Category Archives: Property Damage / Insurance
Are More Dangerous Storms in the Offing?
Hurricane season is expected to get even busier in the Atlantic basin as we approach the middle of August. And, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this could be a particularly dangerous hurricane season due to cooling waters in the Pacific. A story in the Palm Beach Post reports that the… Read More »
Fay a Sign of How Dangerous Tropical Storms Can Be
Tropical Storm Fay recently struck New York and New Jersey, dropping buckets of rain and punishing everyone with high winds. The storm made landfall about 10 miles northeast of Atlantic City before moving up the state and into New York. This storm is a reminder of how even relatively “weak” tropical storms can cause… Read More »
Government Plan to Protect Florida Keys Includes Buyouts
Some areas of Florida are more prone to hurricane damage than others. The Florida Keys, in particular, have been devastated by recent storms. And with sea levels rising, the government anticipates that the Keys could experience even more destruction. The Miami Herald published a story summarizing a $5.5 billion plan by the U.S. Army… Read More »
Hurricane Watch versus Hurricane Warning: Do You Know the Difference?
Improved technology allows scientists to identify virtually all tropical depressions that form in the Atlantic. If scientists anticipate that a hurricane could approach the mainland United States, then the National Weather Service might issue a hurricane watch or a hurricane warning. But what’s the difference between the two? And what actions should you take… Read More »
Survey Reveals Citizen Response to Hurricane Michael
The Florida Department of Health went door-to-door to conduct an interesting survey in Bay and Gulf Counties. The department was seeking information about how residents responded to Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 hurricane that struck Florida in 2018. Michael caused considerable damage in the Florida Panhandle—about $25 billion all told in property damage—and many… Read More »
What to Do Immediately Following a Hurricane
The moments immediately following a hurricane can be disorientating, regardless of whether you rode the storm out at home or took cover at a nearby shelter. Nevertheless, the steps people take in the immediate aftermath can prove critical for their safety and the security of their homes. Below, our Daytona Beach property damage lawyers… Read More »
Study Reveals Millions of Homes at Risk of Storm Surge Damage
Traditionally, people feared hurricanes because of their high winds. But changes in construction have made many buildings resilient enough to handle even major hurricanes. Instead, flooding due to storm surge represents the most significant threat from hurricanes and tropical storms. Just how many homes are at risk? A recent study by CoreLogic has put… Read More »
Will COVID-19 Slow Hurricane Recovery?
We have written previously about how the novel coronavirus pandemic has impacted storm preparations, including the creation of shelters when a hurricane hits. But an interesting article in the Miami Herald suggests that the pandemic could also slow recovery efforts after the storm departs. This is terrible news, given how slowly our state has… Read More »
Should Hurricane Season Start Earlier?
Hurricane season in the Atlantic basin officially begins June 1st and runs through November. But according to the Sun Sentinel, one of Florida’s Congressional representatives is asking the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to start the season a couple weeks earlier, in mid-May. Representative Stephanie Murphy of Orlando has sent a letter with… Read More »
Scientist Proposes New Hurricane Scale
Currently, hurricanes are measured on a Category 1-5 scale that is based on the maximum sustained wind speed. However, some scientists have begun to question whether this is really the best way to categorize hurricanes. According to their thinking, wind speed is not the best gauge for judging the dangerousness of a storm. One… Read More »