Melissa Feito - FPREN
Melissa Feito is a multimedia producer for Florida Storms and the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN). Reach her with questions, story ideas or feedback at mfeito2@ufl.edu.
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This week marks five years since Hurricane Irma hit Florida. Nearly the entire peninsula was under a hurricane watch or warning by the time the storm reached Florida’s southwestern shore.
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Sara Newhouse is the Disaster Recovery Mental Health Coordinator for the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The position was created in 2019 by First Lady Casey DeSantis to address the damage from disasters beyond the physical.
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On Aug. 23, on the anniversary of the storm's landfall in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis and FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie commented on how Florida became a "national leader in emergency management." But 30 years after Hurricane Andrew made landfall in Miami as a Category 5 storm, there are many lessons learned and lessons we are still learning about these powerful storms and the way their impact.
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Florida saw close to average temperatures in the last month, but below-average precipitation in much of the state according to the Southeast Climate Monthly webinar.
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High heat combined with high humidity can be a recipe for multiple heat-related health risks.
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Flash flooding can be destructive and deadly. The National Weather Service recommends looking out for any flash flood warnings following heavy rains. Even a few inches of rapid flowing water is enough to knock a grown adult off their feet.
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In Florida, because evacuations are typically handled by local emergency managers, the wording and thresholds for an evacuation may vary.
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For the last 30 years, heat has been the biggest weather-related cause of death in the nation.
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For the next three months, Florida is expected to see hotter and wetter conditions. The entire state is 40-50% more likely to see above-average temperatures. Florida is also leaning above normal in precipitation through the end of October.
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Florida sees an abundance of thunderstorms in the summer season. According to the National Weather Service, Florida can report 70 to 100 days with thunderstorms a year.