Florida Gulf Coast, Summer 2020

[ChrisC]

After 2017 Hurricane Irma, which made landfall 160 miles away from South Florida in Big Pine Key /Cudjoe Key, some friends did not have power in the Fort Lauderdale area for three weeks. The top wind gusts were maybe 90-100 mph—quite uncomfortable for August/September! You do not need a direct hit to experience the worst of a hurricane - no power, gas, street lights, toilet paper/water/etc. at the grocery stores.

Miami developers are buying up Little Haiti of Miami because it has elevations up to 20 feet above sea level. Brickell, where most of the Miami development is occurring - business (Citadel) and condo towers (Aston Martin, Porsche) - floods with a 1-inch rainstorm on a summer afternoon. Cannot wait to see how a Category 4 or 5 impacts Miami with storm surge and high winds at 100ft above sea level. It should be a mess!!! The city has not been impacted in many, many years. Currently, the King Tides of the Fall flood Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale canal properties.

I visited Pensacola Beach for a long weekend. Friends rented a house for Memorial Day. Hurricane Ivan destroyed everything on its barrier island in 2004. All rebuilt houses are now on stilts.

A friend has a beachfront condo in Naples, FL—an older 1960s building but well-maintained with great views. Hurricane Ian in 2022 had a 6-10 ft storm surge that wiped out most first-story condos, pools, and landscaping and carried/destroyed cars more than 100 ft. Already 6-10 beachfront condo developments (<4 stories, lots of land) sold to developers (need 75% HOA approval) since rebuilding costs were too high. You can fit triple the number of units with underground parking and 8-story zoning and eliminate any open space.

Fort Meyers Beach has not recovered since Hurricane Ian; now, it is just a bigger mess. I am sure Sanibel and Captiva are bad. Boca Grande, Venice, and even relatively inland areas like Cape Coral (a huge development mess from its inception) were destroyed by coastal and canal storm surges.

Florida is now paying for a relatively quiet period from 2004/05 till 2020, except for Irma 2017. The Gulf Coast, especially.

 

[Tony Crocker]

2017 Hurricane Irma

That was a very big deal. After moving east to west along Cuba's north shore, it was predicted to make a sharp tight turn and head north. The entire state of Florida was within the forecast cone: it could have gone up either coast so there was a record evacuation of 6.5 million, all of whom were told to go north. I recall following Irma closely at the time not only due to Liz' mother's place but because we had been in Havana in June.

In August 2020 we stayed a couple of nights on Little Torch Key. There were numerous areas on the 3 Torch Keys where trees had been ripped out by Irma. Irma went ashore in mainland Florida at Marco Island and moved up the state on land. Liz' friend Kelley lives in Naples, which was close to the eye. Her home a bit inland was not damaged but was without power for week as with Chris' friends. During the storm she was with relatives in a second floor condo with a backup generator.

Overall US damages from Irma were in the ballpark with Helene and more than Milton. Irma was worse than Helene if you consider several Caribbean Islands that were in its path when it was Category 5. Ian was an extra level worse, ranks #3 in damages to Katrina and Harvey.

 

[ChrisC]

Irma was worse than Helene if you consider several Caribbean Islands that were in its path when it was Category 5.

I have been to the US Virgin Islands (1x during COVID) and the British Virgin Islands (2x - before/after COVID) for sailing and the destruction from Irma was extraordinary - as it should be when the eye of a Category 5 Hurricane moves over you.

Some resorts in the BVI did not re-open until 2022 (Saba Rock, Bitter End YC) or 2023 (Peter Island) - or for the USVI - Mariott (2022), Ritz (2022), etc. There were many still trashed boats on the shores of the BVI in 2019 - 18 months later. Power was restored to USVI - St. John Coral Bay until 12-18 months afterward.

Even St. Martin's airport's renovated luggage and immigration services will only be available in 2024—nearly seven years after Irmm.

The only thing that happened quickly was that Sir Richard Branson brought his teams onto his islands near BVI's Virgin Gorda to restore his home and resorts. He (stupidly) did not evacuate Virgin Gorda and road out the storm with his sons in his wine cellar drinking $1k+ bottles.