Weather

Remembering Hurricane Irma 5 years later

The most recent hurricane to directly affect Central Florida was Hurricane Irma in Sept. 2017.

Those who experienced it may remember the images coming out of the Keys where a more intense Category 4 storm made landfall near Cudjoe Key; a second Florida landfall followed near Marco Island, Fla. as a Category 3 storm on Sept. 10, 2017.

Irma made seven landfalls, including over several islands in the northern Caribbean.


What You Need To Know

  • It has been five years since Hurricane Irma struck Florida
  • Impacts spanned far beyond the center of the storm
  • Power outages affected millions
  • Lessons helped make us better prepared

After striking southwest Florida, the storm then lifted north across the peninsula as it weakened over land, becoming a tropical storm as the center passed to the west of Gainesville.

We still felt impacts here in Central Florida with high wind and rain, in addition to many Tornado Warnings within the outer bands.

Central Florida tornadoes

The National Weather Service in Melbourne issued over fifty Tornado Warnings. With Central Florida positioned on the right, or “dirty” side, of the storm as it tracked up the western part of the Peninsula, rotation in the outer bands spawned pockets of rotation. 

Tornado damage in Palm Bay. (Spectrum News 13 staff)

Statewide impacts

Irma served as a reminder that we can still feel impacts from a tropical system far from the storm’s center, which is why it is important to focus on the entire cone of uncertainty within a tropical forecast.

The cone of uncertainty is a tool distributed by the National Hurricane Center, displaying the probable track of the center based on historical error; it does not depict the size of the storm.

With Irma, people felt impacts far from the storm’s center regarding coastal flooding in Jacksonville. Flood waters reached up to 5 ft deep in some locations.

Meanwhile, in Miami, the storm passed to the south and west, but the combined effects of elevated water levels from storm surge and tidal impacts led to inundation in parts of Miami-Dade County, particularly along Biscayne Bay and in the Brickell area.

Power outages

One of the biggest impacts that Central Floridians may remember were the lengthy power outages, lasting for several days after Irma departed.

According to peer-reviewed research by our own Spectrum News 13 meteorologist Mallory Nicholls published in the Journal of Emergency Management, power restoration in parts of the state took up to two weeks in some of the harder hit areas.

At the peak of the power outages, 6.7 million people reported loss of utilities, making it the largest statewide outage on record to date, including five Florida counties that experienced 100% outages.

After five days, the percentage of outages all over Florida dropped to less than 50% and to less than 2% after ten days.  

A power company employee worked to restore power following Hurricane Irma.  Photo by the Associated Press.

A power company employee worked to restore power following Hurricane Irma. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) determined that overgrown vegetation was the biggest source of the outages. Proactive tree trimming can help avoid limbs falling on wires.

This is one of the simplest steps you can do in anticipation of the upcoming hurricane season, to keep any overgrown branches and limbs cut back around your home and any power lines.

Another lesson learned is the importance of having power lines underground to help reduce outages. This was something implemented after the active 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.

According to Nicholls’ research, while more expensive, plans are already in place for approved electric base rate increases to fund converting traditional overhead lines to underground lines.

Be prepared, not scared

Planning for lengthy power outages is essential with any tropical threat, or even the threat of severe thunderstorms should utilities become affected.

Stocking a hurricane kit with flashlights and batteries among other supplies is key, and to do so well before the storm, rather than when one is approaching.

It is also important to plan for impacts during the overnight hours while you might be sleeping. Irma barrelled across Central Florida’s western counties in the hours following midnight.

Having the Spectrum News App notifications turned on, in addition to a NOAA All-Hazards Radio, are ways to wake up in the middle of the night to seek shelter in the event of a Tornado Warning or Excessive Wind Warning as we saw during Irma. 

Nursing homes

Another significant lesson learned from Irma came from nursing homes, where several residents died because of overheating when the air conditioning units failed.

Much of the attention focused on the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Broward County, where they did not evacuate residents initially and in just two days, eight of the residents died.

The center decided to evacuate on Sept. 13, but only after four others suffered from heat exposure and died soon thereafter.

The deaths there were ruled as homicide to heat exposure.

Incidents like this warrant further investigation in to how to prepare and train all members of the community for a disaster, especially our elderly and at-risk populations, and the respective employees who work in this space.

Indirect deaths

Hurricane Irma also served as a reminder that indirect deaths may result from a landfalling hurricane.

According to the NHC post-storm report, there were 80 indirect deaths in Florida. These were from a variety of incidents, including a combination of falls during storm preparations, vehicular accidents, carbon monoxide poisoning from generators, chainsaw accidents and electrocutions.

“It only takes one”

A common expression used when referring to hurricane season is, “it only takes one” to make it an impactful season.

While seasonal outlooks for the number of storms are useful to get an idea of what can happen across the entire Atlantic basin, it doesn’t mean that all of those storms will come directly to Florida. Storms can live over the Atlantic and never contact land.

However, if one storm makes landfall, it will have impacts, and depending on the strength, it could leave a lasting impression on a community. Hurricane Irma was the biggest storm for Central Florida that year, and it provides an example of how one storm can have an impact.

Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

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