Hurricane Season

As the 2023 hurricane season starts, memories are still fresh of Hurricane Ian causing billions of dollars in damage and pushing water across Southwest Florida barrier islands. Emergency-management officials believe they must do more to communicate the risks of approaching storms.

In the months after Hurricane Ian made landfall, residents in Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island, and Sanibel, Florida have struggled to navigate insurance claims, building permits, and government aid as they rebuild their lives.

After taking heavy losses in Hurricane Ian, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund enters the 2023 hurricane season with an estimated $12.3 billion in claims-paying capacity, according to a new report.

Cape Coral will host a 2023 Hurricane Preparedness Expo on May 31.

The first 7-day Tropical Weather Outlook was published at 8 a.m. Monday, May 15.

The Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would help communities deal with future natural disasters and provide a legal shield for electric utilities.

Prepping for hurricane season starts with knowing your risks. Hurricanes are much more than just a coastal problem, so knowing what types of water and wind hazards could happen where you live is critical to your safety.

In recognition of National Hurricane Preparedness Week, which is April 30 to May 6 this year, learn how scientists are looking back thousands of years to gain a better understanding of hurricane patterns and how climate change could impact future storm activity. Knowing what has happened in the past gives insight on potential storm intensity and occurrence in the future.

When a disaster like Hurricane Ian occurs, one of the many organizations that responds is called the Florida Extension Disaster Education Network (Florida EDEN). They work year-round developing resources to help Extension educators communicate with their communities about disasters like Hurricane Ian. Extension educators in Florida are professionals who work for the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension program. They are responsible for providing educational programs and resources to residents of Florida on a wide range of topics related to agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H youth development.

When Hurricane Ian made landfall last September 28, 2022 the WGCU news team was in what we refer to as wall-to-wall coverage. For eleven straight hours we bounced back and forth with the team of meteorologists at the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network — or FPREN. FPREN’s mission is to deliver up to the minute public safety information and emergency messaging to 13 public-radio stations all around the state that reach 99% of Florida’s population.We’re in Gainesville today and tomorrow for the 2023 FPREN Pre-Season Summit so thought we’d take a moment to get to know their team.