So, we had another hurricane. Hot on the heels of Helene, which was a total freak for its impacts inland in Georgia and the Carolinas, we had Milton, and another major storm event that really hit the headlines.
For viewers from the UK, it must seem like Florida has suddenly become a dangerous and worrying place to be. However, that is definitely not the case, so we thought we’d take some time in this week’s blog to underline what you need to pay attention to when a hurricane suddenly appears in the Sunshine State’s weather forecast.
Just to start with, there have always been major tropical storms in this part of the world from June to November. This is officially hurricane “season,” and that means the conditions are in place for the formation of these storms.
Florida is virtually surrounded by water and, for a large part of the year, those seas are the essential generator for big, heavy, humid air masses that periodically form into organised tropical features that we call hurricanes.
During an average Atlantic hurricane season, there are 14 named storms, seven of which are likely to be hurricanes, and three of them major hurricanes, which means Category 3 or above (the storm force is measured from Category 1 to 5, with wind speeds variously from 74mph to 157mph or more).
You can read more about hurricane facts and figures on this official website.
We typically see one or two hurricanes that impact the state each year, hence this is not unusual. What IS unusual is having three in a single year, and Florida has now been hit by each of Debby, Helene and Milton in 2024. It’s only the fifth time since records began in 1851 that this has happened, so this is very much a freak year. The news headlines probably make it seem much more extreme, though.
Now, Florida is a pretty big place – it is the size of England and Wales combined – and just because there is an approaching storm doesn’t immediately mean it’s going to affect Orlando, which is almost 100 miles away from the Gulf Coast, where the majority of hurricanes come ashore. Of this year’s trio, only Milton impacted our city directly.
In this case, we also had four full days to be prepared for the event and to make our decisions accordingly. It’s good to know that the science of weather forecasting – and of tracking these big storms – has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years, and the meteorologists were almost 100 per cent accurate in predicting the paths and characteristics of all three hurricanes this year.
In the latest instance, it was pretty clear Milton was going to hit Central Florida, and the Orlando area, head on, so that was our cue to pay close attention to the detailed forecasts. Thankfully, we had no fewer than SEVEN TV stations to tune into for virtually non-stop coverage, including Accuweather, Weather Nation and Weather.com, hence we were extremely well informed.
But, even knowing mean old Milton was coming our way was no cause for immediate concern, especially for our visitors. While high winds are obviously the main factor in any hurricane, heavy rain and flash flooding are also key dangers, but none of the main tourist areas, like International Drive in Orlando and Highway 192 in Kissimmee, are prone to flood impacts.
The theme parks and attractions will all close up to 24 hours ahead of the storm, along with businesses, shops and restaurants. For Milton, which was an overnight event on Wednesday/Thursday, the parks closed early on Wednesday and all day on Thursday, but were fully open again on Friday.
The worst likelihood is that your area will lose power for a day or two, which makes life uncomfortable in the Florida heat. But there are always plenty of emergency electrical teams waiting to react as soon as the storm has passed, and the state is extremely well prepared for this.
In summary, for inland Orlando, the major effects of a hurricane are rare and usually confined to the residential areas near rivers and lakes. In our 30 years of visiting and living in the city, we have yet to see the parks be affected in any serious way.
Know your Hurricane Drill
For the basics for staying safe in the event of another Milton or Ian (2022), follow these simple guidelines:
1) Pay attention to the TV weather stations and download an App like Weather.com to stay fully informed ahead of any hurricane.
2) Return to your accommodation at least two to three hours in advance of the predicted storm. There will be rain. Lots of rain. You definitely do not want to be driving in it. If you see a flooded road, turn back; do not try to drive through it. Cars often get swept away in these conditions.
3) For hotel guests, check with the front desk for essential advice for the approaching storm, and stay in your room for the duration (up to six hours) if advised. Make sure you have some bottled water and snacks. If you’re staying in a holiday home or villa, make a note of the emergency number to call in case of damage to the house or localised flooding.
4) Stay away from windows and keep curtains or blinds drawn. If you have a balcony, it should be a no-go area for the duration of the storm. In a villa, stay in a room or corridor with no windows.
Other than that, in the words of Corporal Jones, don’t panic. Stay indoors and listen to the advice on TV. And definitely do NOT go outside at any stage. It might be fun to say you’ve been “in” a hurricane, but people get hurt, and even killed, by flying debris and falling trees, while downed powerlines are also a major hazard, so it’s definitely not a smart idea. This is not the time to try for a unique selfie!
Have you been in Orlando during a hurricane? Tell us about your experience on the friendly AttractionTickets.com Community Facebook page, on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.
