Northeast Florida is Not among the Most Vulnerable Hurricane Locations
Of the top ten areas listed as most vulnerable, only four are in FL
Palm Coast, FL – May 28, 2008 – June 1 marks the opening of hurricane season. A few years back, Florida was hit by four separate storms. But many do not realize that Northeast Florida, which includes Palm Coast and Flagler County, is not considered among the areas most vulnerable to storms. I first reported this September 29, 2006, but at that time, GoToby.com was less than one month old. That day, only 5 people visited the website (I was probably 4 of them) so I assume most of you missed it. For those who did, here it is again.
As you read it and as the tempo of hurricane related news (predictions, tracking charts in the newspaper, etc.) accelerates in the days to come, remember this. A meteorologist is someone who can accurately predict 15 out of every 6 hurricanes.DANGER ZONES
Where is America most vulnerable to a hurricane strike? The International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) — the official center for Florida’s 11 universities that works alongside the National Hurricane Center — created a list of the nation’s 10 most vulnerable areas. To create the list, the IHRC looked at 12 criteria, though historic hurricane frequency, storm intensity and levee/dike failure were primary determinants. Other considerations include factors such as storm surge and freshwater flooding potential, coastal erosion trends and island breaching history. Socioeconomic factors involved populations at risk, evacuation distance and routes. Of the 10 areas, Florida netted four spots, though the greatest danger — no surprise here — is to New Orleans. The rankings, in order, include:
Where is America most vulnerable to a hurricane strike? The International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) — the official center for Florida’s 11 universities that works alongside the National Hurricane Center — created a list of the nation’s 10 most vulnerable areas. To create the list, the IHRC looked at 12 criteria, though historic hurricane frequency, storm intensity and levee/dike failure were primary determinants. Other considerations include factors such as storm surge and freshwater flooding potential, coastal erosion trends and island breaching history. Socioeconomic factors involved populations at risk, evacuation distance and routes. Of the 10 areas, Florida netted four spots, though the greatest danger — no surprise here — is to New Orleans. The rankings, in order, include:
| 1 | New Orleans |
| 2 | Lake Okeechobee |
| 3 | Florida Keys |
| 4 | Coastal Mississippi |
| 5 | Miami/Fort Lauderdale |
| 6 | Galveston/Houston, Texas |
| 7 | Cape Hatteras, N.C. |
| 8 |
Eastern Long Island, N.Y. |
| 9 | Wilmington, N.C. |
| 10 | Tampa/St. Petersburg |
Here are some interesting facts from the U.S. Census Bureau:
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In 1950, the Weather Bureau first began naming hurricanes. At that time, 10.2 million people lived in the coastal portions of states stretching from
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The name of the first Atlantic storm of 2008 will be Arthur. The second Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean storm will be named Bertha.
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There were six hurricanes during the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season.
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The population density of
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