As cleanup and recovery efforts continue, we reflect upon this year’s Hurricane Ian– a destructive storm that had little mercy for those in its path. Homes and individual properties sustain significant damage from storms like this one, and even minor hurricanes or tropical storms, when they strike populous regions. Hurricanes and tropical storms can cause a wide range of different types of damage, including wind, rain, flooding, wind-borne debris and hail, just to mention a few.
The ninth tropical storm of the 2022 season, Hurricane Ian, developed late on Friday, September 23, over the central Caribbean Sea. On September 28, 2022, shortly after 3 p.m. ET, Hurricane Ian’s center blasted onshore at 150 mph at Cayo Costa, a barrier island west of Fort Myers. Two days later, at 2:05 p.m., the hurricane made its last landfall as a Category 1 storm close to Georgetown, South Carolina.
Hurricane Ian Facts:
- After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Ian is the second deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland this century.
- There have been at least 101 verified fatalities from Hurricane Ian, with 92 of them occurring in Florida, five in North Carolina, one in Virginia, and three in Cuba.
- On September 27, 2022, Hurricane Ian made its first landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm, rendering the whole island powerless.
- On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall west of Fort Myers, Florida, after strengthening to a Category 4 storm.
- The United States has only had four Category 5 storms with maximum sustained winds of more than 155 mph.
In the southeast of the United States, particularly in the states of Florida and South Carolina, Hurricane Ian inflicted extensive damage. It was the fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane, of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. The exact extent of the damage caused by hurricane Ian is currently unknown. The deadliest hurricane to hit Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, Hurricane Ian was a massive and catastrophic Category 4 Atlantic hurricane.
Dr. Joel N. Myers, the founder and CEO of AccuWeather, estimates that Hurricane Ian will have cost the United States somewhere between $180 billion and $210 billion in total damages by the time recovery efforts are complete. Enki Research, a data company, predicted that the hurricane might cause up to $75 billion in economic damage. According to the company, Hurricane Ian will rank among the ten most expensive storms in American history. The most recent and fifteenth weather event this year to be added to NOAA’s billion-dollar disaster list is Hurricane Ian.
Officials believe that some of the worst damage looks to have been caused by the pounding wind-driven ocean surge that poured into beach side villages and washed buildings away on Florida’s Gulf Coast as the full scale of Hurricane Ian’s destruction comes into view. When the storm hit Florida’s Lee County as a Category 4 hurricane, Lee County took the majority of the damage. Flooding was more destructive than strong winds.
Hurricane Ian left widespread floods and power outages in its path, causing destruction. After the important Sanibel Causeway was demolished, the barrier islands of Captiva and Sanibel were cut off from the mainland. By the end of the month, it is anticipated that the temporary repairs will be finished. Other bridges, roads, medical facilities, educational institutions, and water infrastructure were also heavily damaged.
While the west coast of the state, where Hurricane Ian made landfall, has received most of the attention, other sections of the state also suffered from heavy rain, flooding, and wind damage. Central Florida’s floodwaters caused stranded vehicles and home rescues.
FEMA continues to offer rental and repair assistance, hotel stays, reimbursement for temporary housing, and other forms of support to help Floridians accelerate their recoveries. To date, the agency has given approximately $500 million in aid to Hurricane Ian survivors across 26 counties.
Getting Prepared for The Next Storm
Long before a hurricane like Hurricane Ian has developed, it is time to start preparing. If you wait until the storm forms, you run the chance of the storm harming your family and destroying your property– all of which may be avoided by installing high-quality impact windows and doors onto your home or business.
Because it’s difficult to protect your home and possessions at the last minute, we advise for you to plan ahead when it comes to storms. Having a storm kit ready, with at least three days worth of food and water per family member is an easy way to start preparing for the next storm far in advance. You’ll want to be sure that your kit includes first aid supplies and any medication needed by members of your family. You’ll also want to include gloves, boots/strong shoes and trash bags for any post-storm clean up that you may need to do in wake of the storm.
Living in Florida, hurricanes are simply a fact of life, so planning for the next storm long before the hurricane season will help to make sure that your home or business is well protected prior to the storm. After a storm, many homeowners and business owners frequently discover how important impact windows and doors are for safeguarding their homes and loved ones. Unfortunately, for those in a hurry, installing high-quality storm windows and doors in your house or place of business requires some time and planning. Our goal is to get your home and business protected well in advance of any dangers that can occur.
We would love the opportunity to speak with you about installing hurricane impact windows and doors on your home or business. We can give you an idea of the time frame for the installation of your doors and windows, so that you have a clear idea of the process and time involved in protecting your home. East Coast Windows & Doors wants to help keep you and your home safe. Give us a call at (954) 946-3697 or click here to request a free quote and we will follow up with you shortly.