County: Miami-Dade
ZIP Codes: 33166
Virginia Gardens, Florida, given its location in Miami-Dade County, is potentially susceptible to the effects of hurricanes, especially considering its geographical position in relation to the coast. Being approximately 12 miles inland, it has some protection from the immediate storm surges associated with land-falling hurricanes, but a large, high-intensity storm might still cause significant surge impacts. Furthermore, the elevation of the town is fairly flat and low, around 5 feet above sea level on average, which could exacerbate the potential risk of flooding, a common occurrence with heavy tropical rainfalls. When considering the historical hurricane impacts over the past 30 years, Virginia Gardens saw significant impacts from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, one of the most destructive hurricanes to hit Florida. Andrew's heavy rainfalls and powerful winds caused much damage in areas both at and distant from the coast. More recently, hurricanes like Irma in 2017 and Wilma in 2005, though having their eyewall landfalls much further from this town, brought a lot of rainfall and strong winds to the area, causing power outages, fallen trees, and some flooding. Therefore, residents of Virginia Gardens must always promptly heed evacuation orders and prepare in advance of the hurricane season due to these potential threats.