water per person per day, 3-day minimum
- Non-perishable food, manual can opener
- Battery or hand-crank NOAA weather radio
- Flashlights, extra batteries, portable phone charger + power bank
- First-aid kit, prescription medications (2-week supply)
- Cash in small bills — ATMs and card readers fail when power goes out
- Copies of insurance, ID, and deeds in a waterproof bag
3. Flood-proof what you can
Move valuables, electronics, and documents to upper floors. Elevate the AC condenser and water heater on platforms if possible. Clear gutters and storm drains near your house — most "minor" Florida flooding starts at a clogged inlet. If you have flood vents on a ground-level garage, never block them.
4. Have an evacuation plan — and a backup
Know your county's evacuation zone (different from FEMA flood zone). When the order comes, leave early — Florida Turnpike and I-75 become parking lots within hours. Have at least two destinations in two different directions, because you don't know where the storm will turn.
5. Use real-time flood alerts during the storm
After landfall, the danger isn't over — it's just shifted to inland flooding and downed power lines. Open the Floodi live map to see neighbor-reported flooding in real time, and save your home and any family member's address as a watched zone to get push and email alerts the second flooding is reported nearby.
6. After the storm
Don't drive through standing water — just six inches will float a small car. Photograph all damage before cleaning up. File NFIP claims within 60 days. Boil water until your utility issues an "all clear" — broken mains contaminate supply for days after major storms.
Stay safe out there. Florida has been doing this for 500 years — you've got this.