Catastrophic Storms that Have Hit Southwest Florida
Hurricane season typically runs from June 1st thru November 30th. According to NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) climate prediction center, for 2021, they are predicting a:

• 60% chance of an above normal season
• 30% chance of a near normal season
• 10% chance of a below normal season
• They are not expecting as much activity this hurricane season as in 2020.

Number of Named Storms
It is likely there will be between 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher) is expected. NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.

For investment property owners who reside in Southwest and have been here for awhile, you are probably used to maneuvering through hurricane season. For those who are new to Southwest Florida or live in another state, it is important to be prepared for hurricane season every year especially since 40% off all hurricanes hit Florida!

Last Five Hurricanes Causing Catastrophic Damage to Hit Southwest Florida
Some hurricane seasons are more active than others but you never know when “a big one” will land in our area. Here are the last five hurricanes (from prior to most recent) that caused catastrophic damage to Southwest Florida:

1960 Hurricane Donna (Category 4) – With winds of 145 mph when Donna made landfall in the Florida Keys, it then skirted the west coast and hit just south of Naples with winds of 120 mph. It brought a storm surge of 4 – 7 feet and covered much of Fort Myers Beach with water. Donna caused 364 deaths and estimated damage of $6.6 billion dollars.

1992 Hurricane Andrew (Category 5) – It landed near Homestead (Southern Dade County) with winds of 174 mph. Over 1.4 million people lost power and some for more than a month. Andrew caused 65 deaths and estimated damage of $26.5 billion dollars.

Although Southwest Florida did not sustain the main brunt of the storm, it caused tens of millions of dollars’ worth of damage in Collier County, flooding parts of Marco Island.

2004 Hurricane Charley (Category 4) – This storm came ashore on the northern tip of Captiva Island at 150 mph, moving to Bokeelia then through Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Arcadia, Sebring and Wauchula, and lasted a week (August 9th – 15th). Charley caused 15 deaths and $16.9 billion in damage.

2005 Hurricane Wilma (Category 5) – Wilma reached maximum wind strength of 185 mph but its winds were 120 mph when it made landfall near Cape Romano (below Naples, just beyond the southwestern tip of Marco Island and northwest of the Ten Thousand Islands in Collier County). Wilma caused 87 deaths and $22.4 billion in damage.

2017 Hurricane Irma (Category 5) – Irma had maximum wind strength of 180 mph but when it made landfall near Marco Island, its winds were 115 mph. As Irma hit Florida, tropical storm force winds extended out to 400 miles from the center, and had hurricane force winds that extended up to 80 miles. This storm left over 7.5 million homes (70% of the state) without electricity for days. Irma caused 134 deaths and $50 billion in damage.

Reed Property Management
As an investment property owner, dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane can be overwhelming even if you are a local resident because in addition to looking after your investment property, you probably have a primary residence that needs attention as well.

If you have investment property in Southwest Florida and either live locally or in another state, think of the peace of mind working with an experienced professional property management company can bring not only all year long but during hurricane season.

Call Reed property Management to learn more about how we can help with your investment property. (239) 351-2880