01 · The problem
What is happening
Southeast Florida is one of the most hurricane-exposed metropolitan areas in the United States. Risk is a combination of hazard, exposure and vulnerability: decades of coastal development have placed very large populations and property values close to the shoreline, while rising sea level raises the baseline from which storm surge acts. Building codes, evacuation planning, wetland and dune restoration and insurance reform all form part of the response.
High severity. Serious, widespread effects requiring sustained action. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.
02 · Causes
Why it is happening
- 01
Tropical cyclone climatology
Southeast Florida lies within one of the Atlantic basin's most frequently affected regions.
- 02
Concentrated coastal development
Decades of building close to the shoreline place very large populations and asset values in the surge zone.
- 03
Loss of natural coastal buffers
Wetlands, dunes and mangroves that dissipate wave and surge energy have been reduced by development.
03 · Impacts
Who and what it affects
- 01
Loss of life and injury
Storm surge is historically the deadliest hazard associated with landfalling hurricanes.
- 02
Large economic losses
Concentrated coastal assets mean a single severe storm can cause very large insured and uninsured losses.
- 03
Ecosystem and coastal damage
Surge, waves and debris damage reefs, mangroves, beaches and coastal wetlands.
04 · Solutions
Documented approaches
Strong building codes
Florida's post-Andrew building code requirements for wind resistance and openings.
Expected effectDemonstrably reduces structural damage in high-wind events.
Evacuation planning and warning
Surge-zone based evacuation planning with National Hurricane Center forecasts and warnings.
Expected effectSaves lives; effectiveness depends on lead time and compliance.
Natural coastal buffers
Restoring mangroves, dunes, reefs and wetlands that absorb wave and surge energy.
Expected effectReduces surge and wave damage while providing habitat and recreation benefits.
05 · Key indicators
What can be measured
- Building code baseline
- Florida Building Code2002
Statewide code adopted after Hurricane Andrew, with high-velocity hurricane zone requirements for Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
06 · Sources
Where this comes from
- [1]Storm surge overviewNOAA National Hurricane Centernhc.noaa.gov(opens in a new tab)
- [2]Florida Building CodeFlorida Building Commissionfloridabuilding.org(opens in a new tab)
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